Impact Report on Constituent Relations

Impact Report on

Constituent Relations

Submitted to: USAID/West Bank and Gaza Submitted by:

ARD, Inc. 159 Bank Street, Third Floor Burlington, VT 05401 USA Telephone: (802) 658-3890 Fax: (802) 654-4247

Prepared Under Contract #: 294-C-00-99-00156-00 Assistance to the Palestinian Legislative Council

30 June 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction 1 II. Impact of Constituency Office Activities 2 A. Support Feasibility Study of Constituent Office Structure 2 B. Increase Member Skills in Public Outreach 3 C. General Constituent Office Training 3 1. Increase Staff Skills to Conduct Outreach and Public Relations 4 2. Computer Training 5 D. Develop a Member’s Manual and Best Practices Guide 5 E. Develop Mechanisms for Public Outreach Based on Constituent Preferences 6 1. Organizing Town Meetings 6 2. Developing a Public Service Brochure 6 F. Develop Pilot Program for Outreach Outside of Municipalities 6 G. Implementing Democracy Day 2000-2001 8 H. Equipment Needs Assessment 9 I. Connecting Constituent Offices to Central Offices 9

J. Analyze Information from Constituent Offices through the Processing Constituent Inquiries Software Program 9

III. General Analysis 11 Attachments

I. INTRODUCTION

This report describes the PLC2 project impact in the area of constituent relations during the first half of the contract. The original contract assignment envisaged a report on both constituent relations and caucus development. However, given the lack of PLC initiative in the area of caucus development, and given the contract stipulation that project assistance to caucuses would only follow PLC initiative, this report will not deal with caucus development. In contrast to the great progress made in constituent relations, caucuses remain an underdeveloped area in the Council. Only one caucus, seen as an opposition group, has emerged within the PLC, but it has remained largely dormant. Since the first elected Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) was convened in March 1996, much progress has been made in the area of Member-constituent relations. Working with constituent office staff and Members, the ARD project has had a major impact on improving the relationship between PLC Members and the constituents who elected them to office. The constituent offices have seen a marked increase in activity since the beginning of PLC2. The increased efficiency and confidence of ARD-trained constituent office staff in dealing with constituent requests, inquiries, and outreach has shaped the offices into effective community bases for PLC activities. Members are more open to interacting with their constituents, as demonstrated by their regular participation in town meetings organized by their offices. Many Members now recognize the importance of responding to constituent demands, particularly with the possibility of new elections on the horizon. Members have also responded to increasing community needs caused by the dire economic and social effects of the ongoing intifada. While the Israeli restrictions associated with the intifada have nearly paralyzed the PLC’s legislative and oversight activity, constituent work – decentralized by nature – has surged ahead, due partly to increased Member activity and constituent demand. Prior to the intifada, some Members shied away from constituent contact, wary of public criticism of the PLC that increased after the Council’s term formally ended at the close of the Oslo-mandated interim period in 1999. However, after the outbreak of the intifada, many Members increased their constituent work and started participating more regularly in community outreach events. Due to the tight closure around Palestinian areas and lack of parliamentary activity, many more Members spent time in their offices, addressing constituent concerns and calling upon their staff resources. By providing training, equipment, and new software for processing constituent inquiries, ARD enabled constituent office staff to effectively cope with the increasing avalanche of constituent requests.

PLC2 − Impact Report on Constituent Relations 1

II. IMPACT OF CONSTITUENCY OFFICE ACTIVITIES ARD’s assistance in the constituency relations sector focused primarily on strengthening casework tracking and processing, improving outreach efforts, providing specific support to organizing town meetings, and providing a variety of staff training. The impact on the PLC of activities outlined in ARD’s first PLC2 annual work plan is described below. We have included three areas not specifically mentioned in the work plan: Democracy Day, town meetings, and general staff training. (Due to the extensive work undertaken in these areas, we have adjusted the outline of activities in this report to reflect the actual program development.1

