In cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Youth, the IPYL developed the second draft of the youth policy in Palestine. IPYL’s role was to add andpropose new ideas from the youth policies of different countries; mainly those which focus on contraception and volunteering. IPYL focused on the South African and Spanish models. IPYL has been a member in the drafting committee of the policy since 2006.
Review of Youth Sector in Hebron District 2004-5
The International Palestinian Youth League conducted a simple research on the youth sector in Hebron area. The main aim for this research was to study all the aspects of the young people’s lives in Hebron area; from their family life and social circumstances to their views of the future and hopes and dreams. A particular part of the review was devoted to the impact of the current security situation on their daily lives. The main idea of this study was to get information from and about this heavily affected sector in order to establish a clear picture about their needs and concerns.
Duration of the study: December 2004-March 2005.
Hebron District:
The study covered 13 areas from the whole of the Hebron district. (Two refugee camps, ten villages and the city itself).
Background:
Hebron city is an Arab Islamic city, established by the Kananites over 6000 years ago. It lies 35 km south of Jerusalem. Throughout history, the city was demolished and rebuilt several times. Last built during rule of Salah Eddin in 1187, it still has the same style.
Hebron is considered the most conservative city in Palestine, because of the existence of the tomb of the Macpellah (Ibrahimi Mosque) where many prophets are buried; Ibraham, Joseph, Issaq, Jaccob and their wives. Unlike other cities in Palestine, Hebronites used to send their children to study Islamic Sharia’ at Al Azhar University in Egypt, which provided the city with Islamic cadre for long periods, influencing the way of living and thinking in this area.
The people of Hebron work in agriculture, trade and industry, inside and outside the district. Hebron contains more than 25% of the Palestine industry. Hebron is famous for grapes (60% of Palestine grape production), 32% of Palestine Stone industry, leather production, glass, shoe industry and many traditional crafts and industries.
The total area of Hebron is 1082 km, with a population of 465,000 Palestinians. Hebron exports leather, stones, grapes, glass and traditional crafts.
The sample for the study included 1,350 men and women aged between 16-30 years.
Methodology of the study:
The study was very simple and completely based on results from questionnaires (see translation of the questionnaire below) distributed to 1,500 young man and woman from the 13 areas inside the district asked to freely express their ideas. The resulting data was then classified into a matrix then analyzed by the SPSS program. At a later stage, the results were supported by written literatures on the youth sector.
With this study, we wanted to get an indication of the degree of interaction between Hebron youth and their environment.
This study is considered the first serious step to scientifically analyze Hebron’s youth situation and their needs. In addition, this study is considered an important for future plans towards a more comprehensive and balanced development approach on behalf of our youth.
Objectives of the Study:
The Palestinian Youth grew up in special conditions. The Israeli occupation was the determinate, major factor that influenced and changed their lives. Its impact influenced their way of thinking, daily behavior, future-hopes and aspirations. Concentric causes of suffering and disturbance in their lives were the economical and social barriers which suppressed any development opportunities.
The main goals of this study were:
ü Identify the young people’s relationship with Civil Society Organizations, politics, occupation, local and international mass media,
ü Estimate the level of psychological damage resulting from the occupation,
ü Read the impact of the social values (local society, family, friends, tribe etc) on the youth’s way of thinking and behavior
ü Finger-point the problems facing the development of the youth sector
ü Develop new communication tools and methods with the youth.
Some selected results from the study:
ü 76,2% said that they are not married. Reasons were mainly the absence of chances to meet the partner before marriage. Explanation: Hebron is a conservative district where boys and girls do not go to the same schools. Females are not allowed by their families to go anywhere without a male (brother, father or son!) member of her family, which leaves no chances for interaction between the two sexes. In addition to that, there is a complete (with some exceptional cases) separation between women’s and men’s clubs and NGOs. The youth want chances to meet, talk, and discuss with the opposite sex their concerns, needs, dreams, future etc. even though traditions do not provide places or chances for that. Some other youth referred this to the family arranged marriages and later to financial reasons.
ü 69.1% said that they knew about early marriage cases which they consider as a real socio-economical problem facing the youth development and their future and are afraid of being forced to do it! Explanation: Society in the Hebron District of Palestine is arranged along conservative, hierarchical lines with the populace still largely adhering to tribal/family allegiances. The reasons for this are manifold but the key factors may be seen to be the continuance of traditional practices as a result of the disempowerment, dependency and under-development caused by sustained economical problems, military occupation and oppression.
