Article74 Magazine

 
NGOs Joining the Refugee Initiative in the West Bank - 
A Startup Program for a Community Based, Independent Campaign in Defense of Refugee Rights 

Local mobilization for a strong and independent refugee lobby in Palestine: 
- a survey of refugee attitudes and demands conducted by the Union of Youth Centers in cooperation with experts; 
- a series of local conferences and workshops to mobilize for a national refugee conference in Palestine organized by the elected preparatory committees; 
- using the Palestinian media as a platform for a public debate on the refugee question involving refugees, NGOs, experts and Palestinian politicians of the PA and opposition; 
- public counseling on residency and refugee rights in the camps of the West Bank and Gaza Strip conducted by expert NGOs. 
Regional networking to overcome geo-political divisions of the refugee question: 
- linking up with refugee initiatives in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria by integrating the experience and contacts made in previous regional refugee meetings [see report about Cyprus Conference below] 
International campaign for presenting the voice of Palestinian refugees to the international community: 
- production of regular updates and reports on the Palestinian refugee issue prepared for policy makers, media and the public abroad; 
- raising support for community projects in refugee camps both in Palestine and outside, as examples for refugee concerns and models of coping; 
- organizing an international refugee conference with the participation of refugee representatives, NGOs, Palestinian experts, representatives of UNRWA, the international community, the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian politicians, which will place the analysis, concern and demands of the Palestinian refugees on the agenda of the international community, its politicians and media. [Source: AIC/CEAD proposal approved by the UYC, Bethlehem Preparatory Committee]

 
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