Iradatuna - We want

Single mothers in the southern West Bank receive legal and psychosocial support so that they can claim their rights. The public and relevant authorities are sensitised to the unequal treatment of Palestinian divorced and single mothers in order to initiate structural changes.

Despite family law reforms, single and divorced mothers in Palestine face a number of hurdles. Both the Israeli occupation, which violates international law, and widespread patriarchal norms in Palestinian society make their social and economic participation more difficult. Single mothers are often treated as inferior. Their abilities often go unnoticed and personal life decisions, such as where to work or live, are made by male relatives. This restricts their personal freedom and their opportunities to pursue their own professional ambitions and be economically independent. In addition, women are not equal to men in Palestinian civil and family law. If single mothers turn to the courts in custody disputes, for example, they often experience further unequal treatment due to the social stigma attached to them.

What do we do?

The "Iradatuna - We want" project takes a holistic approach to discrimination against single Palestinian women. Those affected receive psychosocial and legal support. In training sessions, the women learn about their rights and acquire the skills they need to assert them. Frieda's local partner organisation Rural Women's Development Society RWDS also supports some of the women in developing their own business ideas and thus on their path to economic independence. At the same time, the project sensitises young media professionals to gender equality. They develop their own innovative initiatives to sensitise the public to discrimination against single mothers. The young people themselves become agents of social change in their communities through the training programmes. The RWDS experts also lobby the authorities for legislative reforms that improve gender equality and the participation of women and young people in decision-making processes.

What are the objectives of the project?

• Single mothers know their rights and can demand them and their place in society.

• Young media graduates are increasingly committed to gender equality and women's rights.

• Through innovative media initiatives and targeted advocacy work, gender equality, the rights of women and young people and civic engagement are expanded and strengthened.

 What is actually carried out?

• Thematic workshops as well as psychosocial and legal support for single mothers

• Training for young media graduates on gender equality, women's rights and civil society engagement

• Supporting single mothers in realising their own business ideas

• Raising public awareness of the reality of life for Palestinian divorced women, gender equality and women's rights

• Lobbying for gender-equitable legal reforms with relevant authorities