Lina Al-Khatib, a young woman from the village of Beit Kahil in Hebron, south of the West Bank (22 years old), is in the final semester of her psychology and women’s studies at Birzeit University.
With her university professors’ encouragement and passion and interest, Al-Khatib represents her university in many programs and meetings on human and women’s rights and advocacy for legal and societal issues.
In 2024, Lina joined the Young Women for Awareness, Agency, Advocacy, and Accountability (YW4A) programme and participated in the YWCA of Palestine’s training of trainers on the “Rise Up!” methodology in Ramallah. She reflects,
“The training in the Rise Up methodology is compatible with my university studies in psychology and women’s studies and addresses the rights of women and young women and human rights as a whole. I discussed the knowledge I learned during the training with my friends and colleagues, and we exchanged opinions.”
As part of the program’s activities, Lina moderated a discussion session after a theatrical performance about sexual harassment in the world of work.
“This was my first time leading and facilitating a discussion. It was a special experience.”
Lina stresses the importance of combating the phenomenon of sexual harassment in Palestinian society and confronting any societal justifications or myths that might tolerate the harassing person. Sexual harassment is a crime that must be punished by law. She points out that the effects of sexual harassment are tragic on the life of the person exposed to it, and awareness must be spread about this phenomenon, combating it, and passing laws that are compatible with the extent of this crime.
Lina calls on women and young women to continue the struggle to obtain their full rights.
“Women are the most crucial part of society, and we, as young women, can be leaders of change and gain full rights. We can rise because we have the power.”
