Graduation of 2nd Class in the Professional Diplomas in Legislative Drafting and Legal Skills
the event brought together Dr. Samiya Hulileh, Birzeit University Vice President for Community Affairs, Chief Justice Ali Muhanna, Chairman of the High Judicial Council (HJC), Mr. Iyad Tayyem, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Advisor Fawwaz Abu Zir, Assistant to Secretary General of the Council of Ministers for Legal Affairs, Mr. Abdul Rahman al Yasa’ Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Dr. Jamil Salem, IoL Director.
In her opening statement, Dr. Huleileh thanked the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers and MoJ for their diligent effort and cooperation to make successful the IoL-sponsored Professional Diplomas in Legislative Drafting and Legal Skills. Dr. Huleileh asserted that graduates would be the true nucleus for development of legislative drafting and legal skills within the Palestinian legal community. “Graduates will provide a real leverage for development of the Palestinian legal framework. These diploma programmes are of particular significance to provide enhanced capacity building to public sector staff, ensuring effective and efficient public sector functions.”
Chief Justice Muhanna highlighted that cooperation with the IoL “is tailored to develop a high quality, transparent public sector, which is capable of effective human resource management and improving public service delivery.” In this context, the Professional Diplomas in Legislative Drafting and Legal Skills are important development components in the institutions building process in the State of Palestine. These, and similar modules, “are a step in the right direction towards improvement of legal education.”
Advisor Abu Zir stated that the Professional Diplomas in Legislative Drafting and Legal Skills were an outcome of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) concluded between the IoL and Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers. To improve legislative drafting skills, the MoU was designed to launch academic and legal education as well as to support and develop legal functions of the Council of Ministers and public institutions. Exerting a favourable impact on government bodies, these diploma programmes would help produce high quality legislative texts and strike a balance between regulations. According to Advisor Abu Zir, graduates’ role and experience would be promoted and assimilated within the Government Legislative Plan.
Emphasising cooperation between the MoJ and IoL, Mr. Tayyem asserted that “Birzeit University is a pivotal resource of Palestinian capacity building.” Mr. Tayyem commended partnership with the UNDP. On the local level, these diploma programmes are so important that they provide needed capacity building to and enhance legal skills of public sector staff. These diplomas should be further developed to serve the public sector.
Mr. Al Yasa’ commended the significant cooperation between the UNDP and IoL. The Professional Diplomas in Legislative Drafting and Legal Skills are extremely important to invigorate development in Palestine and design a strategy with a view to support and promote Palestinian institutions. According to Mr. Al Yasa’, well drafted legislative texts help consolidate human rights and enhance rule of law.
Dr. Salem expressed his thanks and gratitude to the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers, MoJ, UNDP, and technical teams for their relentless effort and cooperation with the IoL to make the Professional Diplomas in Legislative Drafting and Legal Skills a success. These diplomas are designed to provide informed capacity building to public employees, ensuring an effective and efficient public sector operation. Accordingly, institutional capacity of the State of Palestine will be informed by best international practice. In tandem with its vision and mission, the IoL seeks to be a think tank of legislative drafting and legal skills. It will be a cornerstone to develop and provide capacity building to legal staff at Palestinian line ministries and government agencies. The IoL works towards improving legislative drafting and legal skills both in theory and in practice.
Mr. Mahmoud Alawneh, Director of the IoL Legislative Support Department (LSD) and Coordinator of the Specialised Diploma Programmes, stated the IoL was indebted to all trainers, who contributed to a successful completion of the Professional Diplomas in Legislative Drafting and Legal Skills. Having congratulated graduates, Mr. Alawneh hoped that the diploma programmes contribute to enhancing public sector staff legal capacity and improve the overall Palestinian legislative framework. According to Mr. Alawneh, the diploma programmes would help scale up legislative drafting and legal skills in Palestine.
On behalf of graduates in the Professional Diploma in Legislative Drafting, Mr. Rami Odeh asserted that training materials contributed to promoting the Palestinian legal framework. The programme did not only cover legislation, but also addressed all necessary aspects that raise legal awareness and consolidate rule of law within the Palestinian society. Mr. Odeh recommended that such diploma programmes should be introduced to public sector staff profiles.
On behalf of graduates in the Professional Diploma in Legal Skills, Mrs. Wdhah Awwad expressed her sincere thanks to Birzeit University, IoL, UNDP, and team of trainers. According to Mrs. Odeh, this programme contributed to improving participants’ legal capacities and helped sharpen public sector staff’s theoretical and practical skills.
At the end of the graduation ceremony, certificates were awarded on graduates.
Speakers
1. Dr. Samiya Hulileh
2. Chief Justice Ali Muhanna
3. Advisor Fawwaz Abu Zir
4. Mr. Iyad Tayyem
5. Mr. Abdul Rahman al Yasa
6. Dr. Jamil Salem
7. Mr. Mahmoud Alawneh
Venue
Institute of Law (IoL) at Birzeit University
Date
2014-11-27
