The year1998 marks 15 years since the establishment of PARC. Major development goals were set for this important occasion. The results matched the expectations.
This year was unique on the level of development of the internal structure, such as the transformation to a new structure and the implementation of ISO 9002 system, and the development of the planning and reporting systems. The year is the culmination of efforts exerted in 1997 and in previous years in establishing and preparing these developments. For this reason, 1998 was the year for reaping the previous preparatory efforts, thus setting PARC in a state of constant activity, and placing an increased burden on its cadres. In short, we can say that this year was a year of internal construction and the transformation of PARC to a developed stage in institutionalization that equals, and in some aspects, exceeds development organizations.
This achievement was also reflected on the overall activities of PARC in the technical departments and the districts. A quality and professionalism better than in the past, in implementation of some of these activities was ensured, especially in the work of the Extension & Land Development, Environment & Irrigation and Rural Women Development Departments.
PARC’s openness to its surroundings and outside world through transparency and coordination in implementing activities and full cooperation with local and foreign institutions rendered better results for PARC’s work, whether in its relationship with targeted groups or partner organizations, public opinion and the Palestinian National Authority.
If it weren’t for all PARC’s branches, Board of Trustees, General Assembly and the extension workers in the field, in addition to the cooperation of volunteers and friends in their perseverance in supporting our work and achievements, we wouldn’t have been able to reach the point we are at now.
To all those who contributed to the success of PARC’s work, I offer my thanks and gratitude to all our partners particularly the consortium or core program partner: Christian Aid, EZE, IEPALA, NOVIB, ICCO, EU, NRD and Oxfam Belgium. The core program partners provide PARC with a stable financial situation that helps ensure its continuity and sustainability over the years. Without our partners’ commitments, it would have been difficult to raise additional funds for the remaining programs that PARC is presently undertaking.
To all those who contributed, even if only slightly, to the success of PARC’s work, I offer my thanks and gratitude and my pride in our being partners in building a national Palestinian NGO worthy of notice.
Together, hand in hand, building, protecting the homeland
and preserving the pioneer role of PARC.
Rawya Al-Shawaa
Chairperson
Board of Trustees
PARC MISSION STATEMENT
PARC is a non-profit organization working in the field of rural development, environmental protection and the enhancement of the role and status of rural women. We offer extension services and work to increase awareness of key issues, and offer support to individuals, groups and organizations working in the same field.
PARC Aims: ¨ To expand and protect agricultural land its productivity.
¨ To work towards comprehensive environmental development.
¨ To promote the most efficient utilization of available water resources.
¨ To promote and expand all aspects of the productive abilities of rural women and empower their rile in the community.
¨ To assist in the establishment, development and support of institutions, committees and unions and mobilize individuals and groups in order to realize PARC’s objectives on the ground in all areas related to its work.
¨ To develop and enhance complementary agricultural activities.
¨ To realize the potential of PARC workers, expand their capabilities and increase their productive skills.
¨ To further develop PARC’s dynamic funding strategy.
STANDARDS of QUALITY:
We Do What We Say!
PARC defines its quality control policy in terms of the implementing the ISO 9002 certification, PARC is the first non-governmental organization in Palestine to acquire the certification. Our management and staff are committed to providing first-rate development services distinguished by professional and technical excellence using innovative and effective methods.
These services are determined by the economic, social and environmental needs and expectations of marginalized rural groups and are implemented in a way that ensures the optimal use of available resources. PARC will continue to offer its services through an administrative system that is constantly being improved, and with a committed team of highly skilled staff.
PARC will continue to offer its services through administrative system that is constantly being improved, and with a committed team of highly skilled staff.
The Overall Political Situation in 1998
The year 1998 witnessed a political recession. Attempts to break this recession by the Wye River Memorandum failed due to Israeli intransigence and the expansionist mentality of the ruling coalition in Israel. This led to tension in the region. It was clearly reflected in the prisoner uprising and the emergence of an insistence on the declaration of the Palestinian State on the 4th of May, an issue that threatens to initiate new confrontations.
The second half of the year witnessed a deepening of the mistrust and uncertainty towards the peace process, and the presence of a serious threat of the entire collapse of the peace process. Israeli settlement expansion continued, only increasing after the signing of the Wye agreement. Approximately 42,000 dunams of Palestinian land were confiscated, bringing total Israeli confiscation of land since the signing of the Oslo accords in September 1993 until the end of 1998, to 6.6 percent of the entire Palestinian lands.
