Equal rooting: Greater gender equality in Palestine

The Palestine Information and Communications Technology Incubator (PICTI) in partnership with The Alianza por la Solidaridad (Alianza), Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA), Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA), Women´s Affairs Technical Committee (WATC) are currently implementing the “Equal rooting” project funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency – SIDA.

 

The overall objective of the 3-year intervention is to contribute to foster gender equality in the oPt through a comprehensive program in the West Bank and Gaza. Throughout this project, PICTI will be contributing in the facilitation and support of 8 young Palestinian female entrepreneurs, and empowering and supporting their startups to become successful. By providing them with the needed understanding of related policies and methods in which technology can be effectively integrated into their subject disciplines. Thus, helping them identify their capacity, strengths and weaknesses, and consequently bettering their standing in the job market. In addition, PICTI will be working to increase the employment access capabilities of 47 women (with lower and higher education) by engaging them in an internship programme, that shall in turn improve and facilitate their transition to employment, thus increasing their career prospects.

 

The three-years programme intends to contribute to foster gender equality in the oPt through a comprehensive program based in three results:

Outcome 1: Increased access to specialized, survivor-centered services, especially Sexual and Reproductive Health and GBV multisectoral protection services

Outcome 2: Promoted actions for women’s economic autonomy and women´s economic rights.

Outcome 3: Strengthened the capacities of women to exercise their active citizenship by reinforcing their role as advocacy agents in the promotion of their rights.

 

PICTI main goals throughout this project:

• 47 Women will be placed in 4-month internship program
• 8 Women-led startups will be incubated within PICTI to help expand and improve their business ideas to reach sustained growth
• 1 Green Economy Enterprise will be supported in the creation of a technological solution that serves the environment
• Development of a strategy to implement economic opportunities for women in vulnerable situations
• Development of a non-discrimination and gender equality internal policies – private sector