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Since 2000, Community Advocacy has been working to facilitate empowerment of the Bedouin community. The overall
goal is to counter the disentitlement of the Bedouin by
guaranteeing their ability to access and expand their human, social and
economic rights in the areas of health, housing, education and welfare. The program is aimed to work towards
empowerment of the Bedouin communities, to work together to equalize their place
in Israeli society with other populations and to take their own responsibility for
activity towards these goals.
Unlike other organizations, Community
Advocacy works together with the
residents and their representatives.
Issues raised are those which the residents themselves find most
pressing and contact with the various bureaucratic authorities is made
together with those impacted upon by the policies. All the community workers and outreach
workers of the project are themselves from the communities, thus avoiding the
stigma attached to organizations which come in from the outside to
"teach" the local residents what might be best for them. Also, unlike many organizations over the
years, Community Advocacy has remained active, continually expanding services
to the Bedouin community and forging a presence in more and more
settlements. Thus we are considered
reliable and part of the local backdrop – an organization which has come to
stay and work towards long term goals.
The dissemination of information about
social, economic and human rights, existing entitlements and services for the
community is an integral part of our work in the Bedouin community. Through site visits, our activities in the
outreach points and our Storefront
Advocacy Center
in Beersheva, over 2,000 residents have turned for assistance. In addition, our activists and volunteers
share what they learn with others and distribute our rights manual. Additional residents are involved in our
water campaign in Wadi Al Naam.
We opened an additional outreach point,
our 8th, in Ararah-Negev in 2007.
Our outreach points are staffed on a regular weekly basis. Three outreach points, in Al Huashla, Rakhma
and Wadi Almashash, are staffed by trained local volunteers. This expands our ability to provide individual
advocacy support for more residents in outlying communities. Use of our Mobile Rights
Center, a 4x4 vehicle,
enables our coordinator to reach outlying communities which are not near any
roads. This expands our circle of
outreach and also continues to enhance the reputation of Community Advocacy as
an organization which is continually in the field, as mentioned above. Work in these outlying areas deals with
information about entitlements as well as continuing local campaigns around
accessibility to health, education, and water.
Our
advocacy together with local residents and coordination with other
organizations has resulted in the establishment of a high school in Bir Hadaj which will increase local accessibility to
education, and enhancement of health services offered in Abda. Establishment of local mother-child clinics
is being discussed with the Health Ministry.
A mapping of health needs will be presented at a conference to be held
at the Beersheva University about models of health care
for the Bedouin community. This will
take place on April 4, 2008 (International Health Day) and will include
residents of the communities who will be bussed in the conference, simultaneous
translation between Arabic and Hebrew, and not only discussions about health
care models (together with representatives of the Health Ministry), but also
about demography and discrimination.
An additional campaign is being waged
together with residents of Rakmah, Abda and Wadi Almashash, who are forced to
travel to the Employment Office in Beersheva – a long and expensive requirement
as no public transportation is available.
Only there can they sign in order to receive their unemployment and
National Insurance Institute entitlements.
This is despite the existence of Employment Offices in closer cities,
such as Yeruham and Mitzpe Rimon, which are closed to Bedouin residents of
neighboring settlements.
We are providing professional support for
the Bedouin Mothers Community Action Group, continuing to fight for equal
income assurance entitlements for their families, especially for single-parent
families. The existing regulations are
prejudicial in that they do not recognize the cultural restrictions requiring
Bedouin women who have been divorced to live close to their former spouses in
order to retain custody of their children.
This proximity is the reason their benefits are denied.
Community Advocacy is the coordinator of
the Water Rights Coalition, fighting to guarantee access to running water for
residents in the unrecognized villages.
In the upcoming year, we shall be completing the draft of the Water
Rights Bill, submitting this to the Knesset and waging an advocacy and lobbying
campaign to have the bill placed into law.
Community Advocacy also provides training and professional support for
the member organizations of the Coalition, which meets every six weeks – two
months in Beersheva.
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