Capacity Building Programme
MANDATE FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The capacity-building and training programme for civil servants of the State of Palestine is an essential component of the mandate of the UN Department of Political Affairs’ Division for Palestinian Rights, most recently renewed by the General Assembly resolution A/RES/79/82 of 3 December 2024.
The Division supports the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People in its efforts advance the peaceful achievement of the two-State solution and enhance the viability and sustainability of the future independent State of Palestine.
To date, around 300 Palestinian cadres have benefitted from this capacity-building programme in areas as diverse as international diplomacy and climate change.
OBJECTIVES OF THE CAPACITY AND TRAINING PROGRAMME
• Support and assist the Palestinian people in building an independent, inclusive and resilient State.
• Support the Government of the State of Palestine in its capacity building efforts, in priority areas identified within the context of its National Policy Agenda and the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.
• Address the critical national and international challenges in a holistic manner, by weaving together the interconnected threads of peace and security, development and human rights.
• Mobilize national, regional and international support and resources for Palestinian efforts.
Enhancing Diplomatic Skills: Highlights from the 2024 UN Capacity-Building Programme for Palestinian Civil Servants, 21 October – 29 November 2024
From 21 October to 29 November 2024, the United Nations Headquarters in New York hosted a pivotal 6-week capacity-building programme specifically designed for civil servants from the State of Palestine. Organized by the Division for Palestinian Rights under the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), this annual event coincided with the dynamic sessions of the 79th General Assembly, offering participants a unique and immersive learn [...]
The Art of Speechwriting capacity-building programme, 14 October to 3 November 2024
The Division for Palestinian Rights supported the participation of two staff of the Government of the State of Palestine in an online training entitled “The Art of Speechwriting” organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The 3-week long capacity-building programme ran from 14 October to 3 November 2024. This course gave the participants the essential principles of the art and craft of speechwriting. The course was in [...]
Enhancing Diplomatic Skills: Highlights from the 2023 UN Capacity-Building Programme for Palestinian Civil Servants, 30 October – 8 December 2023
From October 30 to December 8, 2023, the United Nations Headquarters in New York hosted a pivotal 6-week capacity-building programme specifically designed for civil servants from the State of Palestine. Organized by the Division for Palestinian Rights under the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), this annual event coincided with the dynamic sessions of the 78th General Assembly, offering participants a unique and immersive learn [...]
The Art of Speechwriting capacity-building programme, 16 October to 5 November 2023
The Division for Palestinian Rights supported the participation of six staff (four female, two male) of the Government of the State of Palestine in an online training entitled “The Art of Speechwriting” organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The 3-week long capacity-building programme ran from 16 October to 5 November 2023. This course gave the participants the essential principles of the art and craft of speechwr [...]
Legal Seminar on the Question on Palestine, 7-9 February 2023
On 7-9 February, the Committee organized a closed-door legal seminar on the Question on Palestine. The legal seminar was held in the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, and was attended by international legal experts, Palestinian diplomats and government officials, as well as Bureau representatives. [...]
Annual capacity building programme at UNHQ, New York, 24 October – 2 December 2022
The 6-week annual capacity-building programme for civil servants of the State of Palestine ran from 24 October to 2 December 2022. It was organized by the Division for Palestinian Rights, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). During the training at UNHQ, the trainees enhanced their understanding of multilateral diplomacy, peace, security, and development issues, as well as recent regional and global developments at the center of d [...]
The Art of Speechwriting capacity-building programme, 17 October to 13 November 2022
The Division for Palestinian Rights supported the participation of four staff of the Government of the State of Palestine in an online training entitled “The Art of Speechwriting” organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The 4-week long capacity-building programme ran from 17 October to 13 November 2022. This course gave the participants the essential principles of the art and craft of speechwriting. The course was [...]
Communication Strategy Workshop for officials of the Government of the State of Palestine, 25-26 July
The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in accordance with the mandate given to it by the General Assembly (75/20 of 8 December 2020), organized a two-day Communication Strategy Workshop for officials of the Government of the State of Palestine. The Workshop took place on 25-26 July 2022 in Amman, Jordan in cooperation with the Prime Minister’s Office of the State of Palestine. The Chair of the Committee, [...]
Legal Seminar on the Question on Palestine, 6-7 May 2022
In collaboration with the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, the Committee organized a closed-door legal seminar on "The legality of the Israeli occupation of the OPT, including East Jerusalem." The legal seminar was held in Dublin, Ireland, on 6 and 7 May and was attended by international legal experts, Palestinian diplomats and government officials, as well as Bureau representatives. [...]
United Nations Online Immersion Programme
The Palestinian Rights Committee in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) sponsored the participation of 2 Palestinian officials in a 10-day online training programme, offering participants a full immersion into the United Nations' multilateral working environment in Geneva. [...]
Online training on Effective Writing Skills, 7 September – 9 October 2020
The Committee in collaboration with the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) supported the participation of three Palestinian Foreign Ministry officials in a 5-week online training on “Effective Writing Skills” from 7 September – 9 October 2020. The training course was an opportunity to enhance the ability of the officials to effectively draft a variety of documents through increased sensitivity to language, structure, and content. [...]
