Social Development Sector Strategy 2017-2022

1 State of Palestine Ministry of Social Development Social Development Sector Strategy 2017-2022 February 2017 https://www.google.ps/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjx0I73x6XOAhVLuBoKHW-uDssQjRwIBw&url=https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1 %D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86&psig=AFQjCNH-0UzWQMuQXAIvoaio7-QKygOugQ&ust=1470324542263133 https://www.google.ps/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjx0I73x6XOAhVLuBoKHW-uDssQjRwIBw&url=https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1 %D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86&psig=AFQjCNH-0UzWQMuQXAIvoaio7-QKygOugQ&ust=1470324542263133 2 Table of contents A word by H.E the Minister Introduction 1. Planning approach: A participatory process with active actors in social development 2. Report contents Part one: Overview of the social development sector 1. Social Development concept: A substancial transformation from protection and relief into social development 2. Sector leader: Ministry of Social Development 3. Description of the Social development sector and active partners PART two: Situation analyses: What is our current development situation? 1. Evaluation: What are the most important achievements and challenges before achieving the social protection strategy of 2014-2016? 2. Major factors affecting the achievement of social development pbjectives and measures to respond to them. 3. Demographic changes: Tangled opportunities and challenges 4. Priority targetted areas and groups: Who ware the marginalized and those left behind in Palestine and what are the determenants of change that they are facing? 4.1 Issues and challenges facing poor households. 4.2 Issues and challenges facing children 4.3 Issues and challenges facing women 4.4 Issues and challenges facing the old 4.5 Issues and challenges facing persons with disability 4.6 Issues and challenges facing the youths 4.7 Issues and challenges facing charitable organizations 4.8 Issues and challenges facing the residents of marginalized areas Part three: Our future approach for the upcoming six years 1. Our common approach to the Palestinian society: The Social Develoment Sector vision 2. The main driver for the social development partners: Regulatory values 3 Strategic objectives: What are the changes that we aspire to achieve in the years 2017-2022 3.1 Strategic objective 1: Alliviating poverty 3.2 Strategic objective 2: Removing all forms of social marginalization and exclusion in the Palestinian society 3.3 Strategic objective 3: Consolidating social cohesion 4. Sectoral policies; What are the acting rules governing the work of all partners 5. Sectoral results and responsibilities: What are the results that we hope for and what is the role of our partners. 6. M&E indicators: Measuring extent of progress towars strategic objectines and sectoral results Part four: Alignment of the strategy with the national and international approaches 1. Connection with the National Policies Agenda 2. Connection to the sustainable development objectives Part five: Program policy statement, what are the programs' criteria, objectives and goals for the years 2017-2019 1. The Empowerment and poverty alliviation program 2. The program for the development and protection of vulnerable groups 3. The Administrative development and planning program. Part Six: financial resources envelopes and the funding gap for 2017-2019 Part Seven: Action Plan Part Eight: The management Plan Annexes Annex 1: Members of the planning and budget management group at the Ministry of Social Development Annex 2: Social Development Strategy connection with the National Policy Agenda Annex 3: List of policy interventions based on objectives and result 4 Prelude: The Ministry of Social Development is fully aware that shifting from social affairs into social development is basically a process not a program. It’s a conceptual and policy framework that achieves complementarity for the environmental, cultural, social and economic dimensions. It further requires condussive social and economic policies, as it is a full fledged policies’ case. We basically consider development as nothing bu an individual and collective human innovation and that society can unleash its innovation potentials when it becomes convinced that man is the sourcw of all capacities and the source of social development, in which man is the decisive factor. Achieving development in the society requires having social will to mobilize the latent human and social potentials, including social culture, security, political structures and organizations. Any development strategy should focus on on unleashing innovation, individual and collective initiatives and support pioneers and innovators. We also understand that achieving social development requires a joint national responsibility for the main actors; individuals, organizations and institutions, it also requires focusing on local actions and resources, social accountability and citizen participation. The development that we aspire for aims at improving and consolidating the quality of life for everyone, providing basic services for the poor household to empower them into a dignified life with employment oppurtunities and empowering every individual to play an active role. In the Palestinian context, under occupation, consolidating the steadfastness and resilience of the Palestinian society remains the focus. Thus, the Ministry of Social Development is working on developing new approaches for poverty alleviation which will be based on social and economic empowerment. For us, poverty is not just a lack of sufficient income anymore, poverty is multifaceted and can be addressed with approaches targeting poverty, depreviation and social exclusion. We seek to develop innovative approaches to provide social assistance and services in such a way that consolidates development impact. As we act based on the right of our Palestinian people to development and self determination and based on the national priorities adopted by the government in the National Policies Agenda, we are aware of the challenges, headed by the Israeli occupation, which we face in implementing this strategy. Along with other challenges at the level of institutional building, human resources, restructuring the ministry and the limited financial envelope, nonetheless, this does not deter us from continuing with realizing our strategic approaches and development vision, driven with great optimist in our great local and community potentials and with the ability of the Palestinians to realize miracles. At the end, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to H.E. President Mahmoud Abbas – President of the State of Palestine, H.E. Prime Minister Rami Al Hamdallah for their full support to the transformation process at the Ministry of Social Development, as well as to all partners who contributed to drafting this strategy; including ministries and government organizations, CSOs, the private sector, international organizations, experts and academia. I also would like to thank the national team for the social development strategy, UNICEF and WFP for assisting us in achieving this strategy. I would also like to thank Al Sahl Co. and their experts. We look forward to the support of all local and international partners in the development of Palestine. 5 Dr. Ibrahim Al Shaer Minister of Social Development Introduction As of early as the second quarter of 2016, the Palestinian government embarked on a process of drafting sectoral strategic plans, together along with drafting mid-term budget for the years 2017-2019 according to a course of action approved by the Council of Ministers to integrate sectoral planning processes with mid-term budgeting. In this regard, with support by UNICEF and WFP, the Ministry of Social Development led the 2017-2022 national strategic planning process for the social development sector. The social development sector strategic planning process was coupled with with a substantial shift that the Ministry is undergoing in its future approach, as the Council of Ministers approved, in March 2016, turning the Ministry into the Ministry of Social Development, a decision that was further approved with a decree by the Palestinian President. Based on our vision on social development, which is basically a policy and conceptual framework adopted by the state and implemented by its different apparatuses, a framework that achieves a strong connection and complementarity between the different social, cultural and environmental dimensions, we understand the cross-cutting of different development sectors; such as health, education, agriculture, labor, economy, infrastructure, culture, child, women, youths…etc. We are glad to present here the National Strategy for the Social Development Sector, which was developed with initial consultations and based on analyses of basic concepts, in order to move from relief to social development. Beside conducting an evaluation review of the national strategy for the Social Protection Sector 2014-2016, the vision for the sector, initial defining of change partners that we will target as priority groups in the upcoming stages and basically depending on the National Policies Agenda, goals and objectives of sustainable development (2030 agenda), international agreements, mechanisms and conventions that are binding to the State of Palestine. 1. Planning approach: A participatory process with the active actors in the area of social development: Since early April through December 2016, intensive expanded consultations have been held in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, to draft this strategy, this process was based on the engagement of all relevant partners, relevant government institutions and departments and representatives of the civil society along with the representatives of the private sector. The approach included three main stages that included a number of activities (See figure 2) Figure 1: Proposed stages for drafting the strtegy and its main activities 6 During the first stage (Preparing for the strategic planning and its management). In early April 2016, an evaluation has been done for the National Strategy for Social Protection 2014 2016, followed by the formation of the Planning and Budget group that included the membership of representatives of decision makers and senior management representatives from the ministry to oversee the planning and decisionmaking processconcerning the programs’ policy. A national team has also been formed and mandated with oversight of the team of the ministry, the team included 37 representatives of universities’ representatives and representatives of government, non-government, private sector and civil society organizations relevant to social development (See Annex 1). The national team approved, in a meeting attended by 31 members, the action plan and approach for drafting the strategy. This second stage (outlining priorities) aims at outlining policy interventions, through the revision of literature, studies, sectoral and cross-sectoral strategic plans, holding 10 workshops in the West Bank and Gaza based on the targeted groups, with the participation of official, civil society and international organizations and actors, in addition to meetings with the joint planning groups and the social protection planning group, in addition to internal meetings for the decision-making actors at the ministry, Overall, 518 people participated (See table 1 bellow). Based on the results of these workshops and meetings, focus groups were held to draft the goals, policies and objectives. Finally, the strategy report was drafted during the third stage and approved by all relevant actors. Table 1: Consultative meetings on drafting and discussing the strtegy with the partners Meeting Date Participa nts First meeting for the national team 13/10/ 2016 31 A workshop on child priorities and issues (West Bank) 23/10/ 2016 33 A workshop on the priorities and issues of the poor (West Bank) 24/10/ 2016 27 A workshop on the priorities and issues of girls and women (West Bank) 25/10/ 2016 35 A workshop on the priorities and issues of youths (West Bank) 26/10/ 2016 19 A workshop on the priorities and issues of people with disability (West Bank) 30/10/ 2016 38 A workshop on the priorities and issues of the old (West Bank) 31/10/ 2016 29 7 Meeting Date Participa nts A workshop on the priorities and issues of the charity organizations (West Bank) 1/11/2016 30 A workshop on the priorities and issues of the residents of the marginalized areas and community development (West Bank) 2/11/2016 24 The joing planning group meeting on social development (Jerusalem) 2/11/2016 38 The joing planning group meeting on social development (Hebron) 2/11/2016 34 The joing planning group meeting on social development (Nablus) 2/11/2016 11 A meeting with the social protection group to discuss the strategic framwork 7/11/2016 22 A workshop on the priorities and issues of the poor, child, old, girls and women (Gaza) 16/11/ 2016 16 Presenting the draft strategy to the decisionmakers at the Ministry of Social Development 16/11/ 2016 16 A workshop on the priorities and issues of the charity organizations and persons with disability in the marginalized areas (Gaza) 17/11/ 2016 35 Presenting the draft strategy to the partner organizations in the Economic Empowerment Program 20/11/ 2016 50 Presenting the draft strategy to the SDGs National Team (Amman) 28/11/ 2016 30 Total of participants in the meetings for strategy drafting and discussions 518 2. Report contents: Following the above introduction, Part one provides an overview of the social development and the role of the Ministry of Social Development as a leader for this sector. It defines and provides a short introduction to the strategic planning and budgeting committees. The second part, introduces the vision, governing ethics and strategic goals of the sector. Following that, the third part focuses on the policies of the sector, while the fourth part summarizes the conclusions of the evaluation of the social protection sectorial strategy for the years 2014 2016, the general context, external factors and the situation of the targeted groups. The Fifth part outlines the connection between this strategy and the National Policies Agenda, followed by the Sixth part that outlines the objectives of the sector and results expected to be achieved by 2022 and the financial envelopes of the sector. The Seventh part outlines the programs policy statement, followed by the Eighth part that presents the financial envelopes and funding gaps. The Ninth part details the action plan that includes a number of documents (legislations and agreements), the approval of which is needed from the Council of Ministers. The Tenth part, further presents the management plan and the needed measures for the implementation of the sectoral strategy and best management of the budget programs. Finally, the Eleventh part connects the objectives of this strategy and Sustainable Development Goals, objectives and the mandatory international instruments. 