A. Support Feasibility Study of Constituent Office Structure Since the Council’s inception, PLC Members have struggled with the question of constituent office structure − deciding whether shared district offices or individual offices were the most effective structure for their constituency offices. The current system of one shared office per electoral district, which was started in 1996, proved problematic. Issues of privacy, sharing staff, and clashes between Members’ political agendas created conflicts in some of the shared offices. Many Members chose not to use the district offices at all and instead worked from their homes or private businesses. In order to facilitate a sound Council decision on the constituent office structure, early in the PLC2 contract, ARD proposed that the PLC conduct an assessment of the current constituent office structure and a feasibility study of possible alternatives to the existing structure. When the PLC formed an internal committee to examine this issue in November 1999, ARD’s Constituent Relations Manager was asked to participate. In addition, ARD worked closely with the Director of the District Office Unit (DOU) to produce the study. The report was finalized in December 1999 in English and Arabic and was well received by the PLC leadership (including the Speaker, Secretary General, and Members of the 1 The pilot outreach activities (“C.1.f: Develop Pilot Program for Outreach Outside of Municipalities” according to contract definitions) were defined as town meetings, and the subsector title changed to “Develop Pilot Program for Outreach Outside of Municipalities through Town Meeting Support.” Two new subsectors were added. The first, entitled General Constituent Office Training, describes general training activities, including staff outreach training (C.1.b: “Increase skills of staff to conduct outreach and public relations”) and new computer training. The second subsector is entitled “Implementing Democracy Day 2000” and describes the role of constituency offices in organizing Democracy Day activities in their local community.


Council Affairs Committee). Although, ultimately, the PLC decided to delay any significant changes in the structure due to PLC financial constraints, Members indicated that this study would guide any future discussions on this issue. The DOU Director also welcomed the results of the study, saying that the analysis enabled his Unit to make clear and rational recommendations about the future of constituent offices. The study contained the first-ever financial analysis of expenditures from each office, marking a milestone in administrative monitoring. Furthermore, the data analysis led the PLC to open three new constituent offices. B. Increase Member Skills in Public Outreach ARD initially postponed individual Member training due to expectations of parliamentary elections. Instead, the project adopted a strategy of providing institutional and group support, thereby avoiding any direct assistance to individual Members that could be viewed as support to a re-election campaign. Some Members were initially reluctant to participate in public meetings, where they could be blamed for the PLC’s poor performance. They were uncomfortable with dealing with large and unpredictable crowds. Through their participation in ARD-supported town meetings, Members have gradually become more confident – even enthusiastic – about contact with constituents. In general, Members now see the importance of responding to constituent interests, particularly those Members with an eye on possible future elections. There was a notable increase in the number of Members who participate in town meetings organized by the district offices. During the first PLC project, only those Members who used the district offices (roughly 50 percent of Members) usually attended town meetings. Now, almost all Members attend district office-organized town meetings – even Members who are also government ministers. Similarly, Members increased their contacts with the media over the last year and a half. In many districts, Members regularly appear on local television, often participating in panel discussions, fielding questions from constituents over the telephone. The Members’ Manual on Constituent Relations provided a seminal source for Members and constituent office staff on how to interact with constituents and the media (see II.D). With individual Member training on hold, the Manual serves as an alternative training guide that every Member can draw upon. In light of the urgent communication needs that arose during the emergency period, ARD relaxed the restriction on Member training, and over the past few months, the project provided Members with training to develop computer skills. The training began in the districts of Ramallah, Jerusalem and Nablus, with about 15 Members participating so far. C. General Constituent Office Training


The constituent offices are a vital venue for dialogue between legislators and constituents. Since Members are the face of the PLC in the community, the offices play a vital role in enhancing the PLC’s public legitimacy. By improving the skills of constituent office staff, over the last year and a half, ARD enhanced the efficiency and speed with which the offices supported Members and handled constituent inquiries. ARD concentrated on training (in both group and one-on-one sessions) for constituent office staff, targeting the directors and secretarial staff. ARD also encouraged, and paid for, staff to attend non-ARD training in their districts. These local training opportunities became increasingly important as Israel’s restrictions on travel, following the start of the intifada, prevented staff from attending courses in Ramallah. In the last six months, ARD covered a variety of district-based training programs for staff, including public relations training, ACCESS, excel, computer hardware training, and English language training. ARD’s group training sessions in Ramallah provided valuable networking opportunities for staff who rarely have the means to visit other districts. During these courses, which usually lasted several days, staff from all 16 constituent offices were able to exchange information and experiences. Even the district-based trainings had a positive impact on inter-office links. In order to carry out individual training of office staff, ARD conducted regular visits to the constituent offices (averaging five visits a month before the intifada), usually accompanied by the DOU Director. These visits were the only opportunity for the director to visit the constituent offices and meet with the staff, due to a lack of Council funding for such trips. 1. Increase Staff Skills to Conduct Outreach and Public Relations Since PLC1, ARD has provided constituent office staff with technical and financial assistance in organizing town meetings, with the aim of developing self-sufficiency. During the early years of the Council, most town meetings were run by outside facilitators, which meant that PLC staff were not able to directly manage the sessions. Early in PLC2, the project decided to train PLC staff in town meeting facilitation to help them gain control over all aspects of the meetings. Working with the District Office Unit and the Training and Development Unit, ARD trained the 11 West Bank constituent office directors. (Training for the Gaza directors is to be held in June 2001, during the next reporting period. It was originally scheduled for early October 2000, but was delayed due to the start of the intifada.) Participants enthusiastically described the training as the best they had received in years. Following the training, some directors began facilitating town meetings for the first time, while those with previous experience are performing more capably. In the early stages of the Council’s work, when primarily NGOs organized town meetings, Members were reluctant to participate, partly because they felt they had little control over of the format and issues presented. Furthermore, the public viewed these meetings as initiated by others and not the PLC. Many Members are now more


