In a session held by AMAN Coalition on: “Strengthening Integrity and Transparency in the Work of Charitable Hospices (Takayas) in the Gaza Strip”
AMAN: The need to ensure coordination between all NGOs and international organizations to ensure that Charitable Hospices (Takayas) cover all areas
Ramallah/Gaza: The Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN) held a session to discuss a draft research paper entitled: “The Environment of Integrity and Transparency in the Work of Charitable Hospices (Takayas) in the Gaza Strip”, which aimed to assess the work of charitable hospices affiliated with institutions, their management mechanisms in the Gaza Strip, and the challenges facing their work, and to provide recommendations to improve the work environment for those in charge of them.
The session, which was held via Zoom, began with a speech by Wael Baalousha, Director of AMAN's office in the Gaza Strip, who explained that charitable hospices of all kinds have become an essential and urgent alternative because of the emergency created by the ongoing war, displacement and deteriorating living conditions. They help in meeting the emergency needs of citizens. Baalousheh explained that the research focuses on institution-based hospices and seeks to promote the environment of governance, integrity, and transparency in their work mechanisms.
All the funds received by the hospices must be treated as part of public funds
Monitoring and Studies Coordinator Hidaya Shamoun reviewed the research paper prepared by researcher Aya Al-Maghrabi. She listed the types of existing (Takayas), some of which are based on private individual initiatives, such as those of social media influencers or youth initiatives, and some are affiliated with large and extended family gatherings that rely on wealthy family members inside or outside Gaza for funding to assist family members, and others are affiliated with institutions or organizations, the most common of which are civil institutions that provide free food service as part of their interventions to help displaced citizens. The paper emphasized that all funding, donations or donations received by these (Takayas) must be treated as public money, which must be subject to the standards of integrity, transparency, accountability and justice in managing the distribution of meals, to ensure that they reach the needy.
Importance of coordination and networking among charitable hospices:
The paper drew some conclusions, primarily the lack of coordination or networking between the different (Takayas)to prevent duplication of distribution at all, as each (Takaya) relies on working independently. It was recommended to the boards of directors of institutions that run charitable (Takayas), the need to coordinate between all NGOs and international organizations that provide free food service, with the aim of organizing their presence regionally, so that all regions are covered, as well as the need to provide an opportunity to submit complaints to obtain feedback that improves the performance and effectiveness of charitable (Takayas). In addition to the need to familiarize employees with the principles and rules to be followed at work from the perspective of promoting the values of integrity, transparency and justice, and following the legal principles in the management of stores and inventory operations.
Establishing a database to control distribution:
To promote transparency, the paper called for creating a database that includes all existing (Takayas) and raising (Takayas) staff awareness of the values of integrity and promoting the values of altruism and brotherhood to beneficiaries and displaced persons. With regard to oversight, the paper recommended strengthening internal oversight and field inspection of the (Takaya), both in terms of warehouses and the extent of their control, as well as in terms of distribution, establishing a clear mechanism to receive complaints and grievances related to the work of the (Takaya), opening up to the community, informing the public of the extent of the work of the (Takayas), and periodically updating the lists of beneficiaries as a guarantee to control the distribution process.
