We object to honour killings

In an exclusive interview with ArabsToday, the Minister of Women's Affairs for the Palestinian government in Gaza, Jameela Al-Shanti, stated that her Ministry objects to "honour killings" of women, and calls for the any violation of their rights to be handed over to the judiciary, so that justice can be done. She also stressed the need to sentence anyone guilty of afflicting women's lives. Al-Shanti indicated that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs is running according to the organization’s objectives, developing awareness of Palestinian women’s issues, and raising their numbers in political, social and economic spheres.  The Ministry is also working towards maintaining the stability and cohesion of the Palestinian family. Al-Shanti said that her Ministry is seeking to change its name at the end of the year 2012, with the aim of providing a wider range of services for women and families, pointing out that the coming period will witness the implementation of large-scale projects for the benefit of Palestinian women.  She added that the Ministry is seeking to establish and implement these projects to serve the largest possible number of women. Al-Shanti confirmed that the Ministry has taken an interest in all the different sectors of the female community with the aim of identifying their problems, and working to resolve them.  She pointed out that her Ministry provides for all walks of life, and sponsors a large number of institutions in the area administratively, distributing the management roles among them to create a climate of integration, as well as creating associations that pioneer in leading the youth. On the subject of legislation for women, Al-Shanti said: "We are helping to re-interpret the laws on Palestinian women, and to submit draft laws to the Legislative Council in order to help them legally.   We are also preparing a draft guide for Palestinian women, in order to identify women and their levels of education so that we can provide reference numbers and statistical data on the reality of women in society, to help researchers and students. "  She said: "The study is limited to the Gaza Strip only because the information is not available to us in the West Bank." Al-Shanti pointed out that her Ministry is working on advocating youth issues and the development of administrative and financial systems within the women's institutions in order to provide for women.   She said: "The Ministry of Women's Affairs supports all women's organizations deployed in the Gaza Strip, and often offers moral support in the absence of external funding; due to the blockade imposed on the Strip."  She noted that her Ministry covers various national and social issues, stating: "The Ministry's role is to take care of poor families and marginalized groups, and to stand by their side.  There are nearly a thousand families aided by the Ministry through small projects, from north to south." Al-Shanti explained that her Ministry helps poor families and works with them continuously, pointing out that they address women's issues with wisdom and patience. She said that her Ministry is working to start up large projects in order to support the largest possible number of women in the Gaza, noting that the coming period would witness the implementation of these projects in an area of five acres in the north of the Gaza Strip, thanks to the support of the Kuwaiti Mercy Association.   She explained that three projects will be undertaken - a maternity hospital will be built, a project for the care of orphans will be set-up, and lastly a cultural centre will be constructed to serve the northern region of the Gaza Strip.  She stated that the Ministry also backs other projects that support and assist women in the Gaza Strip, such as livestock breeding, building home gardens, growing vegetables, and establishing centres for weaving.  It also gives generous loans to women to enable them to establish projects to support their families. Al-Shanti said: "Approximately five thousand families scattered throughout the provinces of the Gaza Strip benefit from these projects." She added that training courses are provided for a number of families before they start these projects in order to achieve the greatest possible success.