ü 71.4% said that they are unemployed and get support from their families. Explanations: Having the families supporting them is an indication of the strong family bonds and ties which helps the family/tribe interfere in the lives and future of their children.
ü 70% said that the reasons for their unemployment are the occupation’s measures against the Palestinian people; curfew, closure, military oppression, complete absence of labor security and insurances etc with a lack of advanced, sophisticated and competent skills that would enable them find jobs even in emergency situations such as the one we are living in. Explanations: Hebron is famous for family business and enterprises. Young people inherit not only the business from their parents but also the management and way of function. This situation leaves no chance for development or modernizations of the industry or trade.
ü 60% said that they did not know of any institution that would provide them with the necessary and advanced vocational/ professional training to secure a living. Explanation: There is a very limited number of vocational training centers that are competent and modern. The available ones are either cheap, underdeveloped (mainly the governmental ones) or very expensive and developed (private sector).
ü 55,9% said that they had never even heard of the name “civil society organization and did not know what to answer! Explanation: A very limited number of active and famous NGOs in Hebron district. This is due to the lack of voluntary initiatives, absence of any financial support, ignorance about the role of the NGOs in development and the complex registration procedures.
ü 36,9% said that they do not want to be members in the existing NGOs because they do not trust them! Explanation: Most of the existing ones are usually have a closed membership lists and are limited to the elites of the society.
ü 72,6% said that they are able to exercise their domestic hobbies (the one that does not require leaving home or the neighborhood, while 27,4% are unable to exercise their hobbies due to financial or security problems or the absence of leisure institutions and facilities. Explanations: Young people are unable to walk freely inside or outside the cities because of the effect of Israeli security measures on their mobility. Only those whose hobbies do not require leaving home or the neighborhood are able to practice their hobbies.
ü 91,6% said that there is a great deficiency in the leisure or fun facilities in the district. Explanation: The low budgets of the local authorities and the public sector, as well as the complete absence of these topics on their agenda.
ü Over 50% said that the occupation had influenced their lives through either death of someone close, detention, torture, injury of self, relative or a friend. Explanation: During the past two years, more than 2000 Palestinians have been shot dead by the Israeli army or the Israeli settlers, 80% of them were young people! Of over 200,000 injured persons, 20,000 were left with permanent disabilities!
ü 48,6% said that they see the occupation as the case of the political problems in the Middle East, while 12,1% said the problem is in the PNA’s non-democratic attitude and 35,7% referred it to the absence of freedom of expression. Explanation: It is evident that the impact of the occupation on the Palestinian youth lives is drastic, but one should not underestimate the PNA’s non-democratic attitude especially in depriving the people of their rights to freedom of expression! Currently, there is a national argument on the importance of political reforms and democratization of the Palestinian society and ruling system.
ü 83,3% said they believe that the cultural resources in Hebron district are either absent or insufficient and if they exist then very backwards and weak.
Explanation: There is only one public library in Hebron city.
ü 79,7% said they care for the local media stations and listen to them, but their programs are culturally weak and sometimes empty. Explanation: There are four radio and four TV stations in Hebron city, and none in the countryside. These stations are private business, which financially relies completely on commercials. Only rarely will they broadcast educational or cultural material. The owners and staff often lack the proper skills to run such programs.
ü 44,1% said they see their future outside the country! Explanation: in light of the current tough situation, young people have started to think of immigration as a means to get better lives and future. This is the first time that such a high percentage has declared this wish.
Initial Conclusions and Recommendations:
- plan and design new job opportunities and campaigns for the unemployed youth
- create cheap and modern vocational training centers to develop the youth sector and their chances of getting jobs
- create and establish places and facilities for leisure and fun for the youth
- the youth sector has been affected drastically by the war; there is a need for psychological and social counseling
- review the role and message of local NGOs; design programs that encourage a focus on the youth sector
- there is a great deal of stress and tension amongst the youth; projects with a view to their social empowerments should be designed
- develop the programs of local media stations to fit with the youth’s needs,
- get the local authorities to establish libraries and cultural centers for the public
- review the family laws in Palestine to de-legitimize the early marriage
10. create discussion inside the Palestinian society on the problems facing the youth and how to solve them; through workshops, seminars, discussions, conferences – National Rescue Plan for this sector.
The following is a link to a discussion had on causes of violence, held in Paris and contributed to by IPYL.