comfortable participating in town meetings, because the meetings are entirely managed by their staff. These PLC-initiated town meetings also demonstrate to constituents that Members are interested in meeting with them and soliciting their feedback. With each town meeting and training session, the constituent office staff are gaining experience and confidence in organizing and directing public outreach sessions. As they increase their skills, the staff are taking ownership of the town meeting process, and use it as a the primary district-based activity. 2. Computer Training Improving the constituent office staff computer skills was an essential step in improving their job performance. The work of constituent offices increasingly involves computer equipment and the constituent inquiries software program designed by ARD. Prior to training by ARD IT staff, most staff were unfamiliar with basic word processing and the Internet and relied on non-computerized systems for filing and other office work. Over the last year and a half, ARD provided training, through group training programs and individual sessions, in basic word processing, database systems, and the Internet. Staff use the computers to develop administration systems and manage office communication, and some routinely conduct Internet-based research for Members. Many offices now are able to generate detailed reports for the Central Office and Members, while others use the Access software to create an informational database for Members. In response to the lack of adequate IT assistance from the central offices, ARD IT staff included technical topics into the training session, enabling staff to troubleshoot computer problems, independently or with ARD assistance by phone. Increased technical skill has translated into more responsible usage of the equipment. Prior to the ARD training, computer work was seen as a secretarial responsibility in many offices. By providing district office directors with basic and intermediate computer training, ARD encouraged senior staff to recognize the importance of computers in their daily work. The basic computer training laid the foundation for the more advanced training in the constituent casework software, specifically designed by ARD for the constituent offices (see II.J). D. Develop a Member’s Manual and Best Practices Guide In November 1999, the PLC suggested to ARD that the Best Practices publication (outlined in the USAID activity schedule) also include a basic constituency-relations manual for Members. Given the success of a similar staff manual developed in PLC1, the staff from the offices and the District Office Unit attending ARD’s Strategic Planning Workshop suggested that a Member Manual would be similarly well received and would strengthen the still evolving Member-constituency relationship.


With the assistance of the State University of New York (SUNY), ARD developed a manual on interacting with constituents, addressing casework, outreach, public relations, and dealing with the media, among other issues. The Manual was approved in Quarter Six by PLC leadership and distributed to all Members and district offices. After the intifada began, ARD noticed that many more Members were interacting with the media, often with little support or experience. The project quickly translated and distributed the chapter from the Member Manual that dealt specifically with the media. Since then, Members improved noticeably in their media interaction. The specialized guide proved popular. (The publication even gained international attention when a Jordanian member of Parliament, who was shown the media guide by chance, was so impressed that he orders copies to share with his colleagues.) E. Develop Mechanisms for Public Outreach Based on Constituent Preferences 1. Organizing Town Meetings In PLC2, ARD has focused on developing the district-based town meeting as the main mechanism for public outreach (see II.F). Constituent office staff have responded warmly to the concept of opening a dialogue with constituents and see the meetings as an opportunity to identify and deal with constituent concerns. In some cases, constituent office staff were able to turn incoming constituent inquiries into issues to address at town meetings. For example, health care inquiries came up in meetings in a number of districts; as health issues are one of the most common types of constituent inquiries, the inclusion of related topics in town meeting agendas demonstrates responsiveness to constituent concerns. In most districts, topics of pressing local urgency were addressed. In central Gaza, electricity problems were included while, in Bethlehem, a strike organized by taxi drivers in front of the district office prompted constituent office staff to hold a town meeting about transportation problems. 2. Developing a Public Service Brochure In coordination with the District Office Unit and the district offices, ARD developed a public service emergency information brochure for constituents, listing updated information about the PLC, constituent offices, and general emergency and first aid information (including instructions on what to do in the case of shelling, fire, and injuries and how to deal with the special needs of children living under difficult circumstances.) Sixteen different versions of the brochure were developed, ensuring that each constituency had a specifically tailored brochure, with local phone numbers for the PLC and emergency services. The brochures were a groundbreaking public information package; although other organizations have published public service information, the brochure was the first area-specific guide. Feedback on the brochure was extremely positive, from the PLC, the press, and the public. The brochures were distributed to schools, community centers, NGOs, ministries


