Women's Studies Center

Profile

Country/TerritoryPalestinian Authority
Websitehttp://www.wsc-pal.org/
Founded1989
In their own words“The women's studies centre is a secular, dependent, feminist non-governmental organization. It is active in protecting and advocating for human rights and women’s’ rights; in enhancing the gender equality; and in supporting women's rights as an integral part of human rights.”

Funding

  • The Women’s Studies Center does not publish any financial data on its website reflecting a complete lack of transparency and accountability.
  • In 2019-2020, the Women’s Studies Center received DKK 4,492,777 from Denmark.
  • In 2019, Kvinna till Kvinna (Sweden) granted SEK 812,002 to WSC.

Activities

BDS Activities

  • In July 2020, in response to the “Report of the Special Rapporteur addressing Israel’s Collective Punishment Policy,” WSC called on “Third States to adopt effective measures to put an end to Israel’s illegal and inhumane policies of collective punishment, including sanctions and countermeasures, to bring the illegal situation to an end” (emphasis added).
  • In September 2016, Sama Awiedah presented at a conference held by the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) at a panel titled “BDS and the intersection of feminism and national liberation struggle.” The panel discussed how the “BDS campaign against Israel serves as one manifestation of resistance to colonialism and imperialism and towards envisioning an alternative future.”
  • On March 8, 2016, WSC was a signatory on the “Palestinian Women’s Call for Worldwide Women’s Endorsement of BDS,” which called on women and feminists to join BDS campaigns as “the Israeli regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid has for decades denied the Palestinian people our inalienable right to self-determination.”
  • Signatory to the 2005 “Palestinian Civil Society Call for BDS” that calls for an end to Israel’s “occupation and colonization of all Arab lands.” 

Partners

  • WSC is a member of the Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO), which refused to sign the anti-terror clause that is a condition of US government funding, stating “that its members would not sign funding agreements that included the ATC [Anti-Terror Certificate]: this is now a condition for membership under PNGO byelaws [sic]” (emphasis added).
    • In January 2020, PNGO vehemently opposed a new clause in European Union grant contracts with Palestinian NGOs that prohibits grantees from working with and funding organizations and individuals designated on the EU’s terror lists.  According to media reports, PNGO claimed that Palestinian terrorist organizations are “political parties.”
    • In April 2017, PNGO called on the international community not to “use aid to undermine legitimate Palestinian resistance.” According to PNGO, “We reject all de-legitimization or criminalization of lawful Palestinian resistance, whether in form of allegations of terrorism, anti-semitism or otherwise… We call on all governments and aid providers to respect our right to lawful resistance, support Palestinian human rights defenders, and ensure equal, impartial and transparent access to funding for all.”
    • In March 2016, as a member of Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), PNGO stated that “Israel’s current government, its most racist ever, has dropped all pretences of ‘enlightenment’ and ‘democracy’. This has helped to expose Israel’s regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid to world public opinion like never before.”

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