{"id":5786,"date":"2018-03-06T12:58:29","date_gmt":"2018-03-06T10:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pcdcr.org\/?p=5786"},"modified":"2018-03-06T12:58:29","modified_gmt":"2018-03-06T10:58:29","slug":"%d9%85%d8%ac%d9%84%d8%b3-%d8%b4%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d8%a8%d9%84%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b2%d9%87%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%a1-%d8%aa%d8%b8%d8%a7%d9%87%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%85%d9%82","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pcdcr.org\/en\/%d9%85%d8%ac%d9%84%d8%b3-%d8%b4%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d8%a8%d9%84%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b2%d9%87%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%a1-%d8%aa%d8%b8%d8%a7%d9%87%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%85%d9%82\/","title":{"rendered":"Al-Zahra Municipality youth council: a first-of-its-kind democratic event"},"content":{"rendered":"

Within the \"A Step Towards Change\" project<\/p>\n

Monday 5 March 2018<\/p>\n

The Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution, in partnership with Al-Zahra Municipality, organised the first democratic event of its kind in Al-Zahra City by forming and electing a youth council for the city. Through joint cooperation between the Centre and the municipality, and an effort lasting several months, the Al-Zahra Municipality youth council was elected, comprising seven members. The experience demonstrated the awareness of Palestinian young people of the democratic process: young men and women competed for the council's seats and the young women won the highest number of votes. The youth council is the first democratic experience of its kind at municipal level in the Gaza Strip and came as a result of many joint activities within the \"A Step Towards Change\" project, in partnership with the Norwegian People's Aid office. Speaking about the experience of working together, holding the elections and forming the council, Samar Hamad, lobbying and advocacy campaigns consultant at the Centre, said the council is the fruit of cooperation with Al-Zahra Municipality, which showed great flexibility and cooperation through its official adoption of the council's formation, holding the elections and organising the council's work in cooperation with the municipality.<\/p>\n

Hamad also stressed that this activity is a continuation of many activities in the field of strengthening youth participation in local government bodies, which began in 2016 and will continue for two further years in order to deliver many joint activities with the Centre that will help strengthen the social accountability initiative in municipalities. Al-Zahra Municipality was the first to form such a council, to be followed by Al-Nuseirat and Al-Maghazi municipalities in the coming phase.<\/p>\n

Speaking about Al-Zahra Municipality's experience, Eng. Nidal Al-Khaisi affirmed that the municipality provides every facility for young people and community activities, in line with its strategic vision of strengthening community participation and involving young people in decision-making. He stressed that the election results and the smooth conduct of the democratic process confirm young people's awareness and the strong partnership with the municipality.<\/p>\n

He also underlined the continued support of the mayor and the municipal council for all youth ideas and initiatives that serve the community and improve conditions for young people in the municipality.<\/p>\n

For his part, one of the election winners, Hammam Eid, said they had badly needed to experience an election since reaching the age that allows them to do so.<\/p>\n

Olfat, one of the winners, said she was very happy with this experience and proud that the young women had won the highest number of votes, which shows the community's interest in young women and their ability to work side by side with young men. Mr. Abdel Moneim Al-Tahrawi, projects manager at the Centre, thanked the young people, Al-Zahra Municipality and the partners at the Norwegian People's Aid office for this excellent opportunity, wishing everyone success and greater participation in the service of the community.<\/p>\n

It is worth noting that seven young men and women won the elections:<\/p>\n