Highlights
Kanan project of east Jerusalem has been implemented by six nongovernmental Palestinian organizations; Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-PS), Land Research Center (LRC), Bisan Center for Development, Union of Palestinian Woman Committees (UPWC), the Alternative Information Center (AIC) and Mundubat, in addition to Health Work Committees, the coordinator of the project. The project has a steering committee that meets periodically in order to supervise the action mechanisms, the implementation process, and the evaluation process.
HWC along with all its partner organizations have been working on different sectors including social, cultural, health, political and human rights sectors. The project was initiated in the middle of 2012. All of the six organizations’ efforts have been put to use to ensure successful realization of the project; this has been of critical importance in order to work through the challenges and obstacles that the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem manifested by the systematic oppression of the Israeli occupation have been facing. The Israeli occupation is working on the judiazation of East Jerusalem through building Israeli settlements and displacement of Palestinian residents. The ultimate goal of the Israeli occupation is the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital of the Israeli State. Moreover, the Israeli occupation aims at embedding the cultural and the national Palestinian identity among the Palestinian youth of East Jerusalem. Thus all of the organizations have been unified to defend themselves against this accelerated Israeli plan.
The main objective of the project is to strengthen the social and political participation channels of the Palestinian population in East Jerusalem through enhancing the capacity of the youth so they will become aware of their rights and ultimately advocate for them. Thus the Palestinians of East Jerusalem’s voice will be reached at both the national and international level.
After evaluating and determining the needs, the partner organizations have decided to implement the project in the following 9 locations; Jabal Al-Mukaber, Silwan/Ras Al-Amoud, Sur Baher, Um Tuba, Beit Safafa, Issawiyyeh, Wadi Al-Joz/Sheik Jarrah, Al-Swaneh/Altur and The Old City of Jerusalem.
After evaluating and determining the needs, the partner organizations have decided to implement the project in the following 9 locations; Jabal Al-Mukaber, Silwan/Ras Al-Amoud, Sur Baher, Um Tuba, Beit Safafa, Issawiyyeh, Wadi Al-Joz/Sheik Jarrah, Al-Swaneh/Altur and The Old City of Jerusalem.
The project has been divided into three areas of action; the strengthening of the Palestinian national social movement, the defense of the rights of the Palestinian population in East Jerusalem and the promotion of the Palestinian role in media and other advocacy activities. Currently, the Kanan project is in its second phase. The first phase of the project was completed over a three year period from 2009-2011.