Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality
פורום דו-קיום בנגב לשוויון אזרחי
منتدى التعايش السلمي في النقب من أجل المساواة المدنية

International Advocacy

NCF find it is of great importance to allow the Bedouin community to represent itself at the UN level, and in other international/regional entities, to meet diplomats in their visits to the Negev/Naqab or abroad, to network with communities that face similar challenges around the world, and to develop initiatives that will allow decision makers to become familiar with those who are affected by the policies they form.

Our International Advocacy coordinators use NCF’s reports and position papers that result from field based research projects, to raise awareness at an international level regarding human rights violations that take place in the Naqab and infringe international law.

UN Special Rapporteurs express concern on demolitions in the Naqab during the pandemic

Concluding Observations of the CERD on Israel 

NCF in collaboration with Adalah, have submitted one joint NGO report and one additional report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its 2019 Review of the State of Israel. In its Concluding Observations, the Committee expressed serious concern over the violations of Bedouin rights to their ancestral lands, the high number of home demolitions and the threat of forced evictions. The Committee called on the State of Israel to file a further update on matters concerning the Bedouin people in the next year, as well as the recognition of Bedouin villages. 

Read NCF and Adalah’s report

Read the Committee’s Concluding Observations and recommendations to Israel, 2019

INTERNATIONAL WORK GROUP FOR INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS (IWGIA)

This year, NCF contributed to documentation of the Arab Bedouin indigenous people of the Negev/Naqab. 

Since 1968, IWGIA has cooperated with indigenous organisations and international institutions to promote recognition and implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples. IWGIA works to empower indigenous peoples through documentation, capacity development and advocacy on local, regional and international level.

Continue reading (page 537)  IWGIA website

Concluding Observations of the CESCR on Israel  

NCF in collaboration with the Adalah have submitted two reports to the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights ahead of its review of the State of Israel. NCF and Adalah addressed the many violations by Israel of the Arab Bedouin people’s rights. Representatives of the community and on behalf of NCF, participated in numerous meetings and engaged with UN Member States,  Special Rapporteurs, Committee Members and more; advocating for the Bedouin people. They also presented our report findings during the Review Session of Israel in the CESCR, held in October 2019, with Yaair Maayan, head of the Bedouin Authority, present at the deliberations. 

In its Concluding Observations, the Committee recommended that the State of Israel immediately stop the evacuation of villages and people and intensify its efforts to resolve the issue of unrecognized villages and ownership claims to the land; to actively act to improve the living standards in the recognized and unrecognized villages; and to address employment and education barriers and deficiencies.

Read the full list of the CESCR’s Concluding Observations and recommendations to Israel

Read NCF’s representative to CESCR, Mr. Rafat abu Aish, statement

UN Special Rapporteurs express serious concern regarding Israel’s continued violations of Arab Bedouin’s human rights 

The UN Special Rapporteurs expressed grave concern about the continued violations of the human rights of the Arab Bedouin and the persecution of the Arab Bedouin human rights defender Sheikh Sayah Abu Madhi’m A-Turi.  The statement was released to the public on June 30th. The letter was sent early May , 2019, to the Israeli Government and includes the concerns of six different Special Rapporteurs, including the Special Rapporteur on Minorities; the Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing; and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders. The letter is the result of ongoing international advocacy by the Negev Coexistence Forum, the Human Rights Defenders Fund and Adalah – The Legal Center.

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INTERNATIONAL WORK GROUP FOR INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS (IWGIA)

Since 1968, IWGIA has cooperated with indigenous organisations and international institutions to promote recognition and implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples. IWGIA works to empower indigenous peoples through documentation, capacity development and advocacy on local, regional and international level. Every year, IWGIA issues a book: The Indigenous World. The book is the result of a collaborative effort between indigenous and non-indigenous activists and scholars who voluntarily share their valuable insights and analysis.This year, NCF contributed to documentation of the Arab Bedouin indigenous people of the Negev/Naqab.

Continue reading (page 375)  IWGIA website

Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (UN CESCR)

The CESCR is a United Nations is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by its States parties. Israel will have its 4th Periodic Review by the Committee.

 NCF and Adalah recently submitted its joint alternative report to the Committee  regarding violations of the ICESCR by Israel against the Arab Bedouin in the  Negev/Naqab desert.

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US State Department- Israel

The US State Department also operates from the American Embassy in Israel. Each year, the department releases its Israel and the Golan Heights Human Rights Report. NCF submitted its inputs on the situation of human rights in the Bedouin communities in the Negev in 2018.

Human Rights Report 2018

Universal Periodic Review- UPR 
This report was prepared by the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, the Regional Council for Unrecognized Villages, the Alhoquq Center and the Sidreh Association. It provides information to the United Nations Human Rights Council on the 29th session of the Universal Periodic Review, which was held in January 2018. The report focuses on the human rights situation of Arab-Bedouin society in the Negev, and aims to provide the Working Group with additional information and a critical perspective on what is occurring in the Negev/Naqab.

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Special Consultative Status in the UN
In 2013 NCF receives the status of a  special consultative organization to the Economic and Social Council of the Unites Nations and all it’s sub-bodies. The status allow us to submit updates to be read by UN representatives, to participate in the council and its committee’s meeting and to present our standing on the different issues.

UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issue

Every year NCF sends a representative from the Bedouin community to attend the gathering of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issue or the gathering of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous People. [continue reading…]

Shadow Reports and Participation in Different UN Committees
Different UN committees check the state of the human rights in Israel in relate to the different declarations. NCF submits shadow reports to the different committees in response to the report submitted by the Ministry of Justice to expose the state of the Bedouin Community in the Negev.

Embassies in Israel
Many times, local representative of other governments are interested in the politics of the Negev and in the violations of the Bedouin’s human rights. We initiate contact with embassies and facilitate tours and lectures to diplomats in Israel, as well as provide with relevant information and research.

Alternative Naqab Tours to Embassies

As part of our Alternative Naqab Tours, we guide a lot of groups of foreign stakeholders. Religious groups, students, activists and even politicians and members of parliaments around the world and more.