CCRR

In August 2007, CCRR is running a project especially for women. The target group is Palestinian women from villages and refugee camps all over the West Bank. In contrast to women living in the cities, they have little access to higher education and other methods of expressing themselves. Though organizations for the benefit of women do exist throughout the west bank, they are mostly aimed at the empowerment of women. However, this project is unique in that it will be focusing on women and their relation to conflict in the public and private sphere. Conflict will be addressed on many levels, including within the immediate family and beyond, on a national level.

Workshops will be run in fifteen regions with each group being made up of fifteen women. Four five-hour sessions will be held including a variety of activities such as games, role-plays and discussions. The workshops will be wholly interactive with some topics chosen by CCRR and others chosen by the participants. The structure of the course is flexible and can be adapted depending on the individuals and the situations they are living in since they may have differing attitudes and needs. It is even a possibility for men to be included for part of the workshops if it is felt that this will be beneficial for the women.The workshops will be run by women trainers since it is felt that this would make the discussions and atmosphere more relaxed especially when discussing more sensitive issues and when in more culturally conservative areas of the West Bank. The trainers will also be local to the region they will be training in which is valuable because they will be more familiar with the specific needs and traditions of the women in the group and will be more readily accepted by the participants which is vital for group cohesion. The role of women will always be governed by their gender: as a mother, wife, daughter etc. The project is aimed at allowing women to discuss conflict and help them become more self-determined and ultimately to help improve their lives. It is hoped that they can use the skills gained in the workshops within the family structure especially in relation to how they interact with their male family members, what kind of role model they are for their children and perhaps ultimately indirectly affect the Palestinian social structure