“Enhancing Access to Alternative Justice” Initiative Concludes with a Field Workshop for 44 Women and Adolescents at Al-Ru’ya Camp

Date: 11 October 2026

Press Release

“Enhancing Access to Alternative Justice” Initiative Concludes with a Field Workshop for 44 Women and Adolescents at Al-Ru’ya Camp

The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR), in partnership with The Shaikh Group (TSG), today concluded the activities of the “Enhancing Access to Alternative Justice” Initiative with a workshop and closing field session at Al-Ru’ya Camp, west of Gaza City. The session brought together 44 women and adolescents and marked the final field activity during the Initiative’s implementation period.

The closing session built on a series of activities conducted by the Initiative in displacement camps to raise local community awareness of alternative dispute-resolution methods, particularly mediation and amicable settlement, and to introduce residents to the organisations and institutions providing these services.

The workshop addressed the fundamental concepts of alternative justice and the importance of seeking amicable solutions to family and community disputes before turning to the courts, particularly amid the challenges facing Gaza’s justice sector, foremost among them difficulties in enforcing court judgments and the accumulation of cases. The Initiative’s organisers stressed that alternative justice neither conflicts with the judiciary nor diminishes its authority. Rather, it complements its role, eases the pressure on it, and saves citizens time and effort.

The session opened a direct discussion with participants about the real-life situations and problems they encounter in their daily lives within the camp, and how mediation can offer faster and less costly solutions. Participants were also introduced to the procedures for approaching specialised institutions when needed.

Women and adolescents were selected for this closing session because of their ability to share these concepts within their families and neighbourhoods. Women represent a source of stability within the family, while adolescents represent the generation most closely connected to the future and modern communication tools. Participants showed strong engagement and expressed their willingness to share what they had learned with those around them, extending the Initiative’s impact beyond the end of its implementation period.

Throughout its implementation, the Initiative worked to raise awareness within Gaza’s communities of the importance of alternative dispute-resolution methods, ease pressure on the judiciary, encourage a culture of amicable settlement, and build bridges of communication between civil society and bodies concerned with justice.

The organisers affirmed that the end of the implementation period does not mean the end of the Initiative’s impact. Rather, it marks the beginning of a phase in which participants become ambassadors for a culture of amicable dispute resolution within their communities, making mediation the first option before litigation.

The Initiative’s team thanked everyone who contributed to the success of its various activities, extending particular appreciation to The Shaikh Group (TSG) for its supportive partnership, which enabled these activities to take place under the exceptional circumstances facing the Gaza Strip.