Al Huriyya Platform Radio hosted Palestinian Environment Guards project, which aims to develop health and environmental conditions resulting from the environmentally sound practices of waste and what’s related to circulation and recycling in a way that aims at promoting women’s participation in environmental fields. Roles for Social Change Association-ADWAR

Tuesday, 29/5/2018, Al Huriyya Radio, Hebron governorate
Al Huriyya News Agency – press release
Al Huriyya Platform Radio hosted Palestinian Environment Guards project, which aims to develop health and environmental conditions resulting from the environmentally sound practices of waste and what’s related to circulation and recycling in a way that aims at promoting women’s participation in environmental fields.
Roles for Social Change Association-ADWAR
Dr. Sahar Alkawasmeh, ADWAR association Director, confirmed that ADWAR has been working for many years with women, especially in western and southern regions. During the course of its work and through the association’s experience with these areas, it was observed that Wadi al-Quf reserve, which is dominated by different remnants, it was noticed that there are many damages affecting Palestinian women in these areas.
Al-Qawasmi said that Wadi al-Quf reserve was the only breathing space for Hebron residents. The reality now indicates a rise in rights violations affecting Wadi al-Quf through an increase in the number of waste, and that was confirmed by women living in these areas.

Hebron Agriculture Directorate
Regarding the reserve ownership, Eng. Majid Idais, head of Forests and Pastures Department at Hebron Agriculture Directorate, said that Wadi Al-Quf area is a governmental land since this design was issued to Wadi Al-Quf, which prevented factories establishment in the area in order to protect reserve from industrial waste and others.
He added that the crew-staff working in reserve does not exceed three people “circulars” working in reserve, which is estimated at 3500 acres, which makes their work very difficult, especially that their work states protecting the reserve around the clock.
One of the supervisors was attacked by people who put waste in reserve, so this matter which is in need of population cooperation with Agriculture Ministry to protect natural reserve.
Idais confirmed that there is waste dumping inside the reserve and the streets adjacent to the reserve and its environs, which increases the burden on the supervisors taking care of reserve, so it is necessary for everyone to cooperate to protect the reserve fully.
He continued saying that the area, which was recently on fire inside the reserve, was planted. In addition to trees follow-up and protection and exploration, as well as cleaning streets sides, spraying pesticides next to the trees, and arrest of reserve aggressors who have been prosecuted to the competent authorities.
Tarqumya Women’s Club
Mrs. Wusayla Fataftah, Tarqumia Women’s Club director, said that there’s a previous partnership between the club and ADWAR Association. The new project, called Environment Guards, was approved by the club directly, since the most affected of the presence of waste is Tarqumiya area women, especially women living in the vicinity of reserve, through air pollution and burning of some trees, waste and plastic. In addition to the aesthetic natural reserve view that has been distorted by the past period.
She added that women are more affected than men, especially as mothers do work for a long time at home, and their children play in the house vicinity, which puts them at risk due to reserve residues presence in the houses surroundings.
Al-Fataftah confirmed that a work on waste recycling will be done as an attempt to benefit from them, protect natural reserve from these different harmful wastes, and to beautify reserve to be a breathing space for citizens.
The project participants said that Agriculture Ministry did not fully fulfill its duty towards Association, especially as there were promises to employ an environmental police protect the reserve, which was not implemented until this moment

Environment Quality Authority
In the same context, Eng. Bahjat Al-Jabareen, General Director of Environment Quality Authority, said that Environment Authority role in Environment Guards Project for Wadi Al-Quf area is a partnership with GEF funded for this project. The Environment Authority is the communication point between the Environment Facility and working parties; and the Environment Authority is the funding orientation for this project
He also confirmed that Wadi Al-Quf reserve protection is a communal, collective and joint responsibility for all parties. Council of Ministers issued a decision to one of the municipalities to manage Wadi Al-Quf reserve.
He added that Environment Authority role was ratification of international environmental conventions, and that the Environment Authority has worked to develop policies and regulations regarding green reserves protection, and deal with all kinds of attacks that threaten the reserve, but the problem facing us is the reserve’s area (3500 acres), as well as having more than 15 woodlands in surroundings of reserve that are under the direct control of Agriculture Ministry, He also recognized the shortage of supervisors responsible of protecting the reserve and following it up.
These statements came within the framework of the program “Wast Al-Balad”, which is presented through Al Huriyya Radio platform in Hebron.