8 Part one: Overview of the Social Development Sector 1. The concept of social development: A substantial shift from relief and protection into social development Although shifting from relief and protection to development reflects an optimistic approach for changing the development situation of the marginalized and poor groups and for consolidating the social cohesion, yet, we stress the right of our Palestinian people to development, as being a basic part of the international human rights system and to ensure the right to self determination and full sovergienty over the natural resources. We understand the challenges burdening the environment, within which we work, the top of which is the continued Israeli occupation that undermines the implementation of the right of the Palestinian people to development1, thus, we adopt a Palestinian concept for social development based on the belief that it’s a social change process that focuses in social empowerment, for all individuals and institutions, with the aim of improving the quality of life for all, provide social protection and basic services for the vulnerable and poor households to enable them to enjoy a dignified life and good job opportunities, in addition to supporting and strengthening political, social and economic integration of the marginalized groups2, especially children, women and girls, persons with disability, the old, youths, residents of the marginalized areas (East Jerusalem, residents of Area C, H2 area in Hebron and Palestinian refugee camps, etc…), to achieve gender equality in job opportunities and control and access to resources. Deprivation and poverty is not limited to income, but rather extends to include exclusion, marginalization, helplessness, social disintegration and violation to political, economic and social right, thus, social development is about inclusion, political, social and economic integration of the poor and marginalized groups, along with strengthening social resilience of the Palestinian society in light of social, economic and political shocks. Social resilience goes beyond alleviation of poverty and exclusion to additionally mean the creation of a state of social solidarity and strengthening local development, volunteerism, social responsibility and having just economic policy that are integrating for the marginalized and the poor3, so that the trust of the citizens is increased in the government and sommunity leaders, as well as volunteer initiatives for sponsoring the poor and marginalized are strengthened, social security is consolidated, citizens are engaged in the development process with all its aspects, in addition to the strengthening of social and human values, which has always been a characteristic of our Palestinian people throughout history. Within this framework, the social development process must adopt a policy and conceptual framework that achieves complementarity between the political, environmental, cultural, social and economic dimensions, thus includes basic paradigms; such as education, health, labor, agriculture, alleviating poverty and care of marginalized groups and others, which require supportive social and economic policies, thus ensures complementarity among the different active actors in this area; including the government, civil, international and private 1 The Ministry of Social Developemt, Concept paper on changing the name of the ministry into the Ministry of Social Development: Significance and implications, 2016 .2016وزارة التنمية االجتماعية، ورقة مفهوم بشأن تغيير إسم الوزارة إلى وزارة التنمية اإلجتماعية: الدالالت والتطبيقات، 2 .28/05/2016-26وزارة التنمية االجتماعية، ورشة عمل من الشؤون االجتماعية إلى التنمية االجتماعية: استحقاقات ودالالت، 3 9 sector organizations. Social capital is considered to be the basic source and decisive factor for development. Thus, development is a process of human innovation, where society discovers its innovation potential, when man is the root source of all potentials. Development is achieved in a society when there is a will to mobilize the latent human and social potentials; including culture, values, social beliefs, security, organizations and organizations structures. Any development strategy should focus on unleashing innovative and individual initiatives and should support innovators and pioneers. Achieving social development requires having a national partnership among the different key actors, individuals, organizations and institutions; it also requires focusing on local action and resources, social accountability and citizen engagement. Shifting from protection to social development requires focusing on the following:  Continue strengthening food security and achieving complementarity in social, political and economic policies in addition to improving thempartners’ contribution to the educational process towards alleviating poverty, in such a way that includes developing services supporting individuals and households in emergency and crisis times, meeting the basic needs of the vulnerable and poor households; including education, health and shelter, along with changing the culture that is based on assistance to households to achieve empowerment in all aspects.  Work with the households suffering crises and uncertainty, improve the approach of the Ministry of Social Development to include targeting household members, regardless of gender, age or disability, in addition to geographic targeting and multi faceted poverty.  Consolidate partnerships with the private sector and local community to achieve social responsibility, empower local communities, including investment of local and human resources, develop social policies, improve the work of charity organizations and existing projects.  Strengthen the role of legislations and laws in encouraging the private sector to join partnership in the development process and earn the trust of donors and supporters of the development process, through policies that are based on transparency, integrity and investment in the available self-resources.  Improve the education system to create a community culture that strengthens the principles of gender-responssive sustainable development.  Capacity building and opportunities for the marginalized groups and the quality improvement of services.  Consolidate family cohesion along with household and family potentials, as well as preserving its values, including the empowerment and protection of family, for being the natural basic unit of the society in general and for women, children, the old, disabled and youths in particular.  Currently, the Ministry of Social Development is focusing on consolidating transformative social protection programs, through the approach of empowerment and complementarity in the policies among all sustainable development stakeholders and strengthening sustainability of livelihood for households and social education in addition to strengthening the role of local organizations and leaderships in developing their communities through the following social development principles: 10 First, siding with the poor and vulnerable: Social development has the potential of empowering poor communities and strengthening vulnerable groups in having their say in decision making. In order to be capable of committing to this ability and meeting its needs, it has to respond to the priorities of the poor and ensure the engagement, participation and integration of all social groups, so that women are empowered and their voices are heard in decision making, same with the old, youth, cultural and religious minorities people with disability, etc. the concept of social development states on non-exclusion and nondiscrimination against groups, especially the historically marginalized groups that are excluded from decision making concerning their development and problems such as women, youth, the poor and people with disability. This principle is based on listening to the poor first and the individuals that local leadership does not recognize the potential and abilities of which. That is also in addition to hearing the voices of community groups that are not represented in political parties, societies or family committees, which entails listening to the voices and demands of children, women, senior citizens and persons with disability. Second, empowerment: Development action in the issues of the poor, deprived, disabled and other marginalized groups, aims at empowering all of them to access the different resources especially in light of limited resources available to the communities where few groups enjoy access and hegemony over the major part of resources, thus depriving the rest of access to these resources. Empowering these groups to own resources or access their use and investment in such a suitable, active highly efficient mannerthat takes them out of their poverty or marginalization. Generally, empowering focuses on the following:  Access to financial resources: such as loans, scholarships and public jobs, in addition to controlling financial revenues.  Access to knowledge and expertise needed for labor market.  Access to direct grants and food assistance.  Access to natural resources such as agricultural and grazing land, water and fishing, etc.  Access to suitable services such as water, electricity, transportation, communication, sewage services, community centers and educational institutions, etc  Actively engagement in decisions relevant to them; especially in elections and national and local planning processes, etc.  Organizing efforts and potential abilities of the poor and marginalized for self representation and defend their rights through their membership and participation in active local organizations; such as grassroots organizations, councils and committees, etc.  Taking into consideration special women conditions and other groups to empower poor women and those victims of gender-based violence, women with disability, single, divorced and women and women deprived of inheritance and those in need of other social services. Third, social participation: One of the development basics is using a participatory approach, adpoted by the society members, male and female, for an overall complementary development, with a democratic approach that embraces the principles of justice and equality and ensures response to the needs of the poor and marginalized, by building targeted initiatives for the alleviation of poverty and ensuring the participation of all these groups in the planning process, so that these needs are products of a participatory dialogue, thus 11 activating participation is reflected in attaining self mobilization (see figure no. 3), which consolidates the ability of local community to lead the development process and continue providing development services, which requires strengthening the value of participation with local leadership, especially when defining community needs and designing development plans, projects, implementing them and doing oversight and evaluation for these projects. Figure three: levels of social participation Fourth: Depending on local resources: The concept of social development focuses on the dependence on the local social capital, which is represented in local expertise, potentials and competences and using traditional knowledge and skills of peasants, craftsmen, women and elders in general, along with mobilizing students and young volunteers. In addition to relying on social networks, institutions and relations as part of social capital. On the other hand, local development focuses on investing natural, physical and material resources available to residents in their communities. Fifth: Forming external synergies: The social development concept focuses on encouraging groups to form relations with foreign institutions, especially governmental ones, cooperatives, banks, funding institutions and CSOs, so that community groups develop ability to have access to external funding opportunities, fundraising, mobilizing the technical support they need and some materials they might need to serve the interests of different groups in their respective communities and to achieve sustainable human development, while taking into consideration the interests of future generations. 2. Sector leader: The Ministry of Social Development leads social development sector. Out of its mandate as leader of the social development sector in Palestine and key provider of social protection, such as social services and assistance, The Ministry of Social Development leads the strategic planning process, where the Minister of Social Development is leading the Planning and Budget Management Group at the ministry and the national team. The Planning and Budget Management Group have the membership of eight representatives of decision makers and senior management at the Ministry of Social Development, where the Minister if assisted by the Deputy Minister and where the group is mandated with oversight for the planning process and mission Implementation, outlined in the working approach along with supporting the Minister of Social Development, in his capacity as being in charge of sectoral 12 planning and team head. The group is also responsible for making decisions concerning program policy statement and its outputs, the distribution of budgeting limits. Additionally, the Budget and Planning Group is assisted, throughout the different stages, by a team of external experts recruited UNECIF and WFP. The Planning and Administrative Development Deputy Minister has been mandated with coordinating all activities and processes of drafting the strategy, among all teams, actors and experts. In order to consolidate active participation for the sector, a national team has been formed and mandated with oversight of the staff of the Ministry during the planning stages and is composed of 36 representatives of government institutions and entities, CSOs, the private sector, the universities and experts in social development (Annex no. 1). The national team is responsible reviewing and approving the strategic planning methodology and action plan, providing support and assistance during the prioritization stages, especially in the area of situation analysis and working on increasing participation of relevant institution in the different deliberation workshops, in addition to reviewing and approving the strategy in its final draft. 3. Description of the Social Development Sector and active partners Social development sector areas expand and cross-cut with several development sectors; such as health, education, agriculture, labor, economy, infrastructure, culture, women, children, youths and others. Thus, interventions and services provided in this area are diversified; which can be classified into eight paradigms as follows: First, legal awareness and regulatory legislations of the sector in different development areas, this includes drafting, approving and endorsing laws, regulations and systems related to social development and the work of relevant official institutions, through the Legislative Council and Council of Ministers on the one hand, on the other hand, this paradigm includes all the activities and interventions carried out by legal organizations, such the Independent Commission of Human Rights and CSOs in the area of community awareness of economic, cultural, civil and social rights. Second, social protection network interventions and services package: These interventions and services focus on alleviating direct income poverty and assisting poor households and marginalized groups, through cash assistance to the poor households, orphans, persons with disability and affected farmers, in adition to food assistance, house renovation assistance, school fees exemptions, temporary employment programs, care and rehabilitation services to persons with disability, the old and women, social insurance and social security. Third, basic public services: these are the public services provided by the state’s departments to the citizens, they include services of primary education, and health care to make them accessible to workers, the poor and the poverty vulnerable, senior citizens and people with disability. The state also provides electricity, water and sewage services by providing water and sewage networks to the less privileged areas, in addition to providing infrastructure and housing. 