and other local organizations. ARD originally distributed 160,000 copies (10,000 per district), but public demand was so high that constituent offices asked for more. ARD printed 5,000 additional copies for distribution in five districts. F. Develop Pilot Program for Outreach Outside of Municipalities In PLC2, ARD launched a pilot program to encourage Members and constituent staff to conduct outreach activities in previously neglected outlying constituent areas. Traditionally, Members have focused their public activities within city centers, targeting the more accessible groups of intellectuals, professionals, and students, rarely venturing out to the margins of their communities. As a result, constituents in outlying areas, such as rural villages and refugee camps, rarely saw their Council representative and remained largely uninformed about the PLC. By supporting town meetings, ARD helped create a medium through which relatively neglected constituents could communicate their concerns to Members while learning more about the PLC and constituency offices. The project’s assistance has been essential to the maintenance of town meetings. The DOU Director believes that, without ARD’s financial help, staff could not afford to travel to any outlying areas; without its technical help, they would not have the confidence to tackle the task of organizing the meetings. ARD officially kicked off its pilot outreach program during the Democracy Day 2000 campaign, during which over 20 town meetings were held, primarily in villages and refugee camps across the West Bank and Gaza. Both constituents and Members attended these meetings in impressive numbers. Between 100 and 500 people attended the meetings, which is more than the normal town meeting crowd, indicating that constituents in these areas are thirsty for opportunities to meet with their Members. The high level of media coverage – newspapers, television, and radio – carried the story to an even wider audience. An ARD report on Democracy Day 2000 described the meetings as essential face-to-face opportunities for Member-constituent dialogue – empowering for constituents and satisfying for Members. On the whole, ARD’s work with the constituent offices on town meetings has a strong impact during the past year and a half. Since ARD support began for this activity, town meetings organized by the constituent offices have significantly increased. ARD is confident that, if the offices were not constrained by serious budget limitations, staff would independently organize meetings. As it is, constituent office staff regularly approach ARD with ideas and requests for assistance. Furthermore, during the Democracy Day activities, the staff took a leading role in organizing the town meetings – an unprecedented demonstration of confidence in their ability to organize independently. Members have also become more enthusiastic about town meetings, after an initial reluctance to interact with large groups of constituents. Now that Members are more experienced in participating in these public meetings, and as their offices provide better


organization and support, they recognize the benefits of the meetings and the value of contact with constituents. Fearing that town meetings would be dominated by complaints about the government and peace process, Members were relieved to see that most meetings focused on issues of local needs (e.g., health care, electricity, water, and community development). This dominance of basic community concerns indicates that constituents see the town meetings as an important means of notifying the PLC of their pressing needs. Although constituent influence on the legislative process is still weak, issues raised in town meetings have been translated into policy on occasion. For instance, following a town meeting held in Bethlehem with the Health Minister, the Minister and local Member formed an official committee to look into health concerns raised by constituents at the meeting. It is clear that the town meetings are becoming a valued medium for Member-constituent communication. Furthermore, despite criticism of the Council’s higher functions, the popularity of meetings demonstrates that the PLC’s grassroots representatives – its Members and constituent offices – are still considered relevant by the community. The intifada inevitably affected the organization of town meetings, particularly in peripheral areas still under Israeli control. However, meetings are still being held, with most focusing on intifada-related issues, such as national unity, outcomes of the conflict, and the damage caused by shelling. Attendance of constituents and Members is high, and press coverage is consistently good. In some cases, the intifada conditions have spawned town meeting partnerships; recently a Women’s Unit employee living in Jenin, unable to get to the central office in Ramallah, organized a series of town meetings in the Jenin District Office. G. Implementing Democracy Day 2000-2001 Constituent offices played a central role in the organization and implementation of Democracy Day activities during the 2000 and 2001 campaigns, with all 16 offices participating in organizing town meetings, school visits, television interviews, and other activities. In coordination with ARD, the offices prepared special publications, organized town meetings, and linked with participating NGOs. The town meetings were well organized, lively, and remarkably well attended by both constituents and Members. Constituents were not afraid to raise controversial issues including corruption, the slow pace of the peace process, the need for new elections, complaints about government failure to implement legislation, and criticism of the government’s restrictions on freedom of expression. There was overwhelming support from constituents and Members for the town meetings and a demand for more in the future. The meetings were so well attended by PLC Members that constituents were openly critical of those relatively few Members who were not able to attend.


