Palestinian Workers Advocating for Establishment of Minimum Wage: With assistance provided through a USAID civic participation grant, the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution organized discussions in Jericho and Tulkarem on issues related to the draft Minimum Wage Law. After a review of the legislation, Ministry of Labor officials engaged in discussions with workers and Chamber of Commerce representatives about the practical steps needed to enact and implement the Law, which will help further the rights of Palestinian workers.

Women Taking the Lead in Addressing Special Needs Issues: The Al Jaleel Society, a Civic Participation Program partner organization, conducted seven action-oriented sessions to focus attention on the rights and needs of special needs and disabled people in targeted villages and neighboring communities in the northern West Bank. The interactive sessions were held in four villages in the Jenin region (Faqua, Maithaloon, Anza and Al Sileh Hartheria) and were attended by 245 participants (63 Males and 182 Females).

Gazan Textile Talks in Tel Aviv: USAID and the US Consulate jointly organized and facilitated a roundtable discussion for the owners of nine leading Gazan textile firms on the sidelines of the Holon Fashion Week in Tel Aviv. Despite strict trade restrictions, Gazan companies are actively seeking foreign markets for their products. USAID pledged to continue to explore ways to reconnect Gaza’s once booming textile industry with international markets. Approximately 100 West Bank textile firms also participated in conferences and meetings with Israeli and other Palestinian textile manufacturers during the week.

Students in Gaza Get Chance to Explore Future Careers: Eighty-five Palestinian high school children in Gaza had the opportunity to shadow someone working in a field of their interest through the USAID-supported, Model Schools Network “Structured Workplace Learning Program”.  The Program, which is similar to a previous USAID initiative in the West Bank is the first of its kind in Gaza. Through the shadowing program, implemented in in cooperation with the Palestinian Information and Communication Technology Association, students spent time learning about a real work environment to help them formulate their educational and career goals. 

Palestinian Authority Graduates First Five Reform Teams: The PA Ministries of Interior, Transportation, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Finance, and Public Works and Housing graduated more than 140 civil servants from the first cycle of the Centers of Excellence (COE) program, a civil-service-led, government-reform initiative launched with support from USAID. The Council of Ministers has committed to introducing the COE program across all ministries and to make the COE program a permanent part of ministry operations that would require only minimal external support.