The Palestinian Women’s and Children’s Rights in Hebron, West Bank program is an excellent choice for those wishing to study or work in the field of human rights, women rights, children education, refugees, or any humanitarian or social work. University students specialising in Women’s Studies or in Early Childhood Education should also look into this program as it will provide them with first-hand experience in their chosen field.

This volunteer program has the further benefit of adding a cross-cultural context to the topic of women’s and children’s rights in the West Bank, Palestine. The intercultural competency and communication that will be learned during this internship are desirable skills in the jobs market, as they are essential components in the areas of humanitarian aid, education and intersectionality. 

This volunteer program is not just for students, however, being applicable to a diverse range of backgrounds from young professionals to retirees. Anyone with a passion for the welfare of Palestinian women and children is welcome to apply. Engage in Palestine would be happy to have you as part of our team!

Women’s And Children’s Rights Program

Volunteers/interns in Palestine can join the Women’s and Children’s Rights program for a period of their own choice, ranging from one to thirteen weeks in duration. They can come at any time of the year, as we are flexible when it comes to start and end dates. People of all backgrounds and nationalities are welcome to apply, the only condition being that they have to be at least 18 years of age when joining the program.

The Palestinian Women’s and Children’s Rights in Palestine program is ideal for both native and non-native English speakers. If you are a graduate or undergraduate student or a professional, or if you are retired and looking for a volunteer opportunity in Palestine, Israel or the Middle East, this program is for you.

Why Volunteer To Support Women’s And Children’s Rights In Palestine? 

Palestine in recent years has seen many advancements in regards to women’s rights. Every year, for example, more and more Palestinian women are attending university, often outperforming their male counterparts academically. Women are also becoming more involved in public life, working in the areas of law and government in particular. All of these developments are fairly new, however, and many women in Palestine are unaware of the opportunities and resources available to them. 

Women in Palestine are often the sole financial providers in their households, due to the realities of occupation and the arbitrary Israeli imprisonment of Palestinians. This can therefore strain women’s abilities to care for and educate their children. Many children in Palestine have difficulty accessing secure education, let alone afterschool programs, and are also more likely to have their education interrupted due to financial pressures at home. This is especially true in refugee camps where economic opportunities are severely limited. Although the public education system in Palestine is robust, instruction in subjects such as Math and English can often fall below the standard required.

As a volunteer on this program you will help Palestinians secure their rights to an education, you will raise awareness around the opportunities available to them, and you will assist in local schools. In turn you will learn first-hand about the circumstances surrounding Palestine, and of the importance of universal education. Your service will help give voice to the Palestinian people while elevating their morale, effectively building on the contributions of previous participants and on the continuous efforts of Palestinians up to the present day.

If you are interested in facilitating the rights of Palestinian women and children, please review our program and see if Engage in Palestine is the right choice for you! 

To Volunteer On Our Program In Palestine, You Should Be:

• Willing to work with Palestinian children from diverse backgrounds
• A student or graduate who is seeking teaching experience
• Someone interested in the educational system in Palestine
• A student majoring in either English or Education
• 18 years of age or over and willing to make an impact on the local community
• Someone who would like to help the future leaders of Palestine

What Do You Need In Order To Volunteer In Palestine?

• To be 18 years of age or over
• An ability to communicate in English
• The ability to work with an international team
• Patience and enthusiasm
• An eagerness to learn

What Don’t You Need?

• The ability to speak Arabic
• Travel or work experience
• To be a native English speaker
• A degree in English or in any other subject 
• Experience in teaching English as a foreign language

Summer Volunteer Program With Children

For anyone looking for volunteer opportunities with children’s and women’s rights organizations in Palestine during the summer months, this volunteer internship/ volunteer program is ideal. 

Volunteers in our Palestinian Women And Children Rights can also look forward to the many community and social activities which take place during the summer months in the West Bank, Palestine.