In 2001, there was initial concern from some Members that a democracy campaign would be inappropriate during the crisis. Early in the planning, some district offices declared that their Members would not participate. ARD and the PLC agreed to conduct a low-key campaign and, in the end, almost all offices took a very active role in the campaign. Despite the more subdued tone of the campaign, the 2001 events were highly successful. Many district offices focused their activities on youth, holding Member school visits and town meetings devoted to youth. Based on this experience, offices have begun developing a parliamentary education program targeting the young. In contrast with previous years, the district offices played a leading role in the preparation and implementation of the events in 2001. This independence indicates that the constituent offices are gaining confidence in organizing and implementing large-scale public outreach activities. H. Equipment Needs Assessment ARD conducted an equipment needs assessment in early PLC2 to determine the needs of each office prior to connecting district offices to the Central Office. The assessment revealed that many offices lacked the necessary equipment or had equipment that was in need of repair. ARD decided to provide just enough new equipment to ensure that all offices could participate in the new communication loop; all constituent offices now have the appropriate hardware for connecting to the Central Office. As a result of this needs assessment, the project procured about $60,000 worth of equipment for district offices, including computers, fax machines, printers, scanners, UPSs, and equipment for the network connection. ARD also purchased equipment and furniture for a new constituent office opened in Nablus. ARD used the installation of new or updated equipment as an opportunity to offer additional, on-the-job training in computers and cyber-skills, bringing office staff up to the requisite level of computer- and Internet-proficiency for the interoffice connection. I. Connecting Constituent Offices to Central Offices The project agreed to help the PLC connect its offices via the Internet in order to share information and improve communications. PLC’s inability to pay for basic Internet connections delayed the start of the activity, until ARD decided to provide a one-time, six-month emergency allocation of funds for the preliminary connection. The majority of offices are now connected to the Internet; ARD is working with PLC to establish e-mail addresses for all constituent office staff and PLC Members. J. Analyze Information from Constituent Offices through

the Processing Constituent Inquiries Software Program


Although originally developed in PLC1, the constituent inquiries processing software program came into its own during the last year and a half. ARD continued working with the software enhancement committee, established in PLC1 from constituent office staff, to modify the software program according to staff input. The staff now feel a stronger sense of ownership because they know the software was specifically tailored to meet their needs. ARD’s development of this user-friendly software program addressed a vital need of the constituent offices that field thousands of constituent inquiries per year. Previously, constituent offices recorded and tracked constituent inquiries through manual filing systems, and information was often lost or hard to find. Tracking and filing methods varied from office to office, making it difficult to compare data and conduct cross-office analysis. The tracking software revolutionized the district office constituent information system. Unorganized chaos was replaced by a unified and simple system. The electronic casework forms guide the staff through often-lengthy constituent inquiries, enabling them to identify quickly the relevant information. Staff can also easily access constituent records and track the progress of inquiries on the constituents’ behalf. For the first time, staff are able to analyze their casework data, generating reports for all Members in their district. Members have begun to take reports to town meetings and plenary sessions, indicating that the software provides valuable information for community-legislative dialogue. The system provides data that makes Members more aware of their constituents’ needs and their own performance in addressing the needs – an important move towards greater Member responsibility to constituents. This efficient management of information has improved the standing of district-based staff and constituent offices in the eyes of both the PLC and the community. Members appreciate having information at their fingertips, which enables them to stay informed about their constituent work and enhances their standing among constituents and in the Legislature. Morale has risen among constituent office staff, for the software has clarified their duties, regularized their procedures, and improved their credibility in the community. ARD also found the software program complemented other project activities; we continue to update the program in order to elicit larger amounts of relevant information from offices. The data produced by the database reveal new, and sometimes surprising, details about response to constituent inquiries, enabling further analysis on the constituency offices. For instance, ARD discovered that the Salfit constituent office has one of the highest numbers of recorded constituent inquiries in the West Bank, despite being the PLC’s third smallest constituency office. Such revelations guide deeper analysis, uncovering the influence of subtler constituency dynamics (e.g., the disproportionately high demand on the Salfit office is because the Member’s reputedly strong ties to President Arafat attracts inquiries from all over the country). ARD plans to further develop the software in order to increase the analytical possibilities and predicts


that the program’s high yield of relevant data will continue to positively impact the constituency office performance. Due to the sensitivity of some casework and a lack of familiarity with computers, there is some residual distrust of the software in certain areas of Gaza, resulting in only partial usage of the system. Gaza staff are less comfortable with the software and resistant to applying it to their work. More training will be offered to the Gaza offices as the conditions allow.


