March16, 2010
Aqraba, Nablus: The residents of Aqraba celebrated the opening of a newly built Women and Health Center with a small ceremony that included the display of local handicrafts. The buildings, constructed by CHF International in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the local government of Nablus, are one of many civic infrastructure projects undertaken by the USAID funded Local Democratic Reform program, which aims at enhancing the local governments’ ability to provide civic services to its citizens.
The event was attended by several high level Palestinian and USAID dignitaries including Khaled Qawasmi, Palestinian Minister of Local Governance; Rabiha Diab, the Palestinian Minister of Women’s Affairs; Howard Sumka, USAID Mission Director and representatives from the Nablus Governorate. The event coincided with the celebration of Women’s Month. During her speech, Rabiha Diab congratulated Palestinian women on the strides they had made over the past decade. “Palestinian women are working hand in hand with the men to move forward the Palestinian State,” she said as she praised the role of women in the economic, political and social life in Palestine.
The center was selected and designed through a joint municipality-community effort that was facilitated by CHF International. Since 2005, the Local Democratic Reform project has increased the capacity of Palestinian Local Government Units to better serve their citizenry and to adopt democratic participatory approaches, on both local and national levels. “We consider this project a small but significant and essential element in building the future Palestinian State,” said USAID Mission Director Howard Sumka.
The proximity of the Women’s Center to the Health clinic was requested by the community, as it offered them the opportunity to improve the quality of community services by combining activities, such as linking health awareness sessions with exercise classes. “Now with the new Women and Health Center we can address and meet the different needs of female citizens in the community,” said Huda, Head of the Aqraba Women’s Center.
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