13 Fourth, economic empowerment programs: these are of more development rather than relief-natured services; such as, grants and loan programs, small-time projects, vocational and technical training that the Ministry of Social Development provides through its vocational training centers. The UNRWA also provides loan programs, while the Ministry of Labor provides vocational training and rehabilitation, as many CSOs and the private sector are active in providing financial services, business development programs, training and marketing for low income people, women and youth. Fifth, Social culture and education programs interventions: These include education, learning and teaching programs aimed at imparting to children, adolescents and adults, behaviors, information and knowledge pertaining their community roles, which consequently entails the work of organizations that are active in curriculum development and education systems on the one hand; such as the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs, universities, educational centers and CSOs, nursaries and other institutions that are interested in community awareness, training and mobilization. Sixth, Services related to wellbeing, political and social participation of marginalized groups: This paradigm includes the access of children, women, youths, persons with disability and senior citizens to recreational, sport and cultural services that include the activities implemented by official cultural and sport institutions; such as the Higher Youth and Sports Council, Ministry of Culture, civil cultural organizations and sport clubs and centers, while on the other hand, this paradigm also includes all the interventions that consolidate social and political participation of the marginalized groups in the democratic decision making process and the freedom of belief and expression. The social sector is characterized with the muktiplicity and crosscutting actors, including government, civil and international organizations, serving the poor and marginalized, regardless of their area of specialization, methodologies or geographic distribution, (See Table No. 2), which consequently means difficulty in controlling the resources of the sector and regulating the philosophy of its activities. Table 2: Major active actors in the social development sector Organization/Group Mandate Relation to social development Ministry of Social Development Mandated with achieving social development in line with the National Policies Agenda, national consensus and commitments of the State of Palestine towards the international conventions, agreements and the SDGs of 20130. Leader and regulator of the social development sector, which includes drafting policies, developing directions, in addition to the oversight and monitoring and service provision for the poor households members, regardless of gender, age or disability, and vulnerable groups, through 17 directorates, 15 district offices and 33 care centers for children, persons with disability disabled, the old, juveniles, women, youths and girls. Ministerial institutions and A number of ministerial institutions, official entities Government ministries, official entities related to social development 14 Organization/Group Mandate Relation to social development official entities and state institutions are mandated with the responsibility for economic and social responsibility, their activities are governed with special legislations for them, or the PLO law or report directly to the Palestinian Presidency. and the marginalized groups; most importantly, these include the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of National Economy, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Waqif, the Higher Council for Youth and Sports, the Authority of Prisoners and Ex-prisoners, etc.; They provide a number of basic services in the areas of education, health, housing, agriculture, youth and women development, economy, culture, sports and infrastructure services. They also act on implementing national policies and legislations in all issues related to social and economic development. Civil society organizations Different civil society organizations, at the national or grassroots level, act in different development areas and their activities are governed by Law (1) of 2000 on charity societies and civil entities. These organizations have volunteer membership and are run with elected boards and general assemblies. They act on issues and rights of the marginalized groups, by providing different economic and social services that vary according to the different organizations, these activities include raising awareness, legal, social and health education, and provide raining and capacity building for the marginalized groups. These also include providing health, social and empowerment relief, care, protection services, in addition to sport, educational, health and social empowerment besides other recreational, cultural and social activities. Many of them have networks and coordination entities. Many of these organizations, especially those active at the national level, are active in the area of drafting studies on the marginalized groups, lobbying and advocacy for approving policies and legislations in the areas of economic and social development. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society A national society that enjoys a legal personality and was established in 1968, as a society that assists public authorities in It offers a variety of services in the health civil, social and psychological health fields, especially for people with disabilities, the elderly, the injured and children. The society has 15 Organization/Group Mandate Relation to social development Palestine and in Arab countries that hold Palestinian refugees, in line with the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their additional protocols and the International Humanitarian law. 27 centers and rehabilitation units and 6 rehabilitation teams for those with disabilities, additionally, there are 47 primary health centers, including four in Gaza and several other hospitals United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East A UN entity that was established in 1948 to provide work, protection, assistance and relief for Palestine refugees. UNRWA provides, empowerment, employment, health and educational services for refugees in general and those groups of them that are marginalized. UNRWA also runs rehabilitation and training centers and care centers for women, youth and children. Private sector organizations There are a large number of private sector organizations, in the form of big and small organizations, industry and commerce chambers unions, contractors unions and funding institutions. They play and important role in economic development, employment and responding to unemployment. Yet, their role is not clear and rather poor in the areas of social development and the increased acceptance of the principle of social responsibility of the private sector. Additionally, there are some funding organizations in the private sector that provide loans to the poor and marginalized groups. International organizations This group includes UN organizations, international civil organizations in Palestine and major donors of the social development sector; such as the EU, WFP, FAO, World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, UNFPA, UN WOMEN and international development agencies. Many of these organizations consider social development issues, particularly those of the marginalized, as part of their priorities. They provide funding to the Palestinian institutions; such as ministries, government institutions and organizations and civil society organizations, to build their capacity and provide services in different development areas. 16 Part two: Situation analyses “What is our current development situation?” 1. Evaluation review: What are the most important achievements and challenges in achieving the 2014-2016 social protection strategy? The evaluation of what has been achieved and what has not been achieved in the 2014-2016 strategy is considered as an important reference in reviewing the vision for the social development sector and in outlining sectoral results, policies and objectives that are expected to be achieved in the next six years. The first strategic objective: Development of social assistance systems and for the empowerment for the poor and the marginalized Indicators show many achievements during 2014-2016, which contributed to the partial achievement of the first strategic objective, within the three main areas, identified as policy priority areas; while there are some of the gaps and challenges that must be taken into consideration in the process of drafting the current strategy, particularly with regard to the poor effect of assistance programs in helping households out of poverty. First, organize and coordinate cash and in-kind social assistance Assistance systems and databases, of the ministry’s mandate sectors, have been developed, where databases were built for in cash assistance and including detailed data of 200000 households, this includes data on child custody, protection and economic empowerment, in addition to disability survey and university exemptions. The database has also been connected with partner institutions; such as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Interior. In addition, drafting a procedures manual gas also been accomplished, covering 52 services, beside drafting their forms for emergency and food assistance in addition to health insurance, the forms needed for providing these services have also been drafted. On the other hand, a package of cash assistance has been provided, this included regular periodic assistance to around 120000 households, a 50 Shekel support for electricity bills of the poor household, provide health insurance for about 65000 households, exempt the sons poor families from school fees, provide cash assistance to families that are exposed to emergency social, health and economic crises and provide grants for orphans. Additionally, in 2014, the number of households that received cash assistance was 115,951 and in 2015 the number of households that received cash assistance was 122,129 and in early 2016 the number was 115,000, which became 111000 households by the end of 2016 out of 120,000 households as the planned annual target number for cash assistance. This indicates to a percentage of achievement for this indicator, yet, varies in comparison with what has been planned, especially in light of the reduction in 2016, which is basically attributed to the reduction of program allocations by the Ministry of Finance, thus, deficit in the payment of cash assistance for around 4,049 households in 2014 and 5000 households in 2016; whereas, in 2015, the ministry succeeded in achieving more than this indicator by providing assistance to 122,129 households compared to the target of 120,000 households. On the other hand, healthcare assistance was provided to 331 households, living assistance and house commodities for 141 households, scholarships and training courses for 639 students, temporary employment for 1,409 graduates and laborers and school bags for 6,400 students. Additionally, 18,637 children received financial assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2014, 18,979 children in 2015 and 4000 children in 2016. 17 One of the most important gaps, was the limited financial resources for the government, to allocate the budgets along with the Israeli policies in withholding tax revenues and the failure to implement agreements with the Ministry of Finance, especially to add the sum of NIS 50 to the electricity bill of benificiery cases. Second, empower the poor households to leave the poverty line and achieve self reliance and income generation: Within the framework of the Economic Empowerment Program, in cooperation with the UNDP and funding from the Islamic Development Bank, around 13,600 development projects were offered to poor households (8,153 households through the grant component and 5,581 households through the microfinance component) by the end of December 2015. As for the empowerment program for people with disability, the 2014 loans have been put on hold for reasons that have to do with amending the bylaw of the loans fund for persons with disability persons and because of non-availability and delay of transfers by donors, until the resumption of assistance provision and activities in 2015 and 2016, thus, 28 loans were given to families of persons with disability. Third, Strengthening food security for marginalized and vulnerable households: this policy is funded by the World Food Program, where in-kind and food stuff was distributed occasionally to around 217000 annually. It’s noted that the number of individuals targeted with the cash assistance is fixed due to the limited funding by the WFP and inability to add additional people, in spite of plans to expand these numbers to 600,000 people. Additionally, no evaluation studies were conducted by the ministry to assess the level of improvement in food security for the poor households. Second strategic objective: Development of social services for the vulnerable and poor groups In spite of the contribution to the achievement of the second strategic objective, there were some difficulties: First: Designing needs-based social services No needs-based services system has been developed, nor the local protection network has been reformed, nonetheless, services are being offered now based on the mandate of the ministry. Social services are being outsourced from civil society organizations; and the provision of protection, rehabilitation and shelter services for women, persons with disability, the old and children, is done through the Social Affairs Directorates and its centers in the different governorates, where the following achievements were possible to attain:  Allocation of funds for the purchase of social services from local institutions: In 2014, agreements worth NIS 4647400 were signed, while NIS 2580301 were spent. In 2015, agreements worth NIS 3308504 were signed, while NIS 324532 were spent. The planned milestone of purchasing services worth NIS 7 million has not been achieved yet, due to the reluctance of societies from signing agreements because of the delay in the payment of accruals, the political division circumstances and inability to buy services from the Gaza Strip.  Charity societies licensing: Oversight over 740 societies in the West Bank, while the Ministry was not able to carry out oversight and follow up over 530 societies in the Gaza 18 Strip because of th division, whereas, 75 societies were licensed in the and 55 others were dissolved.  Service provision to women victims of gender-based violence: Shelter service has been provided to about 544 women in two years, in addition to holding social awareness campaigns on women's rights and providing legal services, professional rehabilitation and providing job opportunities.  Providing protection services for the people with disability: Providing protection, rehabilitation and accommodation services for around 2198 people with disability.  Providing protection services for the elderly who need the service: Providing protection, care and shelter to 860 elderly citizens.  Providing protection services to children, who need the service: Providing protection, care and shelter to 5968 children, of which (4000 orphans sponsorship, 83 family sponsorships, 26 sponsorships to children with disabilities).  Providing financial assistance for 47 outstanding orphan university students and providing rehabilitation and counseling services to 350 school dropout students.  Providing care services to prisoners who need the service: Providing social and psychological rehabilitation and counseling services for about 650 inmates, of whom 40 female inmates in correctional centers, as well as coverage of transportation costs for the families of inmates to visit correctional and rehabilitation centers.  Providing care services for all drug abusers: Providing counseling and prevention services for about 98 of drug abusers as, well as to providing outreach programs to the young people on the harms caused by drugs and their effects on the individual and society, in addition to the distribution of 500 awareness bulletins.  Nurseries licensing: Licensing has been done for 184 nurseries, where the important challenges include shortage of specialized centers to provide protection services for the marginalized sectors, in addition to carcity of budget allocations to the activities of protection for different sectors in terms of logistics and poor necessary infrastructure needed for the delivery of social services to vulnerable and marginalized groups in specialized centers and directorates; such as vehicles, equipment, tools, in addition to lack of staff, employees and duplicity of work of counselors and researchers in the field. Second, consolidating decentralization in providing services, depending on local and community options. The Decentralization efforts will be focused on the following achievements:  Develop a plan to strengthen the data available to the Ministry, while focusing on the delivery of social services.  Develop a plan for the development of a follow-up system for the Ministry, which will reflect the delivery of social services in Palestine  The formation of joint planning groups in three pilot governorates (Nablus, Jerusalem and Hebron).  The development of decentralization of social services model for the delegation of decision-making powers from the ministry to the district offices.  The development of quality standards systems of social services provided for people with severe disability.  The development of accreditation system for the organizations that provide services to persons with severe disability.  The accomplishment of an action plan on case management. 19  The accomplishment of a plan for the generalization of the joint planning groups experience in the other remaining districts.  The accomplishment of a plan to complete the Social Services Referral System  The capacity building for the skills of Ministry staff working on disability and charities.  Training and formation of a statistical team in the ministry and their directorates.  