On Monday, 26 October 2009, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) received two delegations from its international partners, Oxfam International and Christian Aid. The meetings were held in PCHR’s head office in Gaza City.
The first delegation was comprised of: Richard Stanforth, Regional Policy Officer in Oxfam – UK; Ben Jackson, Director of Crisis Action in the UK; and Martin Konecny, Political Analyst and Campaigner for Crisis Action in Brussels. Crisis Action is an international, non-profit organization which aims to help avert conflicts, and prevent human rights abuses. To achieve its goals, it cooperates with several partners, including Oxfam International, which is a confederation of 14 like-minded organizations working together and with partners and allies around the world to fight poverty and injustice.
The delegation from Christian Aid was comprised of: Janet Symes, Head of Middle East Region; and Lynda Kerley, Country Programme Manager. Christian Aid is a Christian organization that insists the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life free from poverty. It provides urgent, practical and effective assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root causes
Members of the first delegation from Oxfam and Crisis Action met with Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, and Hamadi Shaqqura, Director of PCHR Democratic Development Unit. The meeting discussed the human rights situation in the Gaza Strip in light of war crimes committed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against Palestinian civilians. Sourani and Shaqqura focused on the urgent need for international organizations to ensure the High Contracting Parties' commitment to act against crimes committed by IOF, and the European Union's fulfillment of its obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. They also stressed the need to work for the implementation of the recommendations of the Goldstone report, which detail for the first time a clear and specific implementation agenda. The meeting further discussed means of development of international advocacy for Palestinians and ways to benefit from the experience of international organizations.
Sourani also met with the Christian Aid delegation. He briefed members of the delegation on developments related to the human rights situation in the Gaza Strip, and the human suffering consequent to the deterioration of economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population due to Israeli violations of human rights, especially the illegal siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. The meeting discussed also future cooperation between PCHR and Christian Aid.
It is worth noting that PCHR has strong relations with Oxfam International and Christian Aid. The two organizations contribute to funding PCHR's work and programs, and even adopts its positions and policies, which is a source of pride for PCHR due to the credibility and professionalism of the two organization in their work worldwide.