The Israeli government launched, in the words of its foreign minister, the start of a new war of the hilltops. As a result, settlers overtook 13 new hilltops in mountainous areas of the West Bank and established nucleuses for 15 new settlements. Nine thousand new housing units were also established in existing settlements.
All these factors impact on Palestinian agriculture and are negatively reinforced with the continuation of the separation and siege imposed on the Palestinian territories. Despite the relative stability of labor in Israel throughout this year, the political instability impacted on the investment atmosphere, which therefore hindered efforts in founding new job opportunities.
The first official Palestinian report on poverty in Palestine revealed that poverty has increased over the past two years and that there is no Palestinian strategy to confront poverty according to a comprehensive economic and human development plan.
One of the more astounding findings of the report is that villages are the poorest areas in Palestine. 43%of the poor live in the countryside in comparison with one-third of the population of refugee camps and one-fifth of city-dwellers. This is with the knowledge that support programs for the poor do not target farmers. From 35,000 families benefiting from support programs offered by the Ministry of Social Affairs, only 4% classify themselves as farmers.
The overall political and economic situation imposes that PARC become flexible in its programs, and takes into consideration the possibility of making swift changes and ensuring reserve methods in the case of working in emergency conditions and concentrating its work more in more poorer areas.
These areas are as following: the south and central Gaza Strip, the Jenin countryside and the Hebron countryside. Another goal is to use the poverty findings as an important standard in distribution of programs. PARC seeks, as part of its societal role, to influence policies in developing a Palestinian strategy for combating poverty in a Palestinian developmental framework.
The Relationship between NGOs & the Palestinian Authority
The relationship between the PA and NGOs has witnessed important and positive developments, although it is characterized by inconsistency in different degrees between one organization and another, one ministry and another and one apparatus and another. However, in general, it is witnessing increasing stability, the most important points being:
1. The ratification of the Palestinian Legislative Council of a law which organizes this relationship in its three readings. It is a contemporary and developed law and is one of the best laws in developing countries. We hope it will be put into implementation within the year.
2. A retreat in the intervention of the various apparatuses, in particular the security apparatus, in the work of NGOs even if the monitoring commission has intensified its inspection campaign of NGO in the last months.
3. Decrease in the attempts to gather groups to do the various work of the NGOs and the struggle for their representation.
4. Retreat in the accusations and attempts at distorting the image of NGO work despite the attempts to import cases of NGO hostility from neighboring groups whose circumstances are not understood. This requires increasing coordination.
PARC had a prominent role in achieving progress in this aspect through exerting tremendous efforts on the level of their relationship with the citizens and on the level accountability of coordination with the ministries and the concerned parties whenever possible, through increasing transparency and inquiry. This is one of the major successes achieved on the ground, which makes PARC one of the best examples of the effectiveness of NGO work and its integration with the concerns and sufferings of the people. This is in addition to its effective and vital connections with members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, whether through its committees or through the election departments by way of PARC's branches. PARC is currently exerting increasing efforts in this aspect, both regionally and centrally, on the level of the society and NGOs and on the level of the relationship with the PA in building a developed Palestinian model for the role of NGO work. Many components for success are provided although the risks for its collapse have not yet been completely eliminated.
PARC is also active, along with a number of other NGOs through the Palestinian NGO Network, to develop a code of conduct for NGOs. This is considered as complimentary to the membership conditions for the NGO network whose conditions are lax and unclear, and are in need of support by an organization of necessary values and standards to upgrade the role of these NGOs and reinforce them on the societal level.
This has become possible after PARC was elected as a member of the coordination committee of the network, both in the West Bank and Gaza.
PARC’s Internal Work Environment
PARC gave more attention in its general plans to improve the internal work environment and made a number of important steps on this level. Sometimes the speed with which improvements were introduced created confusion in carrying out activities, and some of those activities can be pointed out:
1. Moving toward more decentralization by giving more mandatory powers to branches and regions and limiting the role of the center to planning, follow-up and evaluation.
2. Reinforcing the new structure and developing two new administrations (Training Support Services and Irrigation & Environment).
3. Improving horizontal communication and information-sharing between administrations and branches.
4. Activating the level of participation in providing suggestions and ideas to develop our work.
5. Implementing ISO standards and obtaining its certificate, to become the first non-profit organization in the Middle East to make this achievement.
6. Opening the Gaza headquarters, expanding the usage of the central headquarters and trading the Bethlehem headquarters.
7. Major improvement in disbursement procedures, especially for the projects and regions, and the streamlining of reporting circles.