No full referral system for social services has been developed yet, or  Case management and training on case management has not been accomplished yet. The third strategic objective: Development of a national social security system The Social Security Law for those working in NGOs has been approved on 4 October 2016, along with drafting an actuarial study for the system and another for the Retirement Authority, with technical support by the ILO, in addition to the joining of five civil institutions and municipalities to the Retirement Authority, bringing the number of member organizations to 50 institutions. Poor coordination and exchange of information between the relevant actors was among the most important challenges. The fourth strategic objective: Support, sponsor, protect, rehabilitate and empower the prisoners, freed prisoners, their families, the families of martyrs and the wounded This objective has been accomplished as planned, as: First: Organization and coordination of social services provision for the prisoners and their families Social security was provided to around 6,450 prisoners, in addition to and the provision of legal proceedings follow up for 679 prisoners (law firm's fees) and the payment of fine on behalf of 594 prisoners, in addition the payment of cantina allocations and providing social security services for about 1341 prisoners, immediately after their release from prison. Second: Organization and coordination of protection, rehabilitation and reintegration services for the freed prisoners and their families: Assistance has been provided for around 4950 freed prisoners, along with covering treatment expenses of 32 prisoners at the cost of NIS 198900 and university education assistance for 690, vocational training services for 294 prisoners and the issuance of 4268 health insurance cards. (The translator: “vocational training services for 294 prisoners” This seems to mean ex/freed prisoners, could need a second look for the Arabic document drafting.) Third: Organization and coordination of social services provision for the families of martyrs, the injured and their families Social security support was provided for the families of 25700 martyrs, at the cost of US $26,598,398, of whom families of 7200 martyrs from the Gaza Strip (and of whom 2147 martyrs in 2014 that are yet to be recognized at the relevant institution), and 5500 martyrs in the West Bank, in addition to 13000 martyrs abroad. Additionally, social security services were provided for around 4300 of the injured, at the cost of US $2,519,713, of whom 1000 injured in the Gaza Strip (taking into consideration that 5000 injured during the 2012 and 2014 wars were not yet recognized by the relevant institution), and 3300 injured in the West 20 Bank. In 2015, payment of monthly social security support continued regularly for the families of the martyrs and families of the injured as well. The fifth strategic objective: Strengthening governance of social protection sector and developing institutional arrangements The is objective has only been partially achieved, especially as related to the legal and legislative review of legislations related to social protection, nonetheless, no proposal was made to reform the government institutions that work in the area of social protection, nor there were deliberations, at the local level, with the beneficiaries, the targeted groups or civil society groups or even starting the building of a national system for social protection follow up and evaluation, or prepare a mechanism and tools for follow up and evaluation for the National Social Protection Strategy of 2014-2016. First, Develop and consolidate laws and legislations related to social protection:A legal and technical review was done to the laws related to social protection, based on which the regulation of foster families was developed, in addition to following up the regulation of Child Rights in the legislative agenda, amendment of service purchase regulation, in addition to amending the regulation of Juveniles Law and the amendment of the regulation of persons with disability Lending Law, added to that, the activation of a national referral system for women, making a draft of the procedures manual on children without records, a manual of the procedures of juvenile protection, the bylaw for the National Child Council, in addition to issuing the Juveniles Law, the Narcotics Law and proposing the Family Protection draft law, the Social Security Law, Personal Status Law, the Penal Code, along with real amendments to eliminate all forms of discriminations. Yet, the Standard Procedures Mannual, for the services provided by the ministry, has not been computerized, nor the System of Foster Families has been accomplished, as well as no memorandum has been made with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on foster request applications by families living abroad. Second, infrastructure and institutional capacity development and building adequate social protection capacity: A geographic information system GIS was built to create and develop electronic maps, in addition to formation of a geographic information systems team and the development of human cadres and upgrading the skills of the staff, which targeted most of the work of the ministry sectors. Added to the above, improving the infrastructure of the directorates and community centers, in addition to starting land acquisition project, from the municipality of Qalqilya, for the construction of a youth social rehabilitation center, in addition to the adoption of engineering plans and costs for the purpose of establishing a center in Nablus governorate, also, the first stage of establishing a rehabilitation center in Nablus for the severely disabled, besides transforming the Al Alaiah School into a resource center for people with visual impairment, in addition to receiving a plot of land, from the Municipality of Hawara, for the establishment of a care center for the elderly people. Add to that, the beauty care department has been equipped at the Mihwar center, in addition to providing raw materials and needed materials for the sewing workshop. On the other hand, a special follow up system for citizens' complaints was developed. Third, developing a follow up and evaluation system was developed for the social protection sector, with the participation of all partners: No national follow up and evaluation system, for social protection, has been developed, nor a mechanism or follow up and evaluation tools 21 prepared for the evaluation of the national policy for social protection 2014-2016. A concept proposal has been prepared for a system of follow-up and evaluation of the program on poverty alleviation at the Ministry of Social Affairs, with technical support and funding from the World Food Program. This year, work will be done for building the follow-up and evaluation system for the other programs supported by the World Food Program and the European Union, in addition, work on developing a follow-up special and evaluation system on the program of persons with disabilities and the development of a logical framework for the poverty alleviation program. Fourth, consolidating social accountability: Some progress has been achieved, especially pertaining to the consultation with the beneficiaries, the targeted groups and the society institutions, at the local level. Only three pilot beneficiary councils have been established in the Bethlehem, Qalqiliya and Nablus governorates, in response to the recommendations that were part of the evaluation study of the cash transfer program and the formation of 3 social services joint planning groups in the governorates of Nablus, Jerusalem and Hebron. Fifth, gradual transformation into an e-ministry: Work continues on consolidating e management of the ministry, in terms of building specialized databases in various fields of work at the ministry, steps have been taken to build the portal of the ministry and to establish interconnection with some partner organizations. Of the most important challenges in this area is the lack of readiness of partner institutions and poor infrastructure in accomplishing their interconnection exchange and the electronic linkage of the ministry and institutions. 2. Major factors affecting the achievement of social development objectives and measures to deal with them A number of political, economic, legal, environmental and technological factors affect the realization of the vision of the social development sector and its strategic objectives (see table no. 3) Table 3: Political, economic, legal, environmental and technological factors affect the realization of the vision of the social development sector and its strategic objectives External factors Negative effects on social development Institutional measures Political factors The Israeli occupation The Israeli occupation continues its racist practices in violation of all human rights for Palestinians, by implementing policies of collective punishment, racial discrimination and settlement expansion. The Israeli occupation continues:  Controlling boarder crossings, besieging Gaza and controlling  The Ministry of Social Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shall take measures to ensure the protection of the marginalized groups and adherence to the international agreements, mainly those relating to the marginalized groups; 22 External factors Negative effects on social development Institutional measures Area C with its land and water resources, in addition to the confiscation of citizens’ land, restriction of movement and infrastructure projects, in addition to restricting social and economic development process in general.  Detaining children and women and subjecting them to violence, as well as the arbitrary detention and arrest of Palestinians.  Demolishing the homes of Jerusalemites and revoking their identity cards, in addition to restricting their urban growth and prevents reunion of Jerusalemite families. women, children, the persons with disability, the elderly and the residents of the marginalized areas.  In cooperation with the Palestinian and international civil and government institutions, documentation will be done to violations against the marginalized groups and residents of the marginalized areas (residents in c areas, border areas in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and parts of H2 in Hebron) as part of international advocacy campaigns. Dis functioning of the Legislative Council Delay in approving the current laws and the continued existence of two different legislative systems (In the West Bank and Gaza Strip), in addition to legislative instability Focusing on issuing the most urgent and important legislations to address the current problems, while postponing those legislations with the least impact on the rights of women and children. Internal division between Gaza and the West Bank  Policies, legislations and programs with different orientations, which weaken the process of achieving the planned impact.  Obstructing the implementation of activities of some civil organizations, especially women organizations, in the Consolidate coordination and deliberation between the different administrations 23 External factors Negative effects on social development Institutional measures Gaza Strip, in addition to the closure of organizations and the violation of public liberties.  Duplicity of legislations between the West Bank and Gaza, particularly with regard to the laws of education, feminizing education, the Penal Code, the Personal Status Law and other laws, especially those that have to do with women's rights and issues, yet they do not support it. Poor role played by political parties Poor participation of women and youth in the decision making process, because of the lack of uniformity in the visions of parties and the retract from accomplishments that have been achieved by the women and youth institutions and actors with regard to empowering women socially and politically Strengthen campaigns lobbying decision makers in political parties and support women and youth initiatives in this regard Stumble in holding presidential and legislative elections The stumble in the legislation process and the issuing or amending of laws. National Advocacy campaigns to end the division and lobby for holding elections and reviving the Legislative Council. Funding priorities for donor institutions Change affects the funding priorities of some donor organizations, be it shifting towards other sectors, or the reduction of funding for Palestine towards funding other states and other issues. Mobilizing funding sources from new donors. Strengthening the social responsibility of the private sector. International advocacy campaigns on the rights of Palestinians to development. 24 External factors Negative effects on social development Institutional measures Social factors Norms and traditions lead to discrimination against the marginalized groups, especially women and persons with disability Non demand for these rights by these groups and the absence of a large sector of the community members in the different social and economic development areas. Implementation of community awareness campaigns on the rights of marginalized groups and the consolidation of the participation of these groups in all development areas, along with providing all resources to facilitate their participation. Negative social practices that threaten the cohesion of families and their unity Increased cases of violence, incest, theft, aggressive sexual behavior by men against women, increased rates of divorce, cases of evading maintenance cases, school dropouts and early marriage. Implementing awareness campaigns and preventative services targeting the youths, establishing rehabilitation and protection centers, along with implementing the deterring laws against abusers and trafeckers of drugs. Violence in the society and clan interventions Not reporting violations against women, children and persons with disability. Tolerance of community leaders and law enforcement officers towards those committing violence Implementing community awareness campaigns on violence against the marginalized groups Economic factors Open market policy Unjust completion among the products of small enterprizes of women, youths and people with disability and the old on the one hand and the imported products and those of major firms Work to empower women, youths and people with disability that are producers and owners of small enterprizes to be able to sign fair sale contracts with Palestinian and international enterprizes and to improve the quality of the specifications of their products Vocational centers, schools and universities are not adapted for the integration 87% of people with disability above 15 years of age do not work or search for work (86% in the West Bank and 91% in Gaza). This means that they are not participating Act for the economic empowerment of people with disability and integrate thm in school, high and vocational education. 25 External factors Negative effects on social development Institutional measures of people with disabilities in the labor market at all in the labor market. Working disabled individuals make no more than 8%. Legl factors University faculties are restrictive to the work of women Women join university faculties and vocational studies that strengthen the stereotype image of women in the labor sector, which increases the unemployment of graduate women. Awareness for young women at schools on promising specializations that have potential labor market. Start vocational specializations for young women, in line with the labor market approaches. Restrictions on the enforcement of legislations in all areas Inability of judiciary to access the Jerusalem governorate, C areas or those living in Israel, leads to the impunity of those committing violence and crimes against the Palestinian society and households. Monitoring and documentation: Having special measures in light of the 1325 plan for the empowerment of the Palestinian judiciary institutions to be able to play its role towards those wanted to the judicial institutions Environmental factors The continued power outages in Gaza and the use of electric generators Impact on residents health, especially women, children and the old International solidarity campaigns to pressure Israel into providing electricity to the residents of marginalized areas, especially residents of C areas and the Gaza Strip. Scarcity of water resources in the marginalized areas and the Gaza Strip and lack of sewage networks Scarcity and difficulty of access to water available to household and agricultural use, a matter that impacts the hygene and wellbeing of men and women. More than 1.2 million people in Gaza Strip were denied access to water during war on Gaza. Lack of sewage networks in marginalized areas has negative impact on environment and people. International solidarity campaigns around the right to water for the Palestinians and around the development of infrastructure for the marginalized areas, especially area C. Echnological factors Wide use of social media Poor interest of youths in volunteer work, Having special measures to monitor the impact of 26 External factors Negative effects on social development Institutional measures websites and committing cyber crimes community development and generalizing ideas initiatives around the rights of women and women organizations publications on websites and social media and to have mechaanizms to face that along with punishing those committing cybercrimes. 