III. GENERAL ANALYSIS The emergency conditions have put the district offices to the test. Cut off from the central offices and under pressure from increased demands from both the PLC and the community, constituent office staff – forced to work on their own – have performed remarkably well. Through the project’s assistance, constituent offices have begun to function in a more efficient, uniform, and organized manner. As their proficiency increased, constituent office staff gained confidence in their role within the institution. Staff also became more independent in their work, as new skills enabled them to take on more responsibilities. In turn, increased productivity and professionalism of the staff encouraged Members to rely more on the staff. Staff are now more confident to play a larger role in organizing town meetings – clearly demonstrated by the success of the constituent office-led activities during the Democracy Day 2000 and 2001 campaigns. Improved logistical support led more Members to participate in town meetings, where high audience and positive responses inspired return engagements. The increase in the number of town meetings suggests growing PLC commitment to strengthening the linkage between the Legislature and constituents. The constituent casework tracking software played a vital role in the offices’ development. Where staff had previously filed away information into a one-way path and rarely retrieved data, they are now tracking data, analyzing cases, and generating reports for their Members. With each new and more detailed version of the software, the constituent offices and the project are learning more about the dynamics of PLC responsiveness to constituent inquiries – knowledge that can be used by ARD to better tailor its assistance to the PLC. ARD continues to train staff to use the program, in order to deal with any remaining uneasiness with the software. Unfortunately, the travel restrictions over the last six months hampered ARD’s work with the Gaza offices; the project will target these offices as soon as possible. ARD continues to work closely with the DOU Director, making visits to constituent offices when possible and maintaining frequent telephone contact.


Attachment 1

PLC Constituency Offices in the Districts Between Accomplishment, Reality and Future Endeavors The PLC district offices undoubtedly remain the open eye of the Legislature to pinpoint any weaknesses or lapses that might occur every now and then by the executive institutions in the various districts. They also remain the first source for constituents seeking support to overcome life adversities and troubles. These offices enjoy an extremely important value in serving as a non-stop connecting link between the Member and the constituents, which indicates the inevitability of their existence. Many questions arise about the manner of managing these offices, evaluating the staff’s relations with constituents and the hardships they might face, and their future prospects to improve their performance. Fuad Salem, Director of the Bethlehem District Office, explains that there are several obstacles obstructing their work at the Bethlehem office, and “bureaucracy” is one of them: “We have to remain in direct touch with the governmental institutions despite their bureaucratic systems so that we can still serve the citizens who seek our support as a legislature,” Salem said. “Citizens usually deal with us − district office staff − as their advocates since we are the ones who pursue their cases due to the Members’ very busy schedules. A misunderstanding that we might face sometimes is the citizens’ confusion about the role we as a district office play; they sometimes address us with cases that are more of a judiciary nature such as Israeli settlements and land confiscation cases. The Member’s role here is to examine the case as a whole, to coordinate activities within and outside groups to identify ‘settlement’ in general, in addition to writing reports on this issue through the PLC Committee on Land and Confrontation of Settlement,” Salem added. “… That of course does not mean that we disregard any of the citizens’ cases, actually we receive many inquiries that are outside our authority and beyond our main role that is to monitor the performance of the governmental institutions in the districts as well as that of the security apparatus and to report to Members on both of them. Citizens might think Members are always entitled to solve their problems. We try as much as we can to deal with cases by referring them to liaison offices, lawyers, governmental institutions or any other concerned group. “…We have no other choice but to give advice to citizens and help them in the most proper manners. We only wish citizens understand that sometimes our role does not exceed being consultative rather than executive. For example, we have nothing to do with a labor rights case as this only comes under the authority of the judiciary. We have always worked on raising the awareness of citizens on these issues but have relatively failed. We, as a result, had to develop organized schedules that classify inquiries and complaints in an effective manner that is easier and faster for us to pursue them.

