Women’s Health Programme - Promoting and enhancing SRHR for Palestinian women in 11 locations

Activity start: 3/1/2015 - Activity end: 12/31/2018

Facts Strategic Partner organisation Individuell Människohjälp Swedish responsible organisation IM Country Office in Palestine Local implementing organisation Health Work Committees Region West Bank and Gaza Strip Sida department Unit CSO Strategy South Sector group Health Sectors Reproductive health care

Finance   Budget Outcome TOTAL 2,767,153 2,848,560 2015 496,474 487,159 2016 883,179 929,398 2017 701,361 761,090 2018 686,139 670,913

Description, goals and expected results

HWC has 11 clinics spread in northern, middle and southern areas of the West Bank.

The direct target group is: Women attending HWC’s clinics (2014 there were 7000 visits). Women and girls attending awareness sessions (2014 20 000 women/girls attending 1000 awareness sessions). 25 HWC staff members attending training courses.

The indirect target group is: The families of the women/girls attending the clinics and the awareness sessions.

The root problem is: The lack of sexual and reproductive health services organised by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The lack of sexual and reproductive health rights for the Palestinian women.

Duty bearers addressed are moral duty-bearers attending the awareness sessions and during lectures at schools on different women issues.

The program provides sexual and reproductive health services to women in all stages of their life, in addition to provision of health, developmental and educational services for women with disability, particularly in the reproductive and sexual health fields focusing on the women rights characterized by investigation, detection and intervention with women subjected to gender based  violence. Health promotion and education services occupy an important place in the program as more than 600 activity conducted on woman health education and woman’s rights reaching around 8000 women annually.

The program services are:
1. Preventive services including Pregnancy services: Antenatal, postnatal, high risk pregnancy, referrals
2. Reproductive health services and counselling and family planning
3. Services for menopausal women
4. Early detection and screening for breast and cervical cancer.
5. Curative services, including treatment and follow up of cases
6. Treatment and follow up of pregnancy complications.
7. Health education and promotion, through awareness sessions and individual counselling, and weekly seminars at clinics.
8. Home visits
9. Coordination and collaboration with other local agencies and women organizations.
10. The empowerment and strengthening of the role of Women through:
• Reproductive health training
• Human rights and gender training
• Woman Developmental issues. 
 
HWC is keen on building the capacity of its staff. The staff of the program participates every year in numerous local, national and international training courses

Expected results for 2015 – 2017

Eleven HWC’s woman health clinics are supplied with medicine, medical disposables, lab materials, and equipment.
Quality sexual and reproductive health services including gynaecological and obstetrical care, menopause services, and check-up are provided to women through 11 HWC’s woman health clinic in the eleven targeted areas.
Prenatal and postnatal maternal health services are provided to mothers and high risk pregnancies detected and referred.
Early detection tests for breast and cervical cancer are provided.
Home visits targeting women after birth in households are carried out in communities with reduced access to essential health services.
Awareness session about health and sexual and reproductive health, women rights issues conducted in the clinics, community woman organisations, and schools.
At the end of the intervention, at least 25 HWC staff members attended training courses on leadership and supervision skills, monitoring, evaluation and reporting for the HWC staff including woman health staff especially the new members who join the team in the last two years.
At the end of the intervention, at least 25 HWC staff members attended training course on community health education need assessment.
At the end of the intervention, at least 25 HWC staff members attended training course on Community Health Education tools and skills.
At the end of the intervention, at least 25 HWC staff members attended training course on Tools for evaluation of community awareness sessions.
At the end of the intervention, a workshop is carried out to update the SRH protocol. And the updated Protocol is disseminated to all HWC clinics.
At the end of the intervention, an operational manual for Home Visits is established and printed.
Each year, a representative of HWC participated in regional and international conference and/or meeting to advocate for Palestinian Woman Status.

Results achived by the end of the activity period

Final result 1: 1,440 people (9,660 women and 1,780 men) have been provided with SRHR services including family planning sessions, antenatal care for pregnant women, post-pregnant care, breast exams, home visits and awareness raising sessions on SRHR rights and services. Final result 2: During 2018, HWC has actively promoted the accessibility to safe and confidential spaces for girls and women through its ISHRAQA centers in Tubas, Qalqeelia and Old City of Hebron. These centres represent a model to challenge stereotypes and traditions and to break taboos concerning SRHR issues. HWC have challenged social norms by providing numerous legal, psychological, social and health services combined in one place. This did not only make it easier for women to access such services, but also attracted men to be involved. Final result 3: HWC has been very dynamic in raising awareness about girls’ and women’s rights at local, regional and international levels. At a local level, they managed to provide 519 awareness raising sessions instead of the original planned target of 220 sessions. This contributed to enhancing the knowledge and attitudes of local stakeholders towards SRHR. HWC also participated in a regional meeting with Ro’a Network to discuss human trafficking. The Palestinian delegation focused on analysing the needs and priorities at a local level. Two priorities were emphasized; the exploitation of Palestinian women working in Israeli settlements and the stealing of the martyr’s organs. Additionally, HWC joined the People’s Health Movement assembly in Bangladesh. The focus was on integrating gender issues in the health sector.