Head of Mission visits the Palestinian Bar Association – a frontrunner in gender equality

The Palestinian Bar Association works towards raising the value of the legal profession and advancing the professional standards of lawyers. In the context of implementing its mandate to strengthen and support the Criminal Justice System in Palestine, the Mission supports the activities of the Association.

Yesterday, the Head of the EU Police and Rule of Law Mission for the Palestinian Territories, Kauko Aaltomaa met with the Chairman of the Palestinian Bar Association, Jawad Obeidat.

Amongst other issues, the Chairman and the Head of Mission discussed the trainings delivered by the Mission to members of the Association. During the Mission’s pervious mandate a total of 458 individuals were trained in e.g. Fair Trial Principles, Drug Crimes, International Law, Gender Based Violence and Juvenile Justice. The Head of Mission commended the gender balance of the training audience, with 50% women’s participation, and expressed the Mission’s continued readiness to continue the training scheme, ideally moving from awareness trainings to specialized in-depth trainings.

The Head of Mission applauded the Association’s role as model for other Palestinian institutions with regard to gender equality, including in its own management, with a 50/50 balance of men and women. The Head of Mission offered the Mission’s support to arranging management/leadership training for selected female lawyers who have the potential to run for seats in the Council of the Palestinian Bar Association, to ensure a higher representation of women at this level.

The Chairman expressed his appreciation of the work done by the Mission within the rule of law and the continuous cooperation between the Mission and the Association. He underlined the value of the trainings and workshops provided by the Mission with a special regard to topics such as narcotics and Juvenile Justice. The Chairman reaffirmed the Association’s efforts to further increase the gender balance.

The Head of Mission was accompanied by the Head of the Rule of Law Section, Giovanni Galzignato, and used the meeting to introduce the new Deputy Head of Mission and Chief of Staff, Dr. Katja Dominik, to the Chairman of the Palestinian Bar Association.

Photo: The Chairman of the Palestinian Bar Association, Jawad Obeidat welcomed the Head of the EU Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support (EUPOL COPPS) to the Association’s Headquarters in Ramallah.