Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD)

The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) is a left-of-center Palestinian advocacy group seeks to promote left-leaning gender policies in the Palestinian territories 1 and oppose Israeli control of the West Bank. 2

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At-A-Glance

Type: Organization, Other
Issue Areas: LGBT Policy
Website: pwwsd.org
Formation:

1981

General Director:

Amal Kreishe

Contents

    The nonprofit is based in the West Bank city of Ramallah but operates throughout the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 2

    Founding and History

    The organization was established in 1981 as the “Union of Palestinian Working Women Committees.” The group later registered itself as the “Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development” in 2001 with the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Interior. 3

    In 2021, the Israeli government condemned five Palestinian nonprofits and the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC), a separate group, founded in 1980, with a mission and logo similar to PWWSD, for operating in a network affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine  (PFLP) terror group. 4 In response, Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development joined 252 organizations in signing a petition condemning the Israeli government’s decision. 5

    Activities

    Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development promotes feminist ideals as essential to the Palestinian fight for statehood independent from Israel. 6

    As such, the organization strives to strike a balance between the broader Palestinian objective of an independent Palestinian state and the nonprofit’s own goal of realizing a Palestinian society with greater freedoms and opportunities for women. 6

    PWWSD has supported outreach initiatives aimed at addressing domestic violence, enhancing professional opportunities for women, and encouraging female participation in political activism. 6

    These initiatives include seminars and a television program to raise awareness about gender-based violence. PWWSD has also engaged in various advocacy efforts at the local level, including campaigns, policy discussions, and demonstrations. 6

    From 2019 to 2020, PWWSD partnered with the Centre Party International Foundation, an affiliate of the Swedish Centre Party, on a project to promote female voting participation. 7

    In 2019, PWWSD led a successful campaign to pass the Family Protection Bill in the Palestinian Authority’s jurisdiction, which raised the legal age of marriage, eliminated gender inequality in inheritances, and enhanced punishments for domestic violence. 8 9

    In January 2021, PWWSD signed a letter condemning Israel for implementing a COVID-19 vaccine policy in Palestine that the signatories claimed was “discriminatory, unlawful, and racist.” 10

    In April 2021, PWWSD signed a letter asking the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel for war crimes. 11

    In July 2021, PWWSD signed a letter asking the Israeli government to release Shatha Odeh, the director of the Health Work Committees, a Palestinian nonprofit shut down by Israel for alleged connections to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Odeh was released almost a year later. 12 13 14

    PWWSD supports boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel, and has signed numerous petitions calling for BDS. 15

    Funding

    The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development takes donations through bank transfers in U.S. dollars, Euros, or Israeli shekels. 16

    From 2016 to 2019, PWWSD, the Democracy and Workers’ Rights Center in Palestine, and Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo dei Paesi Emergenti received a €583,986 (approximately $618,000) joint-grant from the European Union for “Enhancing Rights and Freedoms of Palestinian Workers.” 15

    From 2012 to 2014, PWWSD received three grants from George Soros’s Open Society Institute totaling $141,215. 17 18 19

    In 2009 and 2010, PWWSD received $5,000 from the Tides Foundation. 20 21

    PWWSD has also received funding from the United Nations Population Fund, the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime, the UN Development Program, UN Women, EDUCAID, We Effect; the governments of the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, and France; 22 and the Urgent Action Fund. 23

    Leadership

    The leadership team of the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development includes Amal Khreishe, the general manager; Samhan Samhan, the programs manager; Hind Abu Iyada, the gender-based violence (GBV) program manager; Samer Hawash, the political empowerment program manager; and Basma Naji-Abuaker, the economic program manager. 24

    The board officers of the group includes Hanan Banoura, the chairperson; Faten Ghazi Abu Zarour, the secretary; and Majeda Atta Hourani, the treasurer. Additional members of the board are Najah Doukmak, Halima Abu Solb, Amena Al Kilani, and Manar Samer Al Masri. 25

