Number of participants آ 48 Percentage of women that attended آ آ 29 (60.
5%) Percentage of women that spoke-up آ Eight out of thirteen (61%) Key Speakers Usama Barbakh,, Member of the Municipality Council .
Dr.
Abid Syam Director of the Sanitation Department, Municipality of Khan Yunis.
Basim Shrrab, Director of the Technical Department, the Municipality of Khan Yunis.
Yusif Al Haj, Deputy Director of the Water Department, Municipality of Khan Yunis.
Summary of issues raised by the public Municipal services in Khan Yunis witness a crisis.
This affects the living standards in the town and should be dealt with soon.
There are dangers on the community from the lack of proper sanitation services and absence of sewage system in the town.
Citizens of Khan Yunis, like other districts in Gaza, suffer from high rates of poverty and unemployment.
Thus, they are not able to pay municipal fees as they did before 2000.
The Municipality should consider the rehabilitation of public facilities for the use of the disabled in compliance with the Disabled Rights Law.
The Municipality services are especially lacking in the areas around the town.
Summary of answers given by the guest speakers The Municipality is doing the best it can regarding the services as it faces a fatal financial crisis.
However, sanitation and water services are not question of any crisis.
The Israeli occupation measures of collective punishment affected the Municipality's capacity to provide its services directly and indirectly.
There are problems facing the sanitation services due to the closure.
In addition, the siege and poverty affect peoples, ability to pay fees.
In spite of the crisis, Khan Yunis Municipality has executed some infrastructure, cultural and sports projects in the town.
The sewage sestem in the town is very problematic and the Municipality is contacting donors to establish a good system.
The Municipality will do its best to rehabilitate public facilities and buildings for the disabled.
Planned and undertaken follow-up of issues raised:
The center contacted the mayor of Khan Yunis and briefed him on the issues raised in the meeting.
The staff requested that the services be provided better, especially the sanitation, which could affect public health badly.
The center also asked the Municipality to focus on the disabled problems in the town.
Actual improvements achieved, if any:
Contacts with the Municipality and some of the participants showed that the services in suburbs became a little better than before.
The collection of garbage has also become faster and better.
In addition, the Mayor assured that small rehabilitation projects will be done soon.
Summary of evaluation forms of participants and speakers:
Participants are satisfied by the theme and the issues raised in the meeting, the timing and arrangement of the meeting.
The presence of a high number of women and disabled was also a good sign of the meeting's importance, as key speakers said in their evaluation forms.