The training «Strengthening lobbying and advocacy skills in democracy and human rights» opens

The “Pal-Think for Strategic Studies” institution opened a training programme titled “Strengthening lobbying and advocacy skills in the field of democracy and human rights”, which will extend from 8–11 December 2019, within the project “Youth Forum for Politics and Development”, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which aims at building the capacities of rising Palestinian youth in strategic thinking and communal work, with the participation of 20 trainees, chosen after they passed personal interviews.

The training was opened by the trainer Bilal al-Najjar, welcoming the trainees. He said: “The training's importance comes from the importance of empowering the youth and widening their knowledge in democracy and human rights, and the youth must be aware of their rights so that they demand them by legal means. We will also be keen that there be practical application”.

He pointed out that the trainees will become acquainted during the training with human rights and their divisions, democracy and good governance, then with the skills of lobbying and advocacy.

The training's first day took up several interactive activities the trainees carried out through groups, to develop working in a team spirit, and they became acquainted with the emergence of human rights, their development, their divisions, and the characteristics of each of them.

The trainees expressed their happiness with the training: the trainee Maysara Abu Sultan (28 years) said: “Becoming acquainted with democracy and human rights helps us express our issues in a civilised manner internally and externally”.

He added: “Thanks to Pal-Think that it taught us new things with which we can build our future”.

From her side, Mona Abu Shawarib (26 years) said: “Knowing human rights and the democratic systems is an important matter, and I expect to come out of the training knowing my rights and how to demand them using the methods of mobilisation and advocacy”.

It is recalled that the project “Youth Forum for Politics and Development” will extend to the month of April 2020, and contains varied lectures in Palestinian law, democracy, and others. It also includes varied training programmes, such as: leadership and communication skills, building the digital identity on the social-media sites, methods of lobbying and advocacy, and others. Through the project, “Pal-Think” aims at developing the knowledge and culture of Palestinian youth.