A Huge Range Of Impacts

The Palestinian Women’s and Children’s Rights program is well researched and targeted, and is suitable for anyone looking to gain some insights into the daily life and education of Palestinians. Volunteers will gain valuable teaching experience and will learn about human rights, women’s rights, children rights and Palestinian culture.  

The volunteer program aims to have a long term impact on the local Palestinian community through the exchange of ideas and by practising the concept of “walking in each other’s shoes”. Volunteering and interning here will provide you with a unique opportunity to make a lasting impression, not just on your own life but on the lives of Palestinian children and refugees as well as on the wider community. 

Women’s Rights

This portion of the internship program is dedicated to raising awareness of women’s rights in Palestine. This will entail volunteers working closely with local Palestinian law firms, charity organizations, non-profits, universities and Palestinian NGOs in order to gain a clear understanding of the circumstances in which Palestinian women live. During this portion, volunteers will focus on the rights of women as guaranteed under international law. They will also be learning about the opportunities and resources available to women in Palestine for their personal and professional advancement.

When volunteers have the necessary knowledge to deal with the logistical, political, social and cultural hurdles that Palestinian women face, they will then cooperate with the aforementioned organizations in developing educational workshops, presentations and other methods of outreach. These outreach programs are intended to inform Palestinian women of their guaranteed rights under international law, as well as highlighting the opportunities available to them in their local community. 

In addition to outreach, volunteers will also have the opportunity to work in an all-girls school, thus helping to fill any gaps in the public education system. 

In addition to advocating women’s rights, volunteers will also have the opportunity to advance the cause of children’s education and welfare while in Hebron, West Bank. In partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Education, volunteers will get to assist local Palestinian teachers in subjects such as English and Mathematics. 

Program Description

When volunteering on the Palestinian Women’s and Children’s Rights program in the West Bank participants will be working towards ensuring Palestinian women are aware of their rights. They will also be assisting the local organizations that defend, uphold and enforce those rights.

Volunteers will also help fill the gaps in children’s education, especially in the case of children struggling to access the resources needed for their academic growth and development. The Women’s and Children’s Rights program is essentially divided into two parts: defending women’s rights and promoting children’s education and welfare. 

Children’s Education And Welfare

Volunteers will be lending their assistance to afterschool programs and educational workshops facilitated by Engage in Palestine, while also having the opportunity to create their own unique programs in order to inspire Palestinian children. Examples of workshops could include arts and crafts projects, international cultural expos, film nights or English reading events such as a children’s book festival. 

Having previously hosted volunteers from the creative and entertainment sectors, Engage in Palestine has in the past organized circus performances and music concerts, events which have proved to be enriching and enjoyable experiences for many Palestinian families, especially the children. 

There is, essentially, no right or wrong option when contemplating ideas for your own program, as long it impacts positively on a child’s education or on the children themselves. The sky’s the limit! 

Program Outline: 

• Receive debriefs from local law firms, Palestinian NGO’s and charity organisations concerning the state of women’s rights in Palestine

• Work with Palestinian organizations to develop workshops and raise awareness of women’s rights

• Assist local Palestinian school teachers during class

• Create educational outreach programs or child-friendly entertainment events

Arabic Culture And Language Immersion

All our international volunteers and interns in Palestine will receive 3 hours of Arabic lessons a week, or 12 hours per month, with a Palestinian teacher. These classes are designed so that participants may be better able to assist the people with whom they are working by connecting with them on a fundamental level. Making the effort to learn the local language is also seen as showing respect for the culture, one that will be noted and appreciated by all those you meet.

During their stay, volunteers will meet new people in Palestine on a daily basis, giving them ample opportunities for practising the Arabic that they have been learning in class. Volunteers can freely choose the dialect of Arabic that they would like to study with Engage in Palestine, be it Modern Standard Arabic or Palestinian Colloquial Arabic. 

