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Beyond the Law Degree: Nine Women Shaping the Future of Justice in Palestine
October 20, 2026
As the first cohort of Birzeit University's Huqooq-Tech Incubator completes its journey, nine Palestinian women lawyers demonstrate how investing in legal education, innovation and practical experience can help build a more responsive and future-ready justice sector.
Palestine | October 2026
Justice systems cannot be transformed through technology, legislation or institutional reform alone. Their future also depends on the people equipped to make those changes meaningful.
For nine young Palestinian women lawyers, this understanding has taken on new significance.
After ten months of learning, mentorship and practical engagement, they have successfully completed the first cohort of Birzeit University's Huqooq-Tech Legal Incubator, supported by the Sawasya III Joint Programme through UNDP PAPP.
Their achievement marks more than the completion of a professional development programme. It illustrates how investing in the next generation of legal professionals can bridge the gap between academic education and practice, open new career pathways and strengthen the human foundations of justice reform.
Nine journeys, new possibilities
As technology reshapes everyday life, legal professionals must increasingly navigate questions surrounding digital rights, electronic evidence, cybercrime, privacy and online transactions: areas that remain insufficiently covered by traditional legal education.
The Huqooq-Tech Incubator was established to address this gap, bringing together specialized learning, research, mentorship and direct engagement with legal practitioners and justice institutions.
For the nine participants, the experience meant more than acquiring technical knowledge. It changed how they understood their capabilities and professional futures.
"Digital evidence, prosecution, digital rights and electronic contracts were all new areas for me," explains Sewar Qawasmi. "Today, I feel confident enough to explain these topics, discuss them and help others understand them through real cases and practical examples."
For Mais Hamad, the value lay in connecting theoretical knowledge with practical experience. Hala Abu Labdeh similarly highlights how learning directly from legal experts strengthened her understanding of the profession.
The experience also opened new professional possibilities. Hajar Amer credits the incubator's specialized courses, training and networking with helping her secure an opportunity at Firas Al-Ateera Intellectual Property Office.
Other participants describe a transformation in their professional outlook: Hadeel Abu Qura discovered emerging legal frameworks relevant to technological change; Huda Armoush developed a deeper interest in cybercrime and digital law; and Luna Al-Hamed gained a clearer understanding of lawyers' responsibilities in responding to the growing gap between technological advancement and legal practice.
For Kholoud Abd-AlhKhalil, digital law became a professional direction, while Shams Safi emphasizes how the incubator strengthened her skills, expanded her professional networks and opened possibilities for growth.
Together, their experiences demonstrate what becomes possible when young lawyers are supported not only to learn the law, but to find their place in shaping its future.
Beyond one incubator: investing in the future of legal education
The Birzeit experience forms part of Sawasya III's broader investment in transforming legal education across Palestine.
Working with Birzeit University, An-Najah National University, Al-Quds University and the University College of Applied Sciences, the Programme supports legal clinics, incubators, specialized training and practical learning opportunities that connect academic institutions with justice-sector professionals and communities.
In the first half of 2026 alone, 435 students, graduates and practitioners, including 340 women, benefited from Sawasya-supported legal education and professional development activities.
These initiatives extend learning beyond university classrooms. Through supervised practical work, applied research, legal consultations, community awareness and professional mentorship, participants develop skills while engaging in real legal and social challenges.
Legal incubators provide a further bridge into professional practice, helping emerging lawyers develop specialized expertise, build networks and explore opportunities in evolving areas of law.
A beginning, not an endpoint
For Luna, completing the programme is only the beginning.
"The completion of the courses of the incubator does not mean the end of the experience. Rather, it marks a starting point for strengthening this professional pathway and pursuing greater specialization in the field."
Her words capture the significance of Sawasya's investment in legal education.
Because meaningful justice reform is not measured solely by new systems introduced, institutions strengthened or professionals trained. It is also reflected in what people are subsequently empowered to do with their knowledge.
Nine lawyers have completed one journey. Their contribution to the future of Palestinian justice is only beginning.
The Huqooq-Tech Legal Incubator is implemented by Birzeit University's Institute of Law with support from Sawasya III, a Joint Programme of UNDP, UN Women and UNICEF, supported by the Governments of the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada and Spain and the European Union.
