The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) conducted a workshop under the title "Inclusion of Marginalized Groups within Palestinian Local Authorities", for the Taskforce specialized in Integration and Inclusion, formed recently by APLA as one of its supporting taskforces, comprised of female and male local authority employees. The purpose was to introduce them to perceptions and concepts of integration and inclusion, exchange experiences relevant to issues of integration and inclusion of marginalized groups in local authorities. The workshop was held at APLA's office in Ramallah with the attendance of 11 representatives (males and females) from Palestinian local authorities.
Manager of the Technical and Legal Support Unit, Eng. Abdel Mo'men Afaneh clarified that APLA seeks, through forming the Integration and Inclusion Taskforce, to realize a perception of APLA's role in unifying efforts, exchanging experiences, and formalizing a joint and comprehensive vision between APLA and the local authorities' representatives. Moving forward, plans will be devised by all parties for the integration and inclusion of the marginalized groups at the local level.
Gender Coordinator at APLA, Abeer Nooh, presented the key concepts related to issues of integration and inclusion of marginalized groups in the Palestinian society, in addition to potential interventions that can be implemented to contribute to the integration and inclusion of the marginalized groups. A discussion was led around the concepts of integration and inclusion of marginalized groups in conformity with the Palestinian context. She further explained that the aforementioned taskforce will be responsible for identifying the framework towards the underprivileged groups in the local communities, and reaching out to them to identify the priorities, devise solutions and interventions that might be adopted by the local authorities within their policies and strategic plans, in a way that guarantees responding to the needs and inclusion of all.
It is worth mentioning that the workshop on the Inclusion of Marginalized Groups within Local Authorities was organized under Technical Hubs Project, mainly implemented in partnership between APLA and the Local Government Reform Program at the GIZ, and within the frame of APLA's commitment to develop its policies and implement its interventions in a way that considers the various needs and guarantees empowerment of both women and men.