Participants will also take part in excursions to various historical and politically significant sites within Palestine. These excursions will include visiting the Old City of Hebron as well as the local universities and industries, while a tour of the refugee camps will help them to gain a better understanding of Palestine’s contemporary political situation. 

Program Benefits

As a Women’s and Children’s Rights volunteer in Palestine, you will not only gain an insight into the political, social and cultural parameters that influence the lives of Palestinians, but will yourself be in a position to make positive changes in their lives. You will, of course, have the opportunity to enjoy many rewarding experiences during your stay. You will be provided with accommodation and will be supported in your endeavors by Engage in Palestine throughout the program.

Benefits To Volunteers:

The Women’s and Children’s Rights in Palestine program offers many benefits to volunteers, including:

• Trips to the Old City of Hebron, the holy sites and more 

• 3 hours of Arabic lessons per week

• The opportunity to utilize your Arabic when communicating with locals 

• Exposure to the daily life, culture and society of Hebron

• Accommodation with either a Palestinian host family or in our all-male apartment

• The opportunity to enjoy local Palestinian foods and desserts

• Attendance at Palestinian cultural and entertainment activities

• The assistance of well-qualified, attentive Arabic teachers, all with an excellent educational background, ready and willing to help you

• A participant’s certificate upon completion.

You will get the opportunity to meet Palestinian university and school students, as well as members of the Hebron community and local organizations, as an international student studying Arabic in Palestine.

Take the chance to travel on your own and see distinctive tourist sights from a local’s point of view, such as Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarm, Qalqilyah, Jenin, and the Dead Sea in Jericho.

Moreover, Weekends in Israel exploring the famous historical cities such as Jericho, Jerusalem, Akko, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Eilat, Tiberias, Nazareth, Be’er Sheva, Ashdod, Masada are awaiting you!  Travel to Jordan’s most ancient sites in Petra, Amman, Wadi Rum, Irbid and Aqaba and broaden your experiences in the Middle East!

How Does It Work? 

Engage in Palestine has partnered with the Palestinian Ministry of Education in Ramallah to provide local outreach programs for volunteers. This ensures that volunteers will be placed with organizations in settings where their skills and expertise are most needed. 

Upon arriving at Engage in Palestine, volunteers will team up with one of our liaisons. Liaisons are responsible for partnering volunteers with an appropriate organization, while considering both the volunteer’s skill set and the organization’s needs. The liaison will also finalize the volunteer’s schedule, organize Arabic language classes and arrange regular excursions into Hebron and the surrounding area.

Who Should Pursue This Program?

This program would be perfect for those passionate about elevating women’s voices and ensuring children have access to the resources essential to their success. The volunteer’s role combines educational and advisory elements, whether they be assisting children in their learning or mentoring women as they pursue their potential. Throughout the program the volunteer will be working directly with Palestinian women and children, contributing in this way to the cause of women’s rights in the West Bank.

The program would also be of benefit to university students, as Engage in Palestine can provide academic credit to program participants through our partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Education. For those recently graduated, this is the perfect opportunity to build their skill set in a  real-world setting. 

Practical Applications Of This Program:

• Contributing to women’s rights in the West Bank
• Volunteering with Palestinian children
• Elevating women’s voices in Palestine
• Ensuring women understand their legal rights and the opportunities available to them
• Gaining practical experience of working in the fields of human rights and international law
• Earning university credit while volunteering abroad

Who Can Participate?

Engage in Palestine does not discriminate on any basis; this includes nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other basis. Engage in Palestine has a long history of welcoming people from around the globe, from all walks of life and from all backgrounds and identities. All are welcome!

Previous participants on Engage in Palestine’s programs have hailed from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States! 

In Which Language Is The Program Run? 

All of our programs are geared toward English speakers. For the sake of language immersion, however, the higher the Arabic course level, the less English will be utilized in the classroom.

Students will also have the opportunity to utilize their Arabic language skills when traveling through Palestine, thereby ensuring a fully immersive experience.