27 3. Demographic changes: Interrelated opportunities and challenges In 2015, the population of Palestine was 4.7 million in the West Bank and 1.8 in the Gaza4 Strip. In spite of the decline in the overall fertility rate into 4.06 in 20145, it remains double fold higher compared to the Arab countries, as Palestine continues witnessing an increasing growth pace. The demographic change in Palestine indicates to decline on the youngsters’ share (Age group 0-14 years) from 50% as of early 1980s into 40% in 2015, whereas, the older citizens (above 65 years of age) their share increased from 2.3% into 3.2%. In spite of the decline on fostering percentage from 101.3% in 1997 into 74.6% in 2014, this indicates to the share of the fostered; youngsters, the old and those dependent on the citizens in the working (age group 15-64 years), nonetheless, Palestine continues to face a high fostering percentage compared to the other Arab countries. At the same time, a sharp increase has emerged, concerning a usually covered phenomenon, inflation of the youth group”; which is the share of the age group 15-29 years that hit 30% of the total population in 2016.6 According to the demographic speculations in Palestine, the population is expected to double within 35 years, meaning from 4.75 million in 2015 to 6.9 million in 2030 and to become more than 9.5 million in 2050; which means that Gaza Strip has to accommodate 1.3 additional Palestinians in 2030 and more than double of that number in 2050, whereas, these figures are a little higher than the West Bank.This increase will take place in spite of the 7 expected decline in fertility rate, thus, a demographic change will take place on population sectors, where youngsters (0-14 years) percentage decline into 35% in 2013 and could even hit a 25% in 2050, with a slight increase on old citizens, whereas, the percentage of working group (15-64 years) shall increase from 57.8% into 61% in 2030 and shall continue to increase significantly to hit 67% in 2050, which means less demographic load as a result of the increased citizens’ percentage at the working age and a decline on the dependent groups compared to the productive ones. 8 There is no doubt that Palestine is facing a demographic growth that brings demographic change that constitutes great opportunities and potentials for citizen mobilization and a strong vibrant working force. At the same time, it brings several challenges that require strong public services that can provide the future generations with the skills and capacities needed to achieve success in the labor market, in addition to economic stability that ensures good job opportunities for all, which is also coupled with a political stability. In the current context and due to the increase in the rates of poverty, unemployment and marginalization, there is the risk of wasting these potentials and the development of a general feeling of despair and frustration, especially among the youths. This demographic opportunity can be utilized into a demographic profit; meaning a social development and economic growth if good investment is made in early childhood and in the protection of children, empowerment of youths, the disabled, the old and the poor, including good healthcare, education, equal opportunities for male and females, productive labor force and active citizenship. 4. Priority targeted areas and groups: Among the marginalized, left behind in Palestine and what are the change determinants that they face? .2015، حالة السكان في فلسطين في الفلسطيني زيجهاز االحصاء المرك 4 .2014، المسح العنقودي متعدد المؤشرات، الفلسطيني جهاز االحصاء المركزي 5 .2016جهاز اإلحصاء المركزي الفلسطيني، احصائيات التقديرات السكانية 6 .2016لتنمية، نتائج رئيسية من الدراسة، : النمو السكاني واألثر على ا2030صندوق األمم المتحدة للسكان، فلسطين 7 2016االقتصادية، مكتب رئيس الوزراء/ لجنة السكان الوطنية و صندوق االمم المتحدة للسكان، النمو السكاني في فلسطين و أثره على القطاعات االجتماعية و 8 28 The strategy has defined priority marginalized groups that represent community groups of individuals that are most vulnerable to marginalization and exclusion among others. Consequently, we consider marginalization as a relative case that varies from an individual to another and is connected to environmental, political, economic, social and other effects that restrict change and are coupled with indicators of weakness; such as unemployment, poverty and violence (the violence of the Israeli occupation, gender-based violence, etc.), negative social discrimination, school dropout, using negative behavioral practices, poor social and political participation, poor access to resources and others, which can negatively impact life of these groups and make them the most vulnerable to marginalization, negligence, exclusion and face risks (Figure 4 and Table 4) Figure 3: Priority targeted groups and areas for the years 2017-2022 The old The poor Girls and women Children Persons with disability Youths East Jerusalem, residents of area C, residents of H2, the Palestinian refugee camps and residents of border areas in Gaza 29 Table 4: Details of the marginalized groups and change determinants9 Groups Estimate d numbers 10 Change determinents Are a Vulner ability to violenc e Econom ic access Institutio nal and political factors Social and cultural factors Children who face problems in access to education 50,000   Child workers 39,644     Children exposed to violence 1,992,06 5    Children out of school 123,219      Children, jiuveniles, orphans and children who need to nurseries    Households suffering from food insecurity and headed by women 175,000    Poor workers (working in Israel and the settlements and staff of the private sector who earn less than the minimum wage) 250,000>    Refugees living in extreme poverty 619,133   Small farmers and herders is nomadic fishermen 111,310    Individuals who need emergency medical referrals 102,000     Teenage girls 530,000    Women subjected to gender-based violence 998,583     Persons with Disabilities 130,045     Elderly 216,742     Young 1,440,00 0      Bedouin communities in the areas C (183 Beduin and herding 30,171    .30، ليس للنشر، صفحة 6201األمم المتحدة، تحليل الدولة المشترك، األراضي الفلسطينية المحتلة، 9 .2016تقديرات لألعداد معتمدة على اإلحصائيات السكانية للعام ، الجهاز المركزي لالحصاء الفلسطيني 10 30 Groups Estimate d numbers 10 Change determinents Are a Vulner ability to violenc e Econom ic access Institutio nal and political factors Social and cultural factors communities in 2013) Communities in Area C 297,986    Gaza's population denied access to clean water 1,787,07 8    Residents of the H2 area of Hebron under the Israeli control 40,000    Residents of border areas 11,000    The refugees in the camps 789,524     4.1. Issues and challenges facing poor households Poverty in Palestine is considered among the major phenomena that the government seeks to alleviate and curb because of the social problems it causes and because of its direct negative impact it has on health care and education. The effort of the government for the aalleviation of poverty are in a context, where the numbers of the poor are on the increase and the numbers of those vulnerable to poverty and marginalization are on the increase, as a result of the continuation of the Israeli occupation and its policies that sustain the causes of poverty, in addition to undermining the productive bases of the Palestinian economy along with increasing its dependency on the Israeli economy. In Palestine, poverty is defined as the inability to maintain the minimum standard of living, which means lack of financial ability to afford the basic commodities, which include food, clothing and housing, in addition to the minimum standard of other needs such as healthcare, transportation and education11. Poverty is in our society is a product of social, economic and political factors, because of the attempts to deport our people, under occupation, out of their land, along with the occupation and deprivation of basic rights since 1948 until this day. Recently, poverty has recently been attributed to a number of factors that accompanied the policies of the Israeli government; closure, movement restriction against individuals and goods, obstruction of all forms of development in area (C) that make 62% of the West Bank and still under full control of the Israeli government and border areas in Gaza Strip. .1998اللجنة الوطنية لمكافحة الفقر. فلسطين. تقرير الفقر 11 31 The siege that Israel has been imposing on the Gaza Strip since 2007 and wars the targeted the Strip in the past nine years are among the most important reasons that undermined opportunities to earn a living and resulted in exacerbating the poverty and unemployment phenomena in Gaza Strip and made the majority of households exposed to vulnerability and shocks. The recent Israeli attack on Gaza strip in 2014 resulted in having thousands of households lose their sources of income (because of death, disability or unemployment), their houses (as thousands of houses were either destroyed completely or damaged), more than 1500 children lost one or both of their parents, more than 1000 people were injured because of the Israeli attacks and suffered permanent physical disabilities, which further adds to the poverty problems in the Gaza Strip where 80% of its residents were already used to relying on social assistance12 before the war. According to the latest estimates of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics on poverty in the Palestinian territory, 25.8% of individuals in the Palestinian society suffered poverty, based on the household spending trends in 2011, as this percentage According to the latest estimates of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics on poverty in the Palestinian territories, 25.8% of individuals in the Palestinian society suffered poverty, according to the households’ monthly consumption patterns in 2011, where this percentage was 17.8% in the West Bank and 38.8% in the Gaza Strip. Estimates also indicated that 12.9% of the Palestinian people are suffering from extreme poverty (abject) according to the monthly consumption patterns of the households, 7.8% in the West Bank and 21.1% in the Gaza Strip. As for income, estimates revealed that 36.4% of Palestinian individuals have a monthly income below the extreme poverty line; while the income of 47.6% of the Palestinians fall below the national poverty line, which indicates that poverty rates, according to income levels is much higher than the rates of poverty according consumption patterns.13 By analyzing poverty among the poor households from a gender perspective, based on the aforementioned statistics of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, we conclude that the female-headed households in Gaza are less poor; compared to the male-headed households, whereas, in the West Bank data indicate into a reversed direction; which is a special case partially depending on the assumptions of social assistance for the poor organizations that households headed by females are poorer compared to male-headed households and suffer severer poverty, which prompts these organizations to allocate priority for women in receiving assistance, a matter that contributes to increasing thier consumption and reduces poverty rates among them. The percentage of female-headed households in the occupied Palestinian territories was 9.3%.14 According to an analysis of family spending and consumption data, based on which poverty rate is estimated, poverty is often associated with a range of dimensions, the most important ones include place of residence, refugee status, family size, the number of children, and the nature of the work of the head of household. More specifically: 12 State of Palestine The National Committee for Early Recovery and Gaza Reconstruction, 2014 .2011الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، مسح إنفاق واستهالك األسرة، 13 ,2012ت، المرأة والرجل في فلسطين: قضايا وإحصاءا ،الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني 14 32  The percentage of most vulnerable to poverty is higher among the groups of individuals who reside in the refugee camps, as the 2011 poverty percentage among individuals living in refugee camps was 35.4%, followed by 26.1% in the urban areas and 19.4% in the countryside. According to the index of extreme poverty, we find that the proportion of poor people in urban communities and refugee camps is higher than the rural areas, 13.7%, 16.2% and 7.4% respectively.  The size of the family increases the probability of poverty, as poverty rates increase among individuals in large families, compared to individuals in smaller families. Poverty rate was highest among individuals from families consisting of 10 members and above, as the poverty ratio was 49.6% in 2011 and they were the poorest among the families in terms of size. The lowest prevalence of poverty among the families consisting of 2-3 members, where the average poverty rate was 8.8% in 2011. It was also noticed that this category of families faces the lowest rate on the poverty index and poverty severity gap.  The poverty rate spreads consistently among families in line with the increase in the number of their children, where we find that individuals from families with a child or two are less vulnerable to suffering poverty (18.3%), while the incidence of poverty prevalence rises among individuals from families with up to four children to as much as 23%.  Poverty rate increases among individuals of households headed by the unemployed, as the poverty rate prevalence among those individuals in these households rises to 33%, compared to 24.4% in the families headed by the employed. And of course, the poverty rate among the members of the later families, which are headed by the rate among the unemployed, amounted to 48.4%, compared to 21.9% among the members of families headed by the employed, which makes around double fold, thus highlights the importance of work and having a source of income in the fight against poverty.  Poverty rates increase among families that are mainly dependent on agriculture (34.1%) for their livelihood, followed by the households that depend on remittances and aid in their income (30%), while the poverty rate among families who depend for their livelihoods on work in the private sector (30.7%) is higher than those households that depend for their living on working in the public sector (20.4%). Considering the tough circumstances encountered by the poor households in the Palestinian society, they resort to a number of strategies and mechanisms to cope up with these difficult circumstances and to sustain their resilience and survival. These strategies range between relying on the sources of income available to these households, taking into account the fact that a high proportion of these households consider their main source of income is the assistance provided by different institutions or by relying on relatives and friends for aid or borrowing from individuals (often from dealers such as shops, butcheries, groceries and others). They also depend on cutting on costs to cope with a decline of income, including postponing or non-payment of bills. Some households also typically rely on the sale of all or part of their jewelries they have. In contrast, the number of households that rely on other strategies; such as the establishment of projects or joining the labor market or cultivate land and raising animals, is rather limited. The same is the case with some other strategies; such as, the sale of real estate or use savings, which is 33 mainly done due to the lack of having real estate on the part of these families and the lack of having savings to be used by these households in case of emergency. National social protection networks are rather important, yet not effective enough, especially in the light of the crises that the poor face, especially in the Gaza Strip, where 750.000 Palestinians live below poverty line, whereas, cash assistance that is delivered to 450.000 people is too low to cover basic needs of the households. The poverty phenomenon in the Palestinian society is associated with food insecurity among Palestinian households, particularly those households living in the Gaza Strip, where this phenomenon is mainly manifested in the decline of financial capacity of the Palestinian households to buy their food from local markets. The results of the socio-economic conditions survey of food security in Palestine, which was carried out by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, with the support of the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2014, indicate that more than a quarter of the Palestinian population (27%, or approximately 1.55 million people) are food insecure, nearly half (13% or 875 thousand people) are classified as "severely food insecure," meaning that they are suffering from a huge gap in consumption, which do not have the ability to bridge depending on their economic resources or using coping strategies. Same as in the case of poverty, the phenomenon of food insecurity in Palestine is more prevalent among households in the Gaza Strip than among those in the West Bank; and among the refugee households in the West Bank and non-refugee households in the Gaza Strip and among the households headed by women.15 The issues and challenges, which the poor households encounter in their struggle out of their difficult circumstances, can be summed as follows:  Recurrence and accumulation and shocks suffered by families, which keep them in poverty and often exacerbate its intensity,  Insufficiency of the aid they receive to meet their basic needs, a matter that renders them unable to work or invest in self-empowerment,  Lack or low income levels for the households and the lack of possibilities to improve income or employment conditions,  Unemployment among family members,  Low financial capacity of the family to invest in improving their living conditions, by investing in education, training or the creation of income generating projects for its members,  Low skill level and the emergence of social isolation among the poor, which limits their access to jobs,  Spread of diseases and suffering low healthcare level, which consequently leads, in many cases, to leading to the loss of human capital,  Low housing level and the inability to provide for the minimum requirements of a decent living,  Emergence of social problems; such as family disintegration and domestic violence, which is usually caused by the inability of the head of the family to take responsibility for the rest of the family members, thus leads children to resort to seeking work and leaving school, in order to help meet the different needs of the family, and the spread of crime and social problems in general and لألمم المتحدة، المسح االجتماعي واالقتصادي واألمن الغذائي لجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني ، برنامج األغذية العالمي، منظمة األغذية والزراعةا 15 .2016، أيار 2014 34 among children in particular, in addition to increasing burden on women if she was a housewife.  