NGO #13130

The Women’s Studies Center (WSC) was established in 1989 to fulfill the goals and mission of the Palestinian women’s movement by conducting field studies to assess the reality and needs of Palestinian women, and to devise programs to meet these needs. Over the course of time, particularly between 1989-97, specific units were developed within the Center to fill areas that we had determined were most urgent. These units include a women’s library, the first of its kind in Palestine, as well as a women’s education unit, which organized the first-ever festival for women, celebrating the achievements of Palestinian women and mobilizing the public for promoting and supporting the rights of women. Following the success of the first festivals, some participating organizations decided to join the Center. Additionally, the Center has also established a women’s training unit, which provides the necessary training for improving the level of work of Palestinian women activists in both governmental and non-governmental institutions. Further, we have initiated a publication unit, which provides Palestinian society with the first-ever, specialized study on women’s affairs called Woman, issued latter in the name of All Women, in addition to Wameed, which was published in English. These have been just a few of the many studies published by the Center in both Arabic and English. In 1997, due to changes that occurred in Palestine generally, and amongst Palestinian women in particular, the members of the Center deemed it necessary to re-evaluate the Center’s program of activities with a view to devise a new strategy that would meet the new reality. Thus, outside consultants were commissioned to evaluate our programs and policies. Their report was approved as a basis for the strategic planning workshops implemented later by the Center, in which we hosted many women’s movement activists from Palestine and Tunisia, as well as involving all of the members of the Center. Finally, we concluded by adopting a central vision and mission, which serve as a basis upon which our programs are devised and implemented.