Interacting With Palestinian Culture

Participants will find that the majority of Palestinian people are incredibly friendly and open to foreigners. If participants utilize their Arabic skills, no matter how well-developed, they will find that most Palestinians are enthusiastic and patient communicators who are simply delighted that people have taken an interest in their language and culture.

In addition, Palestine is located at the heart of the Levant (the area associated with the Eastern Mediterranean), providing ample opportunities for visiting cultural sights, historical monuments and many other landmarks. Although the situation in Palestine can at times be difficult, participants will find that the Palestinian people are friendly and open, and that Palestine in general is a safe place to visit! 

A Unique Experience

Although Engage in Palestine hosts volunteers from all over the world, many people are unaware of the cultural diversity of Palestine and the Levant, having only a crude understanding of the heritage of these lands.

By enrolling in this program participants will take part in something unique, an experience that is sure to be remembered throughout their lives. Additionally, participants will be immersed in Arabic language and culture while living in Hebron. 

Program Costs And Information: 

Engage in Palestine is priced competitively in comparison to other programs, with prices of 250$ a week. Program costs cover language courses, accommodation, complimentary breakfast each day the participant attends the center, operating costs and group excursions.

There are no additional or hidden fees applied to these programs, as the price quoted above is the complete and final cost that participants will pay.

Program Fees Cover:

• Accommodation
• Language courses
• Operating costs
• Complimentary breakfast 
• Group excursions to Hebron 

General Information Regarding Program Costs And Components

Are University Credits Available? 

The Women’s and Children’s Rights in Palestine program offers students university and internship credits in cases where they are needed for their university course. Furthermore, if you are applying for funding to volunteer in Palestine, Engage in Palestine can provide all the relevant and requested documents.

Program Reviews And Awards

Since 2011 Engage in Palestine has been welcoming individuals from 40 different countries! While we continue to develop our programs to provide the best possible learning experience, our fundamental mission remains the same: to connect, teach and advance individuals within the local and international community. In 2019, we received our first “Go Overseas” Community Choice Award, in recognition of the meaningful and unforgettable impact that Engage in Palestine has had on international travelers. 

Engage in Palestine is renowned for its cultural immersion, its friendly staff and atmosphere, and its commitment to dispelling misconceptions about Palestine and Palestinians. If you are interested in the culture of Palestine and would like to visit the West Bank, please read our program reviews and testimonials in order to help you decide if Engage in Palestine is the right organization for you:

• +730 reviews (94%) on gooverseas.com

• +150 reviews (96%) on goabroad.com

• Video testimonials

Traveling To Hebron, Palestine 

Reaching Engage in Palestine’s center in Hebron may entail a lot of traveling, but it need not be arduous. Although there are some obstacles to be overcome when traveling to Hebron, Engage in Palestine has compiled a list of resources which will help participants reach us in an efficient, safe and practical manner.

Please read our articles below on planning your trip, flying to Palestine, the different routes to Hebron, and on Israeli and Palestinian taxi services: 

• How to fly to Palestine
• How to get to Hebron, Palestine
• Planning your trip to Palestine
• How to get from the Ben Gurion Airport (Israel) to Hebron

Summary

The Women’s and Children’s Rights program would be an ideal volunteer opportunity for anyone who is passionate about women’s rights, as well as human rights in West Bank, Palestine in general. During their time in Hebron, West Bank, volunteers will work closely with many local Palestinian organisations, women, youth and children.

 If this sounds like the volunteer program for you, please do not hesitate to reach out to us and we can begin the application process today! 

How To Apply

If you are interested in participating in our Women’s and Children’s Rights Program, please, write to us at Info@ecpalestine.org. We should be able to respond to your initial enquiry within 1-2 business days.

In the subject line of your email write “Women’s and Children’s Rights.” Upon responding we will attach an application form which you will fill out and return to us to begin the process.

Related Internship and Volunteer Programs

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