U.S. Consulate General Supports First-ever Conference on Women with Disabilities in the West Bank

December 14, 2010

On December 14, the Stars of Hope Society hosted the first National Conference on the Employment of Women with Disabilities, at the new Movenpick Hotel in Ramallah. The conference was supported through funds from the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem. Among those in attendance were Dr. Naim Abu Hommos, Cabinet Secretary General for the Council of Ministers, Ms. Arlene Kanter, an American law school professor from New York's Syracuse University College of Law, and representing the Consulate, Public Diplomacy Officer Esperanza Tilghman.

In her remarks during the conference opening ceremony, Ms. Tilghman praised the Stars of Hope Society, and its chairwoman, Ms. Ola Abu Al-Ghaib, stating, "With this conference, Ms. Abu Al-Ghaib has taken an important step towards achieving equal opportunities for women in all sectors of Palestinian society, and to empower them to become productive citizens that contribute to the strength and welfare of their people." Ms. Tilghman also shared the United States' current policy on the support, protection, and full inclusion of disabled people in society, adding that the Consulate's partnerships with organizations like the Stars of Hope Society "will continue to support programs that work towards strengthening the rights, status, and economic empowerment of all Palestinians - for equal access, equal opportunity, and independence."

Joining a panel discussion on international disability-rights law was Ms. Arlene Kanter, a Professor of Law at Syracuse University College of Law in New York. Among the many projects and programs she is involved in, Ms. Kanter is partnering with Al-Quds University to help them incorporate a disability component into their law school clinic program. Ms. Kanter is also involved in a U.S. government-funded program to develop a legal advocacy program for the Al-Manarah organization in Nazareth.

The U.S. Consulate General's support of this conference is one of many educational, cultural, and professional development exchange programs offered throughout the year, which serve to bring Americans and Palestinians closer together through the exchange of ideas and sharing of expertise in a wide range of fields.

For more information please contact the U.S. Consulate's Press Office at 02-622-6908 or 02-622-6909 or Hassna Dajani at 054-678-8455.