Ramallah: Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS” under the support of UNDP/UN Women Joint Program “SAWASYA” and UNICEF, “strengthening the rule of law in the occupied Palestinian territories”. Concluded a training course about mechanisms of civilian oversight on Palestinian security sector in Ramallah governorate, an attended by researchers and journalists, advocates and representatives & staff of civil society organizations in the West Bank. For the purpose of building the capacities of the targeted group and strengthening its role in civilian oversight on Palestinian security sector.
The three-day training course addressed the role assumed by media outlets in the civilian oversight and social accountability on the Palestinian security sector, and the national, regional and international experiences in the field of civilian oversight and social accountability. In addition to Palestine’s accession to international treaties and its influence on the security entity, civilian oversight and social accountability on the Palestinian security sector besides its role in the respect for human rights & dignity.
In turn, the trainer Fadel Suleiman spoke about the strategic objective and the role of civilian oversight and social accountability on the Palestinian security sector. Moreover, he mentioned the justifications, basics, goals and impediments of this oversight, involvement of CSOs and the role assumed by media outlets in the oversight of security sector. Also, mechanisms suggested activating the social and media oversight on security sector. He explained the difference between oversight and accountability since accountability could be assumed by citizens and they have this right in terms of asking officials about information of a certain issue. He added that civilian oversight & accountability contributes efficiently to achieving political reform, and immunizing the Palestinian system and leadership making it a modern government. To be characterized by transparency and integrity in order to fulfill the best utilization of available economic resources and assuring that public performance comply with rules & regulations, by-laws and instructions in effect.
Advocate Salah Mousa, tackled the topic of oversight on the executive power aiming to safeguard human rights & public freedoms, and the security of legal procedures when spillover, detention and inspection. Further, keeping political rights from violations, protecting detainees from breaches and maltreatment or any form of torture. And enabling the indicted to assign a lawyer by virtue of laws and urging the officials to take actions & measures to hold violators accountable. Additionally, addressing the United Nations Human Rights System, International Humanitarian Law and differences with Human Rights Law, while giving examples of international, regional and national models of civilian oversight & social accountability like Turkey and Philippine. As well, addressing Palestine’s accession to international treaties, the influence of the accession on security entities, international mechanisms, and United Nations Convention against Torture. An the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, through which Palestine has been capable to submit complaints and to claim restitution by law enforcement entities in Palestine by those whose rights have been violated based on international conventions an standards.
Within the same context Dr. Jihad Kiswani, the Law instructor at Alquds University spoke about the role of civilian oversight and social accountability on the Palestinian security sector in the respect for human rights & dignity.
At the end of the training course, participants recommended the necessity to activate oversight on the security sector in order to improve the performance. Further, media should assume a positive role in the oversight; they also put emphasis on the need to activate the law on the right to access information, o conduct additional training courses on the topic and to target individuals from the security entity for exchanging viewpoints and profit.