Fighting violence against women and children
We had a really nice stay in Palestine. We lived in Ramallah for two months and on weekends we had the opportunity to travel around and see the other cities and beautiful scenery of the country. We were volunteers at Sawa, which is an NGO that works fighting violence against women and children, including domestic violence. We have helped find foundations and wrote articles based on statistics and previous reports.
In Denmark we study law, and for the past three weeks we have also worked with Lawyers for Justice, a law firm working to promote freedom of expression in Palestine, doing reports on the country’s international obligations to secure freedom of expression, as well as the office’s specific cases, which typically deal with journalists who have been administratively deprived of liberty for expressing criticism of the Palestinian government.
The first thing we come to think of when we think of Palestine and our stay in the country is that people are extremely sweet, welcoming and helpful. We have been welcomed wherever we have been, whether at work, at cafes, on the streets. We have been allowed to gain an insight into everyday life in Palestine, the people’s values and personal stories. We have gained an insight into the conflict with Israel, but also an insight into the conflicts that are internally in Palestine.
Do it! You will come home with a better understanding of the situation in the country, which also gives new perspectives on life in Denmark. People are grateful that you are visiting, you are guaranteed to feel more than welcome. You probably will not be able to fit your clothes when you get home to Denmark, food in Palestine is just too good.