The Center for Women’s Legal Researches, Counselling and Protection (CWLRCP) concluded a training course targeting a number of Sharia arbitrators in the Khan Yunis and Rafah governorates, from March 2 to 9, 2022. This training is part of the “Improving Justice Sector Services for Women in the Gaza Strip” project, implemented by the Center to support the development of the technical capacities of official actors based on human rights, and to improve women’s access to justice and protection services.

The project coordinator, Ms. Zikra Ajjour, indicated that the training targeted (21) Sharia arbitrators working in the southern Gaza Strip. They were trained over (5) days, for a total of (25) training hours, on the following topics: (Gender-based violence, the level of legal protection, referral pathways in the referral system for shelters, the Hayat Center system for the protection and empowerment of women and families, the principles of Sharia trials and lawsuits in women’s cases, the Sharia ruling guide in women’s cases, the drafting of arbitration agreements (practical applications), and divorce by court ruling in women’s cases).

She clarified that the Center will continue its work during this year in training arbitrators from various governorates of the Gaza Strip, with the aim of developing practical, human rights-based skills for service providers for women exposed to violence in the Gaza Strip, and supporting and developing the human rights-based technical capacities of judges working in family courts, Sharia arbitrators, and workers in family support and guidance units.