“… About Members’ role, we often find the ministries and governmental institutions very cooperative. We maintain good relationships with them, which lessen the burden that a Member has to deal with in trying to find radical solutions to certain issues. Members also have high broad authorities in addressing high officials in the executive authority.” As for the Bethlehem District Office, Salem expressed that they feel there is an urgent need for some more qualified professionals in law and languages: “… that, in addition to social counseling due to the huge amount of social and family cases we receive from constituents who prefer to address us as their trustworthy PLC representatives. Therefore, we believe it is extremely significant that we have specialists in these fields for two main objectives: to meet the constituents’ needs, particularly those related to social, and to help us have more focus on the administrative issues rather than serving as a ‘social affairs’ department.” Salem added about the Bethlehem office accomplishments, “We achieved success by being constantly present with the constituents everywhere and at any time. Members have proved their genuine contribution to all local activities at all levels: political, social, and economic. We have also succeeded in dealing with at least 112 cases and receiving an estimated 350 constituents every month. Besides, we have received many student delegations, researchers, academics, and media representatives providing them with diverse information.” Atef Abu Jazar, Director of the Rafah District Office in the Gaza Strip, talked about the importance of the district offices: “The district offices are important as they facilitate contacts between Members and constituents, especially in remote areas.” However, Abu Jazar warned, “Our work has taken another dimension: Members and staff are obliged to look for critical solutions for general problems that concern the public besides their main role of drafting legislation, oversight, and accounting. Due to the hard conditions we live in, we had to dedicate most of our time in pursuing special issues including personal ones significantly seeking employment cases. “… Employment has become a basic need for many citizens who find no other alternative but to seek Members’ support. This process might sometimes cost us years to find jobs for people. It is a matter that we sincerely believe is very convincing under the very deteriorating economic situation in the Gaza Strip. “… We, in the district offices, continue to practice our monitoring role, over the security authorities in particular. We are constantly aware that any arrests or detention procedures should be carried out legally. It is very often that Members intervene to bail detainees or authorize lawyers to handle certain cases. Moreover, it is us, in the Rafah District Office, who work on making work permits inside Israel for people and this has taken a lot of our time and effort. We also work on financial aid cases, our members also maintain excellent relations with the Ministry of Health who cover costs of many health cases we refer to them. We also had been able to find a language of mutual understanding between

constituents and the executive authority in our district, although we have to admit that we do not get the same level of response from the various executive institutions.” Abu Jazar expressed concern that the lack of clear coordination between the various PLC district offices and the executive authority might cause an overlap in the duties and responsibilities: “… We demand more cooperation from certain governmental institutions.” He also said that they, in the Rafah District Office, try to utilize all mechanisms to facilitate their performance, but with the growing number of staff, they still need some equipment, including computers. He believes providing district office staff with practical courses in international parliaments is now more favorable to them than theoretical training programs. Directors of PLC District Offices Complete a Course on “How to Organize and Moderate Town Meetings” Directors of the various PLC district offices in the West Bank have completed a training program on town meeting preparation and moderation. The training course was organized by the PLC Training and Development Unit, supported by ARD and conducted by Civic Forum trainers. The 30-hour course was divided into two parts: the first one dealt with good preparation skills of a public meeting, and the second focused on media and necessary communication mechanisms with the various media institutions. About the participants’ assessment of the entire training, following are some of their viewpoints: Ahmad al-Hilu (Jericho District Office Director) “In general the course was a review of previous but unorganized information we had. It enabled us to have a better and more scientific understanding of an open public meeting. I personally benefited a lot from the part on how to deal with the media. I learned the proper methods of writing press items. I suggest that we have other courses in the future on photography and videotaping.” Fuad Salem (Bethlehem District Office Director) “I have participated in eight different training courses including one on media. I believe this course in its two parts is especially important as it enabled us to gain new experience in organizing and facilitating town hall meetings. It also strengthened our understanding on how to maintain good relations and coordination with press reporters and various media institutions. I believe we need more courses in the field of media.” Ahmad Tmeizi (District Offices Unit – Ramallah) The course was highly appreciated as it enriched our previous knowledge on the issue of holding town meetings. We now are more familiar with the necessary conditions and mechanisms to make a town hall meeting a success. I hope more intensive similar courses are organized in the near future.”

