Across its programs and centers, CFTA seeks to empower individuals and communities to become self-advocates through awareness-raising and introducing different advocacy tools like art and media. CFTA also works to foster greater sensitivity to the issues of marginalized and disadvantaged groups, especially amongst children, youth and women.

Highlights in 2014

• Children leaders from the Nowwar Center organized a campaign to advocate for expanding free health insurance for children from 0-3 years to 0-6 years of age.

• Over 40 CBOs joined CFTA and the Wessal Network in a campaign for better protection of women for which more than 200 community workshops were organized. The workshops were led by community leaders including both male and female mukhtars. The campaign also included the distribution of 20,000 SMSs and the production of a film in partnership with five NGOs from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

• A study day “The Shadow of Dreams,” organized and led by school girls, focused on improving the educational environment in the classroom. The initiative attracted the attention of media and was attended by headmasters from several schools, who represented the Ministry of Education,  as well as the Director of Education at UNRWA.

• 90 school girls led a workshop about green life and the environment in cooperation with five different schools in Khan Younis.

• 13 young girls organized a photo gallery entitled “On a Chessboard” with photographs they took to depict violations of children’s rights and advocate for their right to live in peace.

• 18 youth produced four short movies to raise community awareness on harassment, children’s security and solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The themes were selected by young people as priority concerns. Because we use an integrated approach, advocacy is embedded in all of our work. For more details, please see background and activities for each of our five centers as well as Wessal Network.