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    References

    1. “Social and economic situation of Palestinian women and girls.” United Nations. July 2020-June 2022. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.un.org/unispal/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ESCWAREPORT_090323.pdf.
    2. “PWWSD.” Arab.org. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://arab.org/directory/palestinian-working-women-society-for-development/.
    3. “About Us.” PWWSD. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20131122043244/https://pwwsd.org/en.
    4. Lis, Jonathan; Shezaf, Hagar. “Grantz Declares Six Palestinian NGOs Terrorist Organizations.” Haaretz. October 22, 2021. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2021-10-22/ty-article/.premium/gantz-declares-six-palestinian-ngos-terrorist-organizations/0000017f-e795-dea7-adff-f7ff13bf0000.
    5.  “Statements and Appeals.” Bahrain Forum for Human Rights. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://bfhr.org/english/article.php?id=1012&cid=148.
    6. The Olive Tree S.A.L., “Palestinian Working Women Society for Development,” Arab.Org (blog), March 21, 2016, https://arab.org/directory/palestinian-working-women-society-for-development/.
    7. “Increase women participation in the political and social life in their societies.” PWWSD. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pwwsd.org/page/polparticipation/en.
    8. Mahamid, Fayez; Hattab, Muayad; Berte, Denise. “Palestinian law to protect family and prevent violence: challenges with public opinion.” BMC Public Health. March 1, 2023. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-15276-9.
    9. “National Advocacy.” PWWSD. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pwwsd.org/page/national/en.
    10. “Racism and Institutionalized Discrimination in the Roll-Out for the COVID-19 Vaccine.” Al-Haq. January 18, 2021. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/17767.html.
    11. “Letter: 190 Organizations Urge ICC Prosecutor to Investigate Forced Evictions of Palestinian Families in Sheik Jarrah, East Jerusalem.” Center for Constitutional Rights. April 23, 2021. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://ccrjustice.org/letter-190-organizations-urge-icc-prosecutor-investigate-forced-evictions-palestinian-families
    12. “Sign-on Letter Asking for Intervention of WHO.” People’s Health Movement. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://phmovement.org/sign-on-letter-requesting-who-to-intervene-for-release-of-palestinian-activist-shatha-odeh/.
    13. “Israeli Occupation Release Mrs. Shatha Odeh After Nearly a Year.” Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. June 3, 2022. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.addameer.org/news/4807.
    14. “Israeli army shutdown of health organization will have catastrophic consequences for Palestinian healthcare.” Amnesty International. June 9, 2021. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2021/06/israeli-army-shutdown-of-health-organization-will-have-catastrophic-consequences-for-palestinian-healthcare/.
    15. “Palestinian Working Woman for Societal Development.” NGO Monitor. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.ngo-monitor.org/ngos/palestinian_working_women_s_society_for_development_pwwsd_/.
    16. “Donations.” PWWSD. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pwwsd.org/page/donate/en.
    17. “Open Society Institute Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed August 25, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/137029285/2016_02_PF%2F13-7029285_990PF_201212.
    18. “Open Society Institute Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed August 25, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/137029285/201423189349101912/full.
    19. “Open Society Institute Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed August 25, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/137029285/201503179349100345/full.
    20. “Tides Foundation 2010 Grantee List.” Klamath Basin Water Crisis. Accessed August 20, 2023. http://www.klamathbasincrisis.org/fundingthedemise/Soros/Tides-Foundation-List-of-Grantees-2010.pdf.
    21. “Tides Foundation Form 990.” Foundation Center. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/510/510198509/510198509_200912_990.pdf.
    22. “Partners.” PWWSD. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pwwsd.org/team/3/en.
    23. “Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD).” Urgent Action Fund. June 2011. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://urgentactionfund.org/?grant_=palestinian-working-woman-society-for-development-pwwsd.
    24. PWSSD, “The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development Staff,” The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development, accessed December 6, 2024, https://pwwsd.org/team/2/en.
    25. PWSSD, “The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development | Board Members,” The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development, accessed December 6, 2024, https://pwwsd.org/team/1/en.