Half of the Palestinians surveyed can sense the impact of the work of civil society organizations

Ramallah - Haifa, 25 October 2021 -- 7amleh - the Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media released a new investigative study titled “The Palestinian Public’s' perception of Palestinian Civil Society Organizations,” which tries to understand and analyze the perceptions of Palestinians of civil society organizations in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and Israel.

 This study sheds light on these perceptions, through examining the attitudes of members of the Palestinian society towards civil society organizations, and trying to understand the relationships between civil society and indvdiuals, based on how indviduals interact with and react to the activites of these organizations. The aim of the study is to identify “problems” that may face the Palestinian civil society and its organizations.

 To learn more about such perceptions, the study used a number of research instruments, to facilitate data collection and help us better understand the attitudes of individuals, including three main instruments: Surveys, focus groups and interviews, in addition to analyzing previous studies and existing available data. The study surveyed over 1,200 subjects and observed 60 participants in focus groups that discussed the positions of participants on organizations, in addition to individual interviews with representatives of Palestinian civil society organizations in Israel and Jerusalem, to better understand the contexts of Palestinian civil society in these areas.

 The research findings revealed that 63% of participants agreed with the statement that “civil society organizations reflect the Palestinian society,” while 46% could sense the impact of the work of said organizartions on society. In terms of benefiting from the services and activities of civil society organizations, 83% of participants said they did not benefit at all from any civil society activities and services. As for the objectives of civil society organizations, 53% said that organizations do not have a clear vision and objectives in their opinion. 

 Regarding access to news and information about the organizations, 58% of participants said that they get their news from social media, while 32% receive such news from relatives and friends. On the other hand, 82% of participants said that they do not benefit from the activities and services of civil society organizations at all. 

 The research findings revealed a pressing need for organizations to grow and expand their communication with individuals, and to reach out to the popular base, rather than wait for the base to do so. The study concludes with a number of recommendations, the most important of which is that organizations should further clarify their missions and goals, address individuals in a more accessible manner and expand their communication with society, especially using social media. The study also recommends that civil society organizations increase their activities to attract more volunteers and partners, and that they focus on removing obstacles resulting from internal bureaucracies in some organizations that limit their communication with the public.

Read the full report: click here