Poor ability to actively participate in social life and enjoy progress and development, because of poor physical condition, which is reflected negatively on the households in the loss of their social capital, thus limiting their resilience capacity and ability to adapt in the long term. 4.2. Issues and challenges facing children Article 1 of the Palestinian Child Law No. (7) Of 2004 defines a child as “each human who has not completed 18 years of age,” and includes unborn fetuses and all those below 18 years of age. According to the 2016 initial report of the State of Palestine for the CRC16, the report on the reality of child rights of 201417, the report analyzing the situation of Palestinian children in the State of Palestine of 201618, the strategic plan for the protection of the child (2011-2013), the 2012 national strategic plan for the protection of juveniles and the strategic plan of early childhood (2017-2022), we summarize the most notable cases which face children in Palestine, stemming from their basic rights as stated in the CRC19: • Child right to enjoying optimum health standard: Mortality rates among children are still relatively high, even with the numbers decreasing in the past two decades. The death toll among children below the age of 5 (the rate of deaths among children from birth up to 5 years of age) was 14 deaths in 2015, 11 deaths among newborns (between birth and one month of age)on to 18 deaths among infants up to , in additi20 one year of age., hild death rates and povertyis a strong connection between cThere 21 where death rates among infants and newborns increase among the more poor groups of society. In 2015, the most prominent cause of infants and newborns mortality were birth defects at 25% followed by respiratory diseases at 17%, prematurity at 15%, blood infection at 12%, stillborn babies at 11% and sudden infant death syndrome at 9%22. The latent causes of the increase in death rates among children are attributed to, first, shortcomings in the prenatale healthcare services and for the newborns, which is manifested in the premature discharge of mothers from hospitals after birth, the insufficient postnatale care given at the health facilities and houses, the bad management of respiratory cases, insufficient prenatale health education, poor counseling skills of healthcare service providers and insufficient health cadres, 23 especially as related neonates care doctors, shortage in medicl equipment at the maternity wards, maternity beds and child ICU beds in public and private hospitals, shortage in incupators and the equipment related to them, compared to the number of births across the country; finally, the poor health education at schools and kindergartens.24 On the other hand, the ignorance of pregnant women, mothers and spuses and households in heneral, on the proper health behaviour concerning enough pre and post natal healthcare, is a .2016، مسودة غير نهائية وغير منشورة، فلسطين، 2016جنة حقوق الطفل، التقرير األولي المقدم من الدول األطراف المقرر في عام ل 16 .2013ـوق الطفــــــــــــل الفلسطيني، آب دولة فلسطين، الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، واقع حقــ 17 .53-52، غير منشور، صفحة 2016، 2016يونيسف، تحليل وضع األطفال الفلسطينين في دولة فلسطين 18 .1990األمم المتحدة، حقوق اإلنسان، مكتب المفوض السامي، اتفاقية حقوق الطفل، 19 مولود حي. 1000لكل 20 .2013ركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، واقع حقـــوق الطفــــــــــــل الفلسطيني، آب دولة فلسطين، الجهاز الم 21 ، 2016، تشرين أول 2015ين دولة فلسطين، وزارة الصحة، اإلدارة العامة للسياسات الصحية والتخطيط، مركز المعلومات الصحية الفلسطيني، التقرير الصحي السنوي فلسط 22 .93صفحة .52، صفحة 2013، 2013طيط والتنمية، تحليل وضع األطفال الفلسطينين في دولة فلسطين يونيسف ووزارة التخ 23 .17(، صفحة 2022-2017إلستراتيجية الوطنية لتطوير رعاية الطفولة المبكرة )دولة فلسطين، ا 24 35 second cause of infant mortality.Weight n to malnutrition, anemia, This exposes childre 25 loss, wasting and stunting in addition to less breastfeeding. Children in marginalized communities are vulnerable to different forms of anemia, wasting, stunting and nutritional loss of weight. The study revealed that 29% of children living in pastoral communities in areas C of the West Bank suffer stunting while 6% suffer nutritional loss of weight. Rates of chronic malnutrition in Gaza were 10% among children below the age of 5 in 2010.26 • The right to education, recreation and cultural activities: the limited enrollment of children, including the disabled of both genders, in pre-school education is considered to be one of the challenges, where 54% of children in the West Bank and 46% in Gaza make up child enrollment in pre-school education while 36% of enrollment-age children with disability did not receive education. On the other hand, enrollment rate among both genders drops at secondary schools, as the total enrollment rates27 at secondary schools decreased from 73% for the males and 83% for the females in the school year 2007-2008 to become 61% for the males and 80% for the females in the school year 2013-2014. Additionally, rates of drop-out from secondary schools is more than three folds of that of basic education levels. The percentage in the school year 2012-2013 in Palestine was 1.3% and 0.7% in the basic levels and 3.5% in the secodary stage.28 Academic perfomance levels drop, especially among males, while femaleenrollment into technical and vocational training drops, as female participationwas 0.6% compared to 4.1% among males. Additionally, the poor school educational environment in terms of student per faculty ratio and shortage of specialized class rooms (offices, science and computer labs, etc…) at all schools, besides the unhealthy ratio of students to water fountains/ bathrooms, insufficient school counseling services in terms of number of counselors29 and number of services, in addition to the inadaptability to the needs of children with disabilities. The school education environment is even worse in Gaza due to the recent wars by the Israeli occupation army that destroyed and damaged approximately 300 and 200 schools, respectively. In 2008 2012, which means the need to build around 275 schools by 2020 to meet the increasing demographic needs.based violence remain high regarding both genders, -Rates of gender 30 especially at the secondary school stage, as it is estimated that 76.5% of students have been victims of violence in 2013-2014, detailed as 81.6% for males and 71.3% for females at the basic stage.Recreational spaces 32 14.-Child labor rates were 6% among children of ages 5 31 and activities are limited and are mostly located in city centers, in addition to big shortages in trained personnel to work with children, especially in remote and marginalized areas. • The right to protection: The Palestinian children are exposed to murder, violence and abuse by the Israeli occupation that kills and injures children and uses them as human shields in military incursions of Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps, in addition to arresting and detaining them under inhuman conditions in the Israeli prisons and detention centers, as the reports of Defense for Children International DCI .53-52صفحة ، 2013، 2013يونيسف ووزارة التخطيط والتنمية، تحليل وضع األطفال الفلسطينين في دولة فلسطين 25 .56، صفحة 2013، 2013يونيسف ووزارة التخطيط والتنمية، تحليل وضع األطفال الفلسطينين في دولة فلسطين 26 17-16ثانوية )( بغض النظر عن السن معبرا عنه بنسبة مئوية من عدد السكان في سن االلتحاق في المرحلة ال12-11مجموع عدد الطلبة المسجلين في المرحلة الثانوية )الصفوف 27 سنة( . .32، صفحة 2013دولة فلسطين، الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، واقع حقـــوق الطفــــــــــــل الفلسطيني، آب 28 .36، صفحة 2013دولة فلسطين، الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، واقع حقـــوق الطفــــــــــــل الفلسطيني، آب 29 .56، صفحة 2013، 2013التخطيط والتنمية، تحليل وضع األطفال الفلسطينين في دولة فلسطين يونيسف ووزارة 30 .91، صفحة 2013دولة فلسطين، الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، واقع حقـــوق الطفــــــــــــل الفلسطيني، آب 31 .2010فلسطينية، دولة فلسطين، الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، مسح األسرة ال 32 36 reveal that children suffer beating, torture and solitary confinement in detention cells, where they are deprived of sleep, food and water for periods extending sometimes to 12 hours, in addition to depriving them of medical care, not to mention attacks by the Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The demolition of Palestinian houses in Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, by the Israeli occupation, deprives them of shelter and dignified life. Jerusalemite children suffer deprivation of holding an I.D, in violation to their basic right to protection and enjoying a nationality, as provided for in the Child Rights Convention.On the other hand, children are victims to murder, physical violations 33 and abuse. In respect extrajudicial killing, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza documented six cases of child murder and 5 cases of child injuries as a result of the killings and family quarrels and abuse of arms and internal explosions and acts of vandalism in 2015. On the other hand, 2014 and 2015 annual reports of the network of Child Protection indicate that the number of children who have been subjected to some form of sexual abuse or physical or economic neglect or exploitation and mistreatment was 1010 children, of whom 572 males and 438 females. On the other hand, there is a worrying increase in the cases of children in conflict with the law. In spite of the ratification of the Juvenile Protection Act, nonetheless, the juvenile justice system needs to develop and institutionalize, while the law is not fully applied. • The right to participation: Children are systematically not engaged in the plans and strategies of governmental child organizations, although there are initiatives for the participation of children by some non-governmental institutions, which began to be reflected on some of the entities; such as the Ministry of Education and the Governorate of Hebron and Bethlehem. The views of children, victims of exploitation, sexual, physical abuse or victims of judicial negligence, their views are not take, in violation to Article 12 of the Palestinian Child Law, which stipulates that the child shall have opportunity to express his opinion on the legal proceedings.34 4.3. Issues and challenges facing women Women constitute 49.2% (2.34 million females) of the population in Palestine that was around 4.75 million in late 2015.Girls and women are affected more than men, because of 35 increased poverty rate in the Palestinian society, as rates of food insecurity were higher among female-headed households compared to those headed by males in 2012. Women also suffer health problems; these include high rates of suffering chronic non-infectious diseases, cancer, especially breast cancer and increased rates of obesity. In terms of political participation, rates of their participation remain low, especially in judicial institutions, decision making positions and local councils. The National Strategy for Strengthening Gender Equality and Women Empowerment for the years 2017-2022,and the deliberation workshops among all active actors in this area have 36 ، الجهاز المركزي لالحصاء الفلسطيني بالتعاون مع مؤسسة انقاذ الطفل.2010تقرير حول تنفيذ اتفاقية حقوق الطفل الدولية 33 مجلس القضاء االعلى. 34 35 State of Palestine, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, press statement on the occaision of the International Woman Day: The situation of the Palestinian women, 08/03/2016 36 State of Palestine, Ministry of Women Affairs, The National Strategy for Strengthening Gender Equality and Justice and Women Empowerment (2017-2022), First draft, October 2016 37 revealed that there are a number of problems and gaps related to consolidating gender equality and justice and women empowerment, which require responses through the effective sectoral strategies, of these priority issues, were the following: In economy, gender issues are part of the interest of legislations and laws related to economy, finance, labor as well as the education and vocational education system. Additionally, women access to funding and knowledge sources suitable for establishing and developing small projects in general and agricultural ones in particular. Additionally, entrepreneur women also face several impediments in marketing their products with fair prices. The performance of cooperative societies in general and women ones in particular is poor, which reflects poor contribution to hiring women and men, in addition to poor financial revenues generated for the cooperative members. In the social area, some key indicators point to the dangers and negative effects on women's health. For example, the phenomenon of marrying off girls who have not completed their 18 years of age, continues, where the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data of 2014 indicated that the percentage of married women, in the 15-19 age group, was 9.3% in Palestine, nearly 13% in the Gaza Strip and about 7% in the West Bank. The proportion of women, in the age group 20-49 years, who married for the first time before the age of 18 years was 24% in Palestine, about 21% in the West Bank and 28% in the Gaza Strip. The 19.3 of the women were married before the age of 18 in 2014, while 2.0 were married before the age of 15 years. As for the rate of women suffering cancer, it was 52.5% of the total cancer cases reported 3837 in 2015, breast cancer ranked first among the different types of cancer affecting females, accounting for 34% of the total cancer cases documented in the same year.39 Women infection rates of some non-communicable and chronic diseases, as the number of documented cases of female diabetes in 2015 was 206.1 per 100,000 of the female population, compared to 196.6 per 100,000 of the male population, noting that women aged 51-60 were more affected by the diabetes by 25% compared to 16% for men.Caesarean 40 deliveries ratio also rises, as the rate in Palestine was 23%, (the West Bank, 25.2%), which is higher than what is recommended by the World Health Organization.41 There is also a poor demand by women for the postnatal care services, in addition to their limited access to health services, especially with regard to certain aspects of reproductive health, disability and specific groups of women; such as older women, unmarried women, non-pregnant women and women residing in areas (c). Women are still subjected to all forms of domestic violence, in addition to the fact that women prisoners and women of Jerusalem suffer the occupation violence. In education, there is a difficulty for female in access to basic, higher and vocational education effectively, a difficulty that is manifested in the preference of girls to learning areas that further consolidate the stereotype and gender roles prevailing in the society. The content of the school curriculum still characterizes women with stereotype gender roles, while teachers’ attitudes support that prevailing culture outlining the roles of girls/women and boys/men in the society..42 ورقة حقائق حول الزواج المبكر في فلسطين ، وزارة التنمية االجتماعية. 