Addameer : Prisoners Support and Human Rights
ADDAMEER (Arabic for conscience) Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues. Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center's activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.
Addameer is a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian NGO Network, the Palestinian Council of Human Rights Organizations, and works closely with international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, OMCT and FIDH to provide regular information on the situation of Palestinian political detainees.
Addameer believes in the internationality of human rights based on the respect of human dignity as a priority, the totality of which is constructed upon international laws and conviction.
Addameer also believes in the importance of building a free and democratic Palestinian society based on justice, equality, rule of law and respect for human rights within the larger framework of the right to self-determination.
Al-Awda - Palestine Right to Return Coalition
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, is a broad-based, non-partisan, democratic, and charitable organization of grassroots activists and students committed to comprehensive public education on the rights of all Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands of origin, and to full restitution of all their confiscated and destroyed property in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International law and the numerous United Nations Resolutions upholding such rights.
Al-Haq - West Bank affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists
Al-Haq was established in 1979 by a group of Palestinian lawyers following extended debate over how best to address the lack of human rights protection mechanisms in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Founded as Law in the Service of Man, Al-Haq was one of the first human rights organisations established in the Arab world.
Al-Haq has been the West Bank Affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists - Geneva for over 20 years and it is a member of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Habitat International Coalition and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). Al-Haq is also part of the Executive Committee of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) and of the Steering Committee of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations' Network (PNGO).
Al-Shabaka, The Palestinian Policy Network
Al-Shabaka, The Palestinian Policy Network, is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and foster public debate on Palestinian human rights and self-determination within the framework of international law. Al-Shabaka, which means "The Network," is a think tank without borders or walls that aims to:
- Draw upon the vast knowledge and experience of the Palestinian people, whether under occupation, in exile, or in Israel, so as to engage the broadest spectrum of perspectives in debate on policy and strategy.
- Communicate ideas and strategies on resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to Palestinian communities as well as to Arab and other policy communities and interested parties worldwide.
The Middle East Policy Network, Inc., is a nonprofit public benefit corporation registered in the State of California, and does business as Al-Shabaka, The Palestinian Policy Network. The founding Board of Al-Shabaka consists of Nadia Hijab, Osamah Khalil, Samer Abdelnour, and Grace Said.
Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem
Founded in 1990, the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem (ARIJ) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development in the occupied Palestinian territories and the self-reliance of the Palestinian people through greater control over their natural resources.
The Institute works specifically to augment the local stock of scientific and technical knowledge and to introduce and devise more efficient methods of resource utilization and conservation, improved practices, and appropriate technology.
ARIJ plays an active role in the local community as an advocate for greater co-operation among local institutions, international and non-governmental organizations. In its capacity as a national research institute, it frequently provides current data and research necessary to the formulation of position papers and policy strategies on such issues as land and water resources. Moreover, through its work with donor institutions and regional and international experts, ARIJ promotes an environment conducive to the introduction of new initiatives and ideas and thus serves as a facilitator in the co-ordination of multilateral activities.
Combatants for Peace
Founded in 2005, "Combatants for Peace" (CFP) is an organization established by Palestinians and Israelis, who had taken an active part in the cycle of violence in previous years and later on decided to put down their arms and work together to promote a peaceful solution through dialogue and non-violent action. Originally, the activists on both sides were solely ex-combatants: the Israelis as soldiers in the Israeli army (IDF) and the Palestinians as militants in the violent struggle for Palestinian freedom. Today, the organization consists also of activists who have never taken an active role in the violent struggle in our region, many of whom are Israeli women, who might have served in the IDF though not as combatants, or Palestinian women imprisoned in Israeli prisons.
The members of CFP believe that only by joining forces, it is possible to end the occupation, the cycle of violence and the oppression of the Palestinian people. We act by non-violent means to promote each side’s understanding of the national aspirations of the other side. CFP stands for dialogue and reconciliation as the only way to act in order to terminate the occupation, halt the settlement project and establish a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel.
Gaza Community Mental Health Programme
The Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) is a Palestinian non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 1990 to provide comprehensive community mental health services - therapy, training and research - to the population of the Gaza Strip.
Since that time, the Gaza Strip - one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with two thirds of the population being refugees and 50% being younger than 16 years - has witnessed extreme forms of violence and suffering, due to Israeli occupation and military operations. This made the extent of mental health problems in the Gaza reach unprecedented levels.
Today, after 15 years, GCMHP remains the leading organization in Palestine in providing psycho-social programs, adopting a comprehensive, community based approach for working with children, women, and victims of human rights violations.
International Solidarity Movement to End the Occupation (ISM)
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles. Founded by a small group of activists in August, 2001, ISM aims to support and strengthen the Palestinian popular resistance by providing the Palestinian people with two resources, international protection and a voice with which to nonviolently resist an overwhelming military occupation force.
The ISM is not an organization, but rather a movement which all organizations, groups and/or individuals who agree our principles can join. The ISM is based in Palestine and is led by Palestinians on the ground. Many ISM support groups around the world assist the ISM by dissemenating information, recruiting and training individuals to join us.
Middle East Nonviolence and Democracy
Middle East Nonviolence and Democracy (MEND) promotes active onviolence and encourages alternatives to violence among youth and adults hroughout Palestine. MEND employs innovative methods, especially with the media, and is widely respected for working with authenticity, professionalism and courage.
MEND is expanding rapidly with the burgeoning interest in nonviolence, and now consists of the headquarters in East Jerusalem, and eight regional centres for active nonviolence and eleven community centres/libraries. As an active member in the Arab Partnership for Conflict Prevention and Human Security, MEND is also rapidly becoming a regional organization.