Al-Quds University’s Al-Quds Bard College, represented by Acting Dean Dr. Amneh Badran, and the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development, represented by its General Director Ms. Amal Khreisheh, signed a cooperation agreement to activate the “Women’s Leadership School” as part of the project “Strengthening the Capacities of Palestinian Civil Society Organizations in Democratic Participation, Dialogue, and Social Cohesion,” funded by the European Union through the French Agency for International Technical Expertise (Expertise France).

This agreement comes within the framework of strengthening partnerships between academic institutions and civil society organizations, with the aim of investing in women’s and youth capacities and expanding spaces for learning, empowerment, and leadership, in a way that contributes to promoting active citizenship, democratic participation, and social justice.

The Women’s Leadership School will run for 90 training hours over a period of three months, with the participation of more than 20 trainees. The program focuses on developing advanced leadership skills, enhancing concepts of social responsibility, dialogue, advocacy, and democratic participation, enabling participants to address various challenges and strengthen their ability to take initiative and engage in public life.

Dr. Amneh Badran emphasized that achieving positive change requires genuine partnership with society, highlighting the vital role of academic institutions in linking knowledge with social action and supporting initiatives aimed at building leadership capable of advancing democratic participation and social justice.

For her part, Ms. Amal Khreisheh expressed her hope that this agreement would establish a strategic and sustainable partnership between academia and Palestinian civil society, contributing to democratic transformation and strengthening the role of women and youth as key actors in building a more just and inclusive society.

Meanwhile, Mr. Samhan Samhan, Programs Director at the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development, described the agreement as an important step toward training and empowering women and youth in issues of social responsibility and expanding democratic space within Palestinian civil society, thereby creating an environment that is more responsive to the needs of women and young people.

The project aims to empower Palestinian civil society organizations, particularly women and youth, to strengthen their role in influencing public policies and decision-making processes, contributing to the building of a more just, participatory, and cohesive society.