Workshop on Women’s Leadership, 18 – 20 May 2020
On 18-20 May 2020, the Committee in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and research (UNITAR) supported the participation of three female Palestinian Government officials representing the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministries of Health and Justice in the online workshop. This was an opportunity for participants to build essential personal leadership skills and qualities in order to thrive in leadership positions, overcoming [...]
Workshop on Leadership in Crisis, 22 – 24 April 2020
On 22-24 April 2020, the Committee in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and research (UNITAR) supported the participation of three senior Palestinian Foreign Ministry officials in the online training workshop. The interactive workshop taught essential skills which would allow leaders to adapt their leadership strategies to be more flexible to adapt to a variety of diverse challenges and respond effectively to crisis situati [...]
Annual capacity building programme, 28 October – 6 December 2019, New York
The 6-week annual capacity-building programme for civil servants of the State of Palestine ran from 28 October to 6 December 2019. It was organized by the Division for Palestinian Rights, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The participants learned the work of the United Nations, its legal foundations, rules and regulations, the functioning of its main organs and major items on their respective agendas, with a special focus on the q [...]
UN Catalytic Support to South-South & Triangular Cooperation in implementing the 2030 Agenda, 29 – 31 October 2019, Turin, Italy
In collaboration with the United Nations System Staff College, the Committee supported the participation of two diplomats: from the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Palestinian International Cooperation Agency (PICA), in a training session entitled “UN Catalytic Support to South-South & Triangular Cooperation in implementing the 2030 Agenda”, 29 – 31 October 2019, Turin, Italy. The session taught them key principles, tools and metho [...]
Best Practices in Water Resources Management: a Study Visit to Senegal for Officials of the State of Palestine 21-25 October 2019
From 21 to 25 October 2019, the Government of Senegal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Organization for the Valorisation of the Senegal River) and the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People organized a Seminar Visit for Palestinian officials on best practices in water management. The seminar was held in Dakar, on 21-22 October, followed by a [...]
Legal seminar on “Deterring the annexation of the Palestinian territory and rolling back Israeli settlements through harnessing Third-Party State responsibility”, 4-5 October 2019
On 4 to 5 October 2019, the Palestinian Rights Committee convened a closed-door legal seminar at the Irish Human Rights Centre of the National University of Ireland in Galway on the threat of annexation of occupied Palestinian territory and third-party responsibilities under Security Council resolution 2334 (2016). The Seminar brought together 12 prominent practitioners in the fields of international law and human rights and yielded practical recommen [...]
Study visit to observe the 98th session of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), 29 April – 3 May 2019, Geneva
The Committee supported the participation of one official of the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Geneva from 29 April to 3 May 2019 to observe the 98th session of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in preparation for the presentation of Palestine’s report to CERD in August 2019. The visit provided the government officer with an overview of the work of the CERD Treaty Mechanisms while [...]
Capacity building training on “Women, leadership and peacebuilding” December 2018
In December 2018, the Committee funded the participation of six officials from different offices of the Palestinian government in a 4-week online course organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), entitled “Women, leadership and peacebuilding”. The training enabled participants to apply a gender lens to conflict and peace issues and it further provided an understanding of the conceptual and practical tools for better u [...]
Annual capacity building programme, 5 Sept – 12 October 2018, New York
The 6-week annual capacity-building programme for civil servants of the State of Palestine ran from 5 September to 12 October 2018. It was organized by the Division for Palestinian Rights (Department of Political Affairs). The programme coincided with the 73rd General Assembly session and acquainted the participants with the work of the United Nations, its legal foundations, rules and regulations, the functioning of its main organs and major i [...]
Multilateral conferences and diplomacy course, 26 February – 25 March 2018
The Committee funded the participation of two officials from the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a 4-week online course, entitled “Multilateral conferences and diplomacy” organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), held from 26 February - 25 March 2018. The training enabled the diplomats to enhance skills in utilizing multilateral conferences as a means to achieve policy objectives. The workshop also helped [...]
Workshop on conference diplomacy and multilateral negotiations, 7 – 8 December 2017, Geneva
The Committee funded the participation of two Palestinian officials from the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine in Geneva in a workshop on “Conference Diplomacy and Multilateral Negotiations” organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) held from 7-8 December 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. The training enabled the diplomats to enhance skills in achieving policy objectives through participation in multilat [...]
Study visit to observe the 68th session of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), 30 October – 1 November 2017, Geneva
From 30 October to 1 November 2017, the Committee collaborated with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to organize a study visit for three Palestinian Government officials from different Ministries to observe the sixty-eighth session of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women to help Palestinian officials prepare for the Convention’s session in 2018, when the report of the [...]
United Nations catalytic support to South-South and Triangular Cooperation in implementing the 2030 Agenda” in Bonn, Germany, 18 – 19 October 2017
In collaboration with the United Nations System Staff College, the Committee supported the participation of two diplomats from the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a training session entitled “United Nations catalytic support to South-South and triangular cooperation in implementing the 2030 Agenda” in Bonn, Germany, from 18 to 19 October 2017. The training equipped the diplomats with key principles, tools and methods needed to comprehend the [...]
Effective Multilateral Environmental Agreements, 9 – 19 October 2017
The Committee supported the participation of one official of the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a capacity building training session on “Effective Multilateral Environmental Agreements”, organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland from 9 to 19 October 2017 in Chambery, France. The aim of the training was to enhance understanding of several aspects of the relationship [...]