Report 2020

2020 Annual Report

Bihimmetkum Association carried out several activities and projects throughout this year, aiming to empower persons with disabilities in society to demand their stolen rights and raise awareness in the local community about their issues and rights, in line with both local and international development and human rights goals.

Bihimmetkum Association is the first youth organization in the country dedicated to the issues and rights of young people with disabilities. It has served as an incubator for youth, providing them with a platform to express their hopes and aspirations and strengthen their role in society. The association has created a qualitative shift in the disability sector by keeping up with modern advancements such as various social media platforms and innovative methods of expression for young people with disabilities in Palestinian society.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the association successfully achieved its goals and reached the largest possible number of young people with disabilities across different governorates. This was accomplished by establishing a database of 200 individuals with disabilities and involving them in the association’s activities and projects. Additionally, the association expanded its outreach by increasing its social media following on Facebook and Instagram.

Bihimmetkum Association also sought to build new partnerships with various civil society organizations and institutions working in the disability sector. These partnerships contributed to the growth of the association and enabled the implementation of joint activities that served the disability rights movement, particularly for youth. This marked a significant turning point in the association’s work, leading to greater expansion and impact within Palestinian society, especially among young people with disabilities.

Our Vision

Young people with disabilities living with dignity and actively participating in all aspects of life.

Our Mission

Empowering young people with disabilities and advancing their rights and issues for a better reality.

Our Message

Bihimmetkum is an independent Palestinian youth organization that works to enhance the role of young people with disabilities—both male and female—in demanding their rights and actively participating in public life. The association seeks to influence policymakers and decision-makers through empowerment, capacity-building at both individual and collective levels, and raising public awareness about disability-related issues. It also engages in advocacy efforts at local and national levels, establishing an interactive platform for young people with disabilities to express themselves and mobilize their energies to achieve their aspirations and ambitions.

Objectives

1. Contributing to raising societal awareness about the issues and rights of young people with disabilities.
2. Increasing social participation of young people with disabilities and enhancing their role in decision-making.
3. Promoting the concepts of freedom of expression, tolerance, peace, social responsibility, and social cohesion.
4. Developing the capacities of persons with disabilities and enabling them to contribute to building a democratic society that respects diversity and human rights.
5. Empowering persons with disabilities and mobilizing their energies to achieve the goals and priorities of the disability rights movement.
6. Advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities.

Association Activities

#NotJustAStep Campaign for Accessible Public Spaces

This campaign was launched in December 2019 and continued until February 2020, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of making public spaces accessible for persons with disabilities. It utilized various media channels, particularly digital media and social media, to promote accessibility. Activities included:

• Three informational videos explaining the campaign and its objectives, broadcast on the association’s Facebook page.
• Several radio interviews on different programs to discuss the campaign and the importance of accessibility.
• Awareness posts shared on the association’s Facebook page.

Project: Towards Active Young People with Disabilities Creating Positive Change (Phase 1: January 1 – August 31, 2020)

This project aimed to highlight the reality of persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on their social conditions. It also sought to engage young people with disabilities in discussing their issues through social media, adapting to the pandemic’s constraints. The project included:

• Nine awareness workshops focused on the rights and issues of persons with disabilities during the pandemic, streamed live on Facebook.
• The project was implemented in partnership with Palestinian Vision Organization and Diakonia/NAD.

Workshops & Speakers:

#Adapt Initiative for White Cane Day (October 15)

This initiative aimed to highlight the needs of persons with visual impairments in making public spaces accessible. Activities included:

• Translating and printing food and drink menus in Braille for 17 restaurants and cafes (50 branches).
• Working with elevator companies to adapt three elevators in commercial centers in Ramallah and Al-Bireh, starting with the Al-Khatib building, which houses the General Union of Persons with Disabilities. More adaptations were planned for 2021, with support from Palestinian Vision Organization.

Bihimmetkum 2020 Project: Towards Active Youth with Disabilities Creating Positive Change

This project focused on highlighting disability issues through social media. It included:

• Training 30 persons with disabilities in the basics of social media usage across the north, center, and south.
• Publishing seven digital posts on using correct terminology for different types of disabilities.
• Hosting three live awareness workshops on the association’s Facebook page on various disability-related topics.
• The project was implemented with support from Diakonia/NAD.

Workshops & Speakers (Phase 2):

Bihimmetkum Building Together Project

This project aimed to enhance the role of persons with disabilities in media and advocacy by:

• Training 10 persons with disabilities in media institutions.
• Conducting knowledge-exchange workshops between media professionals and persons with disabilities.
• Producing five radio episodes on disability issues.
• Engaging social media activists to produce 10 disability-related videos.
• Organizing accountability sessions and dialogues.
• Conducting a survey on health insurance rights for persons with disabilities.
• Implemented in partnership with Palestinian Vision Organization and funded by GIZ.

Other activities included workshops on sexual abuse awareness, anti-corruption training, and screenings of women’s films in collaboration with Shashat Cinema.