Ali Salameh (Nablus District Office Director) “This course has well arranged our previous tactics in preparing for town meetings. It revealed the extent of importance that we should constantly pursue new methods of organizing town meetings and keeping neutral stands while moderating between Members and constituents. I wish the duration of the course were longer as there are many aspects to deal with in this field. The trainers were also professional in conveying the information to us.” Iyad Massad (Jenin District Office Director) “The course was extremely interesting in its two parts. The trainers were highly experienced as we benefited a lot from the information. I believe this was one of the most important training courses we received during the past four years.” Faisal Hindi (Secretary of the Qalqilya District Office) “The course is very valuable as it expresses the needs of all participants. It enabled us to learn the correct rules of planning for holding town meetings. Apparently an urgent need to expand our knowledge on utilizing scientific methods in conducting public meetings appeared. Of course, it all pours in the strengthening of the relations between Members and constituents.” Louai Abdeen (Jerusalem District Office Director) “In general, I consider the course essential to individual building in our Palestinian institutions including the PLC. It is also imperative to improve the skills of the staff. I see this course serves to organize the accumulated information and experience we in the various district offices share. Such courses are particularly important for us as they expose to us the weaknesses and provide us with methods to avoid them.” Tayseer Muse'i (Tulkarem District Office Director) “The course was good as we expanded our previous knowledge in how to organize and moderate public meetings. It opened to us a door of sharing experience with colleagues in the other district offices in addition to very useful information on how to deal with the media.” Bassel Taraweh (Hebron District Office Director) “All in all, the course was very good, both in the context and the trainers. It will definitely improve our future performance in preparing for and conducting town meetings and other public events that consolidate the relation between Members and constituents.”

Attachment 2 This following evaluation report on Democracy Day 2001 activities was sent by the Bethlehem District Office. The Democracy Day campaign this year aimed at dedicating the democratic concept and strengthening the ongoing accountability process that should be based on transparency and positive criticism. It also strengthened relations between Members and constituents, encouraged greater numbers of the public to share their input in the political role, and raised awareness on the importance of the PLC in the Palestinian political life and its legislative and oversight roles. Town meetings, which were the main part of the entire campaign, dealt with three basic issues: politics, general, and local concerns. Attendance was relatively low due to the general situation and the audiences were mainly concerned with political issues other than the local. Despite the steady cooperation between the district offices and ARD to uphold the campaign, the campaign program was flexible and applicable to changes due to the intifada situation. This, from a geographical perspective, also affected the level of participation of many districts that were under siege or closure and those that were not under PA control. However, the accomplished activities were general but very extensive.

Attachment 3 Bethlehem District Members Evaluate Democracy Day Campaign Bethlehem District Office conducted a meeting for district members: Mitri Abu Eita, Salah Ta’mari, and Bishara Daoud to discuss advantages and disadvantages of the campaign. All agreed that the timing of the campaign was appropriate, particularly that it coincided with the Intifada and the need to speak out, and with the absence of PLC plenary sessions. The campaign was also good as it expressed all political spectrums and addressed many key issues that concern all Palestinians. The campaign also demonstrated the extent of public concern over the PLC and their willingness to support and maintain this great accomplishment. The campaign strengthened the sense of unity amongst both Members and constituents being in the same confrontation line and brought the general concern on top of any other private concerns or interests. The campaign was exceptionally important this year as it served to a great extent in unifying Members’ positions even after the campaign was completed.

Attachment 4

Letters from District Offices Letter from Gaza District Office “With lots of respect and appreciation we here at the Gaza District Office would like to thank you for your tremendous support to help us open links of cooperation between the Office and its members and other community groups and institutions. We hope that we have more future cooperation with you in various fields towards accomplishing our joint objective of building our Palestinian community.” Yours truly, Suheil Abul Arraj/ Director Gaza District Office Letter from Jenin District Office To: ARD From: Iyad Massad / Director Re: Acknowledgement and appreciation On behalf of me, Mr. Fuad Salem – Bethlehem District Office director and Mr. Faisal Hindi from the Qalqilya District Office, I would like to thank you for covering the costs of our accommodations and other relevant expenses of the Public Relations Training course held at the PLC Diwan Department. We deeply appreciate your continuous support and care for the district offices and wish you all the best. Sincerely yours, Iyad Massad / Director Jenin District Office Letter from Hebron District Office (Abbas Zaki’s) “I would like to express my strong appreciation to your great efforts in facilitating a training workshop on how to organize and moderate town meetings for PLC district office directors. We can assure you that such training added a lot to our experience in this field and will enable us to improve our future performance to a great extent. Thank you for your constant support to improve the performance of the district offices and their staff.” Sincerely yours, Bassel Taraweh /Director Hebron District Office

Documents

Impact Report on Constituent Relations