37 .16، صفحة 2015، النتائج الرئيسية، شباط 2014دولة فلسطين، الجهاز المركزي لالحصاء الفلسطيني، المسح العنقودي متعدد المؤشرات 38 .88، صفحة 2015وزارة الصحة، التقرير الصحي السنوي 39 متكاملة لتمكين النساء الفلسطينيات، هد دراسات المرأة، جامعة بيرزيت، بالتعاون مع وزارة شؤون المرأة وهيئة األمم المتحدة للمرأة، بناء روابط: نحو إستراتيجيات وسياساتمع 40 .2013أيار .2016آب 10، مادة عرض، األربعاء 2015ي، مؤشرات عن صحة المرأة فلسطين، وزارة الصحة الفلسطينية، الدكتور جواد البيطار، مدير مركز المعلومات الصحية الفلسطين 41 18، صفحة 2016، مسودة أولى، تشرين األول (2022-2017دولة فلسطين، وزارة شؤون المرأة، االستراتيجية الوطنية لتعزيز المساواة والعدالة بين الجنسيين وتمكين المرأة ) 42 20. 38 In the area of infrastructure, roads, streets, the housing sector and associated facilities are not adapted for the use of persons with disability women or for pregnant women or mothers with young children, as the engineering designs of buildings generally don’t take into consideration gender issues. There is no suitable housing for the marginalized and vulnerable groups; in addition, there are differences between housing communities, in terms of accessibility, quality and cost of water for household use, which directly affects women. In the area of justice and governance, the current legislations impede men and women access to justice, especially as the following laws are either not amended or not approved: Forensic medicine law, penal code, the law on the protection of family against violence, the legal assistance law, the cybercrime law, the civil status law, the security forces law, the fees law, the military service law, the civil service law, the penal procedural law, the police law (amendment and revision of laws). Additionally the procedural aspects in the judiciary institutions impede access to regular and Sharia justice, where the Sharia judiciary services remain unable to enforce women’s inheritance rights. The legal and organizational framework in local government does not take into consideration gender issues. The social culture remains unsupportive to women’s issues and rights; there is also poor confidence at the level of political parties in nominating women to local councils. In the security apparatus decision makers have disregard to the importance of integrating gender and women participation in the security sector, in addition to nonadaptation of security apparatuses infrastructure for women needs; such as sleeping rooms, detention rooms, and rehabilitation centers. Finally, the awareness of women around the security services is very limited. 4.4. Issues and challenges facing the old The fact that the Palestinian society a young society, the elderly constitute a small percentage of the population, where the percentage of older people (60 years or older) was 4.5% (of whom 5% in the West Bank and 3.8% in the Gaza Strip) of the total population in mid-2016. It is expected that this percentage shall remain low and stabile throughout the current decade and will not exceed the current ratio, while it might rise after the year 2020. It is estimated that the number of older men and women (60 and older) will double from approximately 215,000 in 2015 to 470,000 in 2030,and the proportion of older women and men in the 43 same period will double from 4.5% to 6.8%, with all it entails, as a new situation, in terms of the consequences of healthcare and social protection. The proportion of elderly women is higher compared to the elderly male, as the percentage of the latter was 4.1% in 2016, compared to 5% for females, with a gender ratio of 84.8% males per each 100 females. Also, about half of the elderly females are widows, compared to 9% among older males, where there are 90% of old males that are married, compared to 42.5% of old females that are married. Illiteracy rates are high among the elderly, and reached a percentage of 29%, representing 65% of the adult illiterate (15 years and older) in the Palestinian society as a whole. On the other hand, the labor force survey data, for the second quarter of 2016, showed that a family of every six families in Palestine is headed by an elderly (17% of households in 2016جنة الوطنية للسكان وصندوق االمم المتحدة للسكان، النمو السكاني في فلسطين و أثره على القطاعات االجتماعية و االقتصادية، الل، مكتب رئيس الوزراء 43 39 Palestine, where 18.0% of them in the West Bank and 15.0% of them in the Gaza Strip), the average size the family is usually relatively small, up to 3.2 individuals.44 The study analysis of the rights of the elderly and their needs in Palestine in 201545, as a basis for entry into strategic planning for the old citizens’ sector, for the years 2016 to 202046, revealed that the current situation of the elderly in Palestine is contrary to human rights values, set by the international human rights conventions;. Palestine ranked lower on the global-old age International standard classification47, which was drafted by the International Federation on Ageing for the care of older persons in September 2015, where Palestine ranked 93 of the 96 countries. The old suffer the the following issues:  Poverty: 26% of the Palestinian households suffer poverty (38.8% in Gaza compared to 17.8% in the West Bank), in addition, 13% of the households suffer severe poverty, in Gaza too, these are throo folds of that in the West Bank.The percentahe of old people 48 living in poor families in 2011 was 22% (35.5% in the Gaza Strip and 16.5% in the West Bank). The poverty percentage is a little higher among household heads aged above 60 years in the cases of poverty (27%) and severe poverty (16%). There are no economic programs that support them, although they are participating in the labor market.  Health problems: There is high prevalence of chronic diseases among the elderly, compared to the prevalence rate of the same among all ages. The 2010 statistics revealed that 71% of the elderly suffer from at least one chronic disease. The proportion of those who suffer high blood pressure was 43.2% of the total number of older people, compared to 7.7% for those aged 18 years or older and that the percentage of the diabetics was 30.2% compared to 5.9% among those aged 18 years or older, whereas, the percentage of those suffering cardiovascular diseases was 15.2% among the elderly, compared to 2.4% among those aged 18 years or older. The elders suffer more in terms of a number of chronic diseases, where the percentage of those who reported that they suffer from at least one chronic disease, in the age group 60+ years was 70.7% of the total cases, which is a greater percentage among the females, reaching to 75.3%, compared to a proportion of 64.6% among older males. It is worth mentioning that chronic diseases are the leading cause of death among the elderly, where the West Bank hit a record of 599 deaths, in 2014, as caused by complications of diabetes, of which 503 deaths of individuals over the age of sixty. 44 State of Palestine, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, press statement on the occaision of the International Elderly Day, 1/10/2016 45 HELP-Age International, Foundation, an analysis of the situation of older people's rights and needs in Palestine, a final draft, Arabic, October 2015. 46 Ministry of Social Development, Strategic Plan for the Elderly sector in Palestine 2016-2020 47 Global age standard that evaluates the level of social and economic well-for the elderly in the world. All digital data in this regard are from the International Commission for the Care of Elderly report bulletin issued on 7 September 2015. االحصاء الفلسطيني. -2011ح انفاق واستهالك االسر في مس 48 40  Low participation in the labor force and relying mainly on the family, in addition to the increased poverty among households headed by an elderly. Residential care homes and day clubs rank in the second place in serving the homeless and those with no support, in spite of the fact that they are few in number and the low accommodation capacity, in addition to their poor infrastructure.  The spread of violence against the elderly, male and female, especially in the Gaza Strip, due to the prevailing political, security and economic conditions, in addition to the ongoing Israeli wars against the strip. In 2011, the old suffered medical neglicance (17%, detailed as 18.3% females and 15.5% males), followed by psychological violence (11.4%, detaled as 13.2% females and 9.3% males).49  Poor adaptation of housing infrastructure for the needs of the elderly. The deterioration of the health, social and economic situation of the elderly in Palestine is attributed to the following reasons:  The Palestinian legislative and policy system does not take into account the needs and rights of the elderly, some laws are incomplete and others are yet to be approved, for instance, the Public Health Law, No. 20 of 2004, did not state on any direct considerations of them in any of its articles, nor does the public health insurance system contain much with respect to them, neither did state the retirement age in the private sector, in spite of the fact that there is a draft law prepared by the Ministry of Social Development for the old citizens in 2012, in collaboration with partners in the Higher National Committee for the Care of the Elderly, yet, it has not been approved yet, because of the nonfunctioning of the Legislative Council. There is also no official policy approach, government programs or national policies that support the participation of older persons and ensure their various rights, except for the pension that a small percentage of them receive, within the General Retirement Law that is related to retirement in the civil and military public sector. In addition, there are no policies for income generating projects for the elderly, or policies calling for continued participation of the old in the labor market, inspite of the tendency of the old to go for woring in income generating work and to improve their economic situation, or due to their feeling of the ability to participate, produce, self reliance and continue with productive work and development. There are no significant policies that encourage the stay of the old in their houses instead of admitting them to oldage houses, except mentioning that in the Law of the Aged. Additionally, there are no policies encouraging the old to interact outside their houses; such as reducing the cost of transportation, proper adapted roads, adapted public toilets, cars and vehicles for the old, social and recreational programs for the old and government building that are easily accessible … etc.50  The working procedures and programs of the active actors in the field of social development, and that of universities do not reflect the needs and rights of the elderly. .2011الجهاز المركزي لالحصاء الفلسطيني، مسح العنف في المجتمع الفلسطيني، 49 .57-50فحة ، ص2015مؤسسة هيلب أيج انترناشينال، تحليل ألوضاع حقوق كبار السن واحتياجاتهم في فلسطين، مسودة نهائية، اللغة العربية، تشرين أول 50 41 Despite having many services, programs and interventions provided by the government, private and international institutions to promote the health and social family situation, this includes the elders, yet, the policies and procedures of the work of many of these actors do not reflect the needs and rights of the elderly in particular, where they are included as part of the services provided to the family in general. For example, the Ministry of Health, NGOs and UNRWA have programs for chronic diseases, which target at all ages, including the elderly. Apart of the above, these institutions do not have, in particular, policy orientations and procedures aimed at dealing with the elderly. Add to that, there are no therapeutic or preventive programs at the clinics of the Ministry of Health; such as awareness, education, care and others targeting the elderly in particular. Additionally, old women in advanced years of age, (menopause and beyond), are not offered medical care and check-ups in particular; such as, bone osteoporosis and nutrition ... etc. . . . The Community Health Department at the Ministry of Health lack specialized programs targeting the elderly.  The available academic disciplines do not take into account the areas of aging. At the level of the academic institutions and universities, there is no specialization aging medicine discipline in medical schools curricula, even there are no doctors specializing in geriatrics. Additionally, government health insurance programs that cover chronic mental illness, such as Alzheimer and dementia, lack having qualified psychiatrists specializing in geriatric medicine.  Scarcity of knowledge and studies focusing on the status of the social, economic and cultural rights of the elderly: Other than statistical surveys on smoking old people, there is a lack of specialized studies in the areas of health behaviors and patterns of living; such as dietary habits or exercise and physical activity. There is a lack of studies that focus on the requirements for mental health among the elderly, except for some of the few studies in Gaza,. Add to the above, there is a scarcity of programs that encourage volunteer 51 work with this group, in an institutionalized way.  The scarcity of centers, institutions and the inpatient rehabilitation centers for the elderly, in addition to their poor infrastructure that do not fit in with the growing needs, and their concentration in urban areas, while mainly excluding rural areas, refugee camps, remote and marginalized areas, in addition to their poor infrastructure 4.5. Issues and challenges facing persons with disability Based on the national survey of individuals with disabilities in 2011, the survey defined the persons with disabilities as "Persons who suffer from long term physical disabilities, mental, intellectual or physical impairments, which through its interaction with the different obstacles and environments, may limit their active and full participation in the society on equal bases with the others”. according to the relaxed definition, which defines "an individual with a disability as a person who suffers from some difficulty, or great difficulty, or totally impaired", which was used in the surveys of the family and the general census of the population and enterprises in 2007, the prevalence of disability in the Palestinian territory was estimated at around 7% in 2011, and the same percentage in the West Bank and Gaza كالسابق. 51 42 Strip52. The results of the survey of individuals with disabilities showed that the rate of disability increases in parallel with the increase of age, and that movement disabilities are the most prevalent types of disability, in addition to revealing that the highest prevalence of disability was in Jenin governorate, while the lowest rate was in the Jerusalem governorate, at the West Bank level. In the Gaza Strip however, the highest rate was in the Gaza governorate (2.5%), and the lowest rate was in the Khan Younis governorate (2.2%). Following, is a summary to the most important challenges and problems facing the individuals with disabilities:  The participation engagement of disabled youths and children in early, basic, secondary and high education is low, where the percentage of those enrolled in education is currently at a lowly 5.9%. In 2014-2015 the number of students who joined a government school was 7552 (3998 males and 3554 females), where the percentage was higher for those suffering speech impedements (2221 students), followed by students with partial vision impairment (1889 students), then those with disability (1611 students) and partial hearing impairment (1107). Only 505 students with mental impairment, 119 of hearing impairments, 100 of complete vision impairment53. It is noted that 35% of school age children with disability did not receive education54. 38% of individuals of both genders aged 15 years and above did not join a school (5% in West Bank and 2% in Gaza). Additionally, 8% of those who were receiving education dropped out (0.37% in the West Bank and 1.27% in Gaza). 