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Human rights committee members from GCMHP and the Catholic Relief Foundation reached an agreement concerning training 24 female social workers from different local institutions: Jabalia Center for the Rehabilitating of the Disabled, Gaza Zakaa Committee, Red Crescent Illiteracy Center, Center for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Center for Women's Health-The Institution for Culture and Free Thought, Rafah Center for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Palestinian Prisoners Club, Benevolent Female Work Association, Our Deaf Children Center, Association for the Rehabilitation of Women and Children, Sun of Freedom Center, and Abasan Cultural Center. The course is 170 hours and will last four months. GCMHP is to design the syllabus and supply trainers for the course. Study was followed with a three-month follow-up period in which the trainees met with supervisors and discussed work problems. The course started on the 20th of October 1996 and finished in March 1997.

A three months follow-up and supervision has been organized. It aims to discuss and analyze the problems that the participant faced during the implementation their knowledge. They met once a month under the supervision of the professional. Two participanwere undertaking practical period to enhance their skills and orientated them to team work and community activities at GCMHP.

Members of HRC participated in implementing the previous mentioned course started on October 1996 and finished on May 1997. See Annex 5

This course started in the beginning of April 1997, an agreement GCMHP and the faculty of education was reached to train 15 male and female nurses who have BA. In nursing and work in clinics and hospitals in the Gaza Strip. The course lasted for 6 months with average of 175 hours.

In its attempt to strengthen networking with other institutions, the human rights committee in GCMHP has conducted a joint workshop with the rehabilitation centre for ex-political prisoners in Palestinian Ministry of Social Welfare on rehabilitation of torture victims. The workshops held for two days in GCMHP and attended by 23 participants from GCMHP and rehabilitation centre for Ex-political prisoners.

1. On 15th and 16th January 1997, two public meetings were conducted in Women Activity Centre (Rafah). The subject was family mental health. The attendants were 70 women.

2. 8th March, another meeting was conducted in Women Activity Centre (Rafah). The subject was GCMHP role in rehabilitation of women victims of violence. The attendants were 50 women.

3. 12th April, another meeting was conducted in Palestinian Arabs Youth Centre (El Shejaihaah). The subject was Violence in the Palestinian Society, causes, effects, and prevention. The attendants were 50.

4. 12th April, another meeting was conducted in El Amal Project (Khan Younis). The subject was mental health and mental illness. The attendants were 50.

5. 18th April, another meeting was conducted in Women Centre (Jaballia). The subject was mental health and mental illness. The attendants were 60 women.

6. 15th May, another meeting was conducted in El Magahzi Club. The subject was domestic violence. The attendants were 30.

7. 1st June, Ministry of Information conducted another meeting. The subject was suicide in Palestinian society, treatment and prevention. The attendants were 60 women.

Issues tackled were related to certain phenomena in Palestinian society (e.g., torture and its effects, psychotherapy, traditional healing, divorce and its effects on divorced women and children, domestic violence and crime in Palestinian society, drug abuse, suicide, and rehabilitation of human rights victims.

GCMHP, Gaza Palestine P.O. Box 1049 Tel: + 972 7 865949 Fax: + 972 7 824072