In general, the administrative environment inside PARC is improving in different aspects through exchanging data, promoting cooperation among staff, or different departments. This situation increases the chances of success for PARC as whole. Without this improvement, it would not have been possible to match the progress between the projects and the administrative structure. Among the major achievements was not only obtaining the ISO 9002, but also the training and development process that the staff have undergone. It is also putting forward the mechanisms of work, discussing its implementation and the work tools that would reduce the dependency on people in a remarkable manner as has previously been done. PARC’s bases its work on systems and laws, individuals also play a role in the extent of the work success.
Difficulties in the Internal Environment
Despite the aforementioned improvements, there are many difficulties that need to be resolved:
1. Accumulation of the work load of some offices, especially Ramallah, which leads to decreased efficiency and waste of time.
2. We still need to find ways to facilitate reporting procedures and tie them together in some solid way. We need to decrease the amount of paperwork, condense what is unnecessary and stop the duplicity of some reports.
3. There is a dire need to develop a well-studied motivation system. Also, employee evaluation forms must be developed to follow the new developments in PARC’s work.
4. The financial system must be developed to absorb the developments in the form of memorandums to become amendments to the system.
5. The data system must be completed and tied more to the needs of the organization.
6. Isolating the center in Jerusalem from the other branches as a result of the political circumstances that would lead to difficulties and administrative costs especially in Gaza.
Summary of the Overall Activities according to Departments & Districts
LOCATIONS /BENEFICIARIES
Number of locations
Beneficiaries
Activities
Regions
Total
Women
Extension
Plant
Extension
Animal
Extension
Environment
Projects
Cleaning Campaigns
Cases
Men
Women
Gaza
37
31
26
15
10
3
-
21154
1967
854
Hebron
26
17
6
13
18
13
15
13025
143
489
Bethlehem
15
12
8
-
11
8
10
3223
61
346
Ramallah/Jerusalem
31
11
6
-
13
13
16
1351
18
630
Jericho
10
8
6
3
10
4
5
1928
166
328
Nablus/ Salfeet
56
12
15
17
7
28
25
10873
321
280
Tulkarem/Qalqilyah
28
10
8
14
12
16
14
10381
423
393
Jenin
30
11
12
5
8
19
15
3461
80
549
TOTAL
233
112
87
67
79
104
100
65396
3179
3869
In the Plant production division in 1998, the focus was on organic farming and the work involved many farmers especially in producing grapes and vegetables and changing the demonstration station to an organic station.
More decentralization was given to the regions and the project managers after approving the Manuels and guidelines concerning projects. PARC followed the decentralized structure in a notable way in its work.
PARC expanded its work in a number of villages in comparison with 1997. PARC worked in 1998 with 121 employees, 91 of these being the main cadres and 27 in special funded projects. 46 of these employees are women. There are 35 administrative employees and 86 field employees.
Employees are divided according to the structure formulated in 1998, among 6 main departments and supporting department linked with the General Director. They work from 8 different branches in the West Bank and Gaza and are all connected to an arranged structure where each department and section has vertical and horizontal extensions.
The overall analysis of work sites and services shows a horizontal and vertical expansion in activities and services. Work was carried out in 233 different residential areas, 196 in the West Bank and 37 in Gaza. According to the departments, the women's department worked in 112 locations and projects were implemented in 104 locations. Services for organized plant production extension are offered in 87 locations, animal extension in 67 locations and environmental consultations in 79 locations. Sanitation campaigns were carried out in 100 Palestinian villages.
PARC established organized relations through individuals, groups, and local committees and organizations on the level of locations and groups of farmers (attached is an analysis of work and partnership relationships with official organizations and NGOs with an analysis of these organizations).
The total number of beneficiary cases presented was 76,138 cases, 7,048 of them which receive regular services, that is 7,048 families. Most regular beneficiary cases are directed to women (55%), where 3,896 women total the number of beneficiaries in comparison to 3,179 men. The number of those receiving regular services with their family members is estimated at 50,000 citizens. Almost half a million people have benefited from the various services, taking into consideration members of the beneficiaries' families. Approximately one-sixth of the population has received direct services. This is besides the indirect benefits from the food security projects and the job opportunities provided by PARC's projects. Also there are the agricultural road projects, especially the unifying ones which benefit the entire village – however, our accounts are based on the direct beneficiaries who have the roads run through their lands.
For more details regarding the overall activities, beneficiaries, locations and distributions between districts and departments (please see the above table).