53% are illiterate (52% in the West Bank and 56% in Gaza), which is a high percentage compared to the national average of literacy rated at 55 96% in 201256. On the other hand, only 23% of those enrolled in a school have graduated (22% in the West Bank and 25% in Gaza)57. A 2011 Beirzeit University study reveiled that 97.2% of surveyed disabled individuals believed in their right to education, while 18.5% of them never had any chance to education. The study also reveiled geographic-based differences between Gaza and the West Bank (22.5% of surveyed in Gaza pointed out they never had a chance to education compared to the 15.5% in the West bank), gender-based differences where females were the least enrolled in schools (29% of females compared to 19% of males pointed out they never had the chance to receive education). In addition, around 20% of the surveyed were enrolled in secondary schools and only 6% were university students58. It is worth noting there is an insufficiency of comprehensive information at the disposal of the Ministry of Education and the Central Bureau of Statistics regarding the number of students with disabilities enrolled in higher education, percentages in light of disability, gender, academic needs, educational problems, participation in athletic, social and cultural activities in colleges and universities; a matter that hinders the process of informed public 52 The Palestinian National Authority, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Persons with disability survey, main results, 2011, pp. 21-25 .61، صفحة 2015، حزيران 2015-2014ربوي السنوي للعام الدراسي وزارة التربية والتعليم العالي،الكتاب االحصائي الت 53 ، 2016(، مسودة أولى غير نهائية، اكتوبر 2022-2017دولة فلسطين، وزارة المرأة، االستراتيجية الوطنية عبر القطاعية لتعزيز المساواة والعدالة بين الجنسين وتمكين المرأة ) 54 .18صفحة .22، صفحة 2011ينية، الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، وزارة الشؤون االجتماعية، مسح األفراد ذوي إعاقة، تقرير النتائج الرئيسية،لسلطة الوطنية الفلسط ا 55 ، 2000-2012، 1997، 1995في فلسطين حسب الجنس والعمر سنة فأكثر( 15) معدالت معرفة القراءة والكتابة لألفراددولة فلسطين، الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، 56 . 11A1.htm-2012-1994-http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/ Rainbow/Documents/Educationإطلع على .81، صفحة 2011ن االجتماعية، مسح األفراد ذوي إعاقة، تقرير النتائج الرئيسية،الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، وزارة الشؤو 57 .23، صفحة 2011كانون الثاني 20مؤسسة دياكونيا/ناد، برنامج التأهيل، دراسة على أساس أدلة بحثية: وصول األشخاص ذوي اإلعاقة إلى التعليم الرسمي، 58 http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/ Rainbow/Documents/Education-1994-2012-11A1.htm 43 policy making on the basis of comprehensive knowledge and analysis of the students with disability.attributed to the following:The poor participation of students in education is 59 1) Current policies and measures in universities do not encourage the enrollment of students with disability. There are currently no special incentive measures, priviledges regarding scholarships and loans or student services for them. They are treated equally to the rest of students. Ministerial decisions made by the Ministry of Education for a collection of universities do not include documented measures to be applied to ease the process of admission for students with disabilities applying for higher education enrollment. Such special measures include easing the standards regarding their grade averages for example, keeping in mind the fact that the Ministry of Education will make the process of admission easier for students with disabilities individually, case by case, according to individual circumstances and after negotiation with the higher education institution. That is to ensure no favoritism or violation of their right to higher education. Additionally, there are no measures or special programs to provide them with devices to aid their education. Most students with disabilities at higher education institutions source their own personal devices (computers, recorders, hearing aid, etc…). The universities also have no special facilitative measures, adapting of educational curriculum and tools and provide no assistants in exams, moving and searching through campus, housing, etc.60 2) Shortage in qualified personnel in responding to the needs of education for people with disability. 3) The educational environment is not suitable for use of students with disabilities regarding lavatories, hallways, entrances, curriculum and special needed tools and devices. For example, the surveys of the Ministry of Education of 2014-2015 reveil that 55% of schools in Gaza and the West Bank provide hallways and entrances, and 56% provide lavatories for students with disabilities. It is notable that schools in Gaza provide these services at higher percentages compared to their West Bank counterparts.s key in aiding those with disability in receiving education, This i61 especially females. It is noted that slightly more than 22% of individuals with disabilities have dropped out due to environment and financial constraints (23% in the West Bank, 4.19% in Gaza, 7.21% of males and 9.22% of females). The high percentage of female school drop out rate compared to that of the males could be attributed to financial and environment obstacles that have to do with parents’ low incentives and lack of encouragement to their daughters in case of obstacles. 4) Difficulty of disabled students in accessing schools, as a result of their distant residence and inavailability of suitable transportation, as 61% of children with disability, aged 10-17 years, do not use public transportation due to environmental and financial reasons. Children with movement disability are the most in need for adapting transportation to continue their education (50%), followed by memory and concentration disability (25%), the visually impaired (24.5%), hearing disability (15.2%) and the communication disability (12.5%).62 The negative attitude of drivers towards individuals with disability and the high financial cost restrict their movement in general, girls and women are generally impacted by all these factors. اسات والتشريعات الناظمة للتعليم العالي والتحاق الشباب ذوي اإلعاقة: إضاءات في أفضل الممارسات العالمية وتحليل الواقع السياساتي مؤسسة قادر للتنمية المجتمعية، السي 59 .2014أب 5والتشريعي الفلسطيني واستجابته لحقوق األشخاص ذوي اإلعاقة في التعليم، ت الناظمة للتعليم العالي والتحاق الشباب ذوي اإلعاقة: إضاءات في أفضل الممارسات العالمية وتحليل الواقع السياساتي مؤسسة قادر للتنمية المجتمعية، السياسات والتشريعا 60 .2014أب 5والتشريعي الفلسطيني واستجابته لحقوق األشخاص ذوي اإلعاقة في التعليم، .58، صفحة 2015، حزيران 2015-2014لعام الدراسي وزارة التربية والتعليم العالي،الكتاب االحصائي التربوي السنوي ل 61 .76 -59، صفحة 2011الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، وزارة الشؤون االجتماعية، مسح األفراد ذوي إعاقة، تقرير النتائج الرئيسية، 62 44 5) Negative community attitudes, where many parents refuse to send their disabled sons to schools, especially disabled females, as well as the school administration plays a basic role in encouraging or restricting their enrolement; for instance, 20% of the surveyed, in the 2011 Birziet University Development Studies Center study, said that the school administration refused their enrollement in school, especially for children with learning difficulties, hearing impairment and communication disability. 6) The economic situation of the family restricts the possibility of disabled youths to join high education, as well as it plays a role that affects the potential of children enrollement in the basic and secondary education, especially, when that requires costs for the adaptation of curriculum and educational tools for children and the cost of transportation; which prevents children and households with limited income from registering their daughters and sons in schools, colleges and universities. 7) The Plestinian legislations do not actively support the enrollement of disabled people in higher education, provisions of law number (4) of 1999 regarding the rights of the disabled and the decision o the Council of Ministers number (40) of 2004, with bylaw (4) of 1999 concerning the rights of the disabled are not implemented, in addition to the fact that they do not include enough enforcement factors. On the other hand, law number (11) of 1998 concerning higher education does not include any reference to rights to higher education for the disabled, nor does it has mandatory texts on hirimg personnel which are qualified in educating and dealing with the disabled or adopting curricula that suites their needs. There is a lack of regulations, instructions, systems or decisions that are mandatory for the higher education institutions to provide assistance tools for those enrolled in higher education institutions. There is also a lack of implementation of legal articles that require the public and private sectors to hire people with disability.  Low participation of people with disability in the labor market, as 87% of disabled individuals above 15 years do not work nor search for employment (86% in the West Bank 91% in Gaza), which means they are totally not participating in the labor market, whereas the percentage of people with disability working in the labor market does not exceed 8% while unemployment rates do not exceed 4% (unemployed not searching for work and unemployed searching for work)This can . 63 be attributed to the difficulty of accessing work places and their poor adaptation,in 64 addition to the poor academic and technical skills, especially in light of their poor potential of joining vocational and higher education institutions suitable to their needs. There is also poor enforcement and monitoring regarding their employment in the private sector.  Poor participation of individuals with disability in social life as around half of them, aged 10-17 years, do not participate in social life and more than a third of them do not socialize with their friends and families. Most of those 18 years of age or higher do not go with families and friends to social places, visiting friends and family nor do they participate in events such as weddings (82.6%, 56.4%, 60.4%). About half of them, aged 18 years and higher, face difficulties in accessibility in conducting certain activities outdoors for an insufficiency of sidewalks, streets, roadsigns, recreational services and car parking.65 .81، صفحة 2011تقرير النتائج الرئيسية، الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء الفلسطيني، وزارة الشؤون االجتماعية، مسح األفراد ذوي إعاقة، 63 .27-26كالسابق، صفحة 64 .23كالسابق، صفحة 65 45  Poor institutional capacity that deal with persons with disabilities: The institutions dealing with persons with disabilities suffer from many challenges, the most important of these are the lack of personnel specializing in rehabilitation, education and intellectual counseling, which specializes in the different types of disabilities and counseling areas. On the other hand, the services provided do not match the needs of persons with disabilities, in terms of concentration in the cities, the existence of a gap in the coverage of some of the age groups of the elderly, some types of disabilities, varying capacity limits of the institutions, the lack of additional specialized health treatment, diagnostic and preventive medicine services. Add to that, there is a lack of specialized educational services to certain age groups and for individuals with disabilities to access free education that covers all geographic areas, in addition to limited empowerment programs, particularly those aimed at women with disabilities66.  Limited knowledge and policy analysis at the disposal of decision makers about the situation of persons with different disabilities. The issue of determining the size of disability, its prevalence and characteristics in Palestine remains a without enjoying an entire consensus among the specialized relevant researchers, practitioners and decision.  Poor alignment of legislations and policies with the social and economic rights of people with disabilities, this is attributed to legal gaps in the Palestinian law of the disabled number (4) of 1999, in addition to a legal contradiction between the regulatory legislations of the law of the disabled and other laws such as the civil service law and the restriction of the bylaws’ tax exemption to those with motor disability while the law made tax exemption a right to all individuals with any disability.67 4.6 Issues and challenges facing the youths The Palestinian society is considered to be a young society, where the youth category ranked highest in the population count. Considering the current decrease in fertility rate, youths aged 15-29 years account for 30% of the totoal population. The number is expected to increase from 1.5 million to 1.9 million in 2030. In light of the structural demographic change, demographic revenue is considered an opportunity to make economic gains connected with the decline in the rates of dependency and increase in production age residents. In order to capitalize on the demographic revenue, younger residents should enjoy better access to quality education, sufficient nutrition, good healthcare services, productive job opportunities and youth supporting policies. In mid-2016, the proportion of young people aged 15 to 29 years was 30% of the total population; 37% in the age group (15-19 years) and 63% in the age group (20-29 years). In 68 2015 around 36.9% of young people within the age group (15-29) joined education. Additionally, 11.2% of young males, compared to 14.3% of females, graduated from 66 Ministry of Women Affairs, Development Studies Center, developing linkages: towards strategies and integrated policies for the empowerment of the Palestinian women, 2013 .2012، 15إطار التخطيط االستراتيجي الوطني لقطاع اإلعاقة في فلسطين، صفحة المجلس األعلى لشؤون األشخاص ذوي اإلعاقة، 67 68 Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, press statement on the International Youths Day, 12/08/2016 46 universities69. This group suffer from high rates of unemployment, which increased to 30% (25% males and 60.4% females) in the same year. The highest unemployment rate featured among the age groups between 18-22 years (37.2%). It is worth mentioning that about 28% of the unemployed youth have completed at least 13 years of education, and 38% of them are graduates with an intermediate diploma or higher. Despite the low incidence of infectious diseases among this group, yet, there is a rise in the proportion of non-communicable diseases among the youths; such as mental diseases, diabetes, heart disease and cancer), as 27.4% of the young people suffer from psychological problems and suffer a high rate of smoking among them for up to 23.5% (40.9% males and 5.4% for females) 70. Additionally, in 2011, more than a quarter of the young people were exposed to violence at a percentage of 19.4% for the males and 22.1% for the females71, given that 18.4% of young women have been subjected to harassment and provocation in 2015. With regard to their social and political participation, it remains poor, especially as related to their involvement in voluntary work, societal change and activity, the elections in the local councils and various civil and grassroots organizations and political parties as we notice low participation of females in athletic activities and management of athletic institutions compared to their male counterparts. According to 2013 statistics by the Palestinian Higher Council of Youth and Sports, the number of males active in sport centers and clubs is approximately 10 folds that of the females. This great social gap is reflected in the staff of centers and clubs where the number of males is ten folds that of active females in the management of such institutions. 72 Female membership however is low as the survey of Palestinian youth of 2015 reveiled that 6.3% of youth are members of sports centers and clubs where it is 10.6% for males and 1.6% for females.73 Participation of youths in volunteer work is low with males doing more volunteer work than females at 1.7% with females coming in at 6%.74 On the other hand, the weakness and lack of adaptability regarding services for the disabled in athletic and cultural institutions are noticeable. That is for the lack of requirements at the moment, centralization of such institutions in urban settings and marginalization of rural areas and refugee camps making these institutions not accessible for the youths of those areas. That is in addition to the absence of centers targeting every member of the family, including the females. On the other hand, there is a lack of specialized trainers in athletic and artistic fields and lack of focus on various sports other than soccer. There is also limited official support for women’s athletics and lack of institutions for women and disabled athletics, culture and traditions do not support the involvement of women and the disabled in athletic activities, and the lack of awareness regarding athletics for women and the disabled.75 69 Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the Palestinian youth survey 2015, February 2016 70 Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the Palestinian youth survey 2015, February 2016 71 Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, press statement on the International Youths Day, 12/08/2016, accessable at http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/site/512/default.aspx?tabID=512&lang=en&ItemID=1184&mid=3172&wversion=Staging .27، صفحة 2016، النتائج الرئيسية، شباط 2015الفلسطيني، مسح الشباب الفلسطيني الجهاز المركزي لالحصاء 72 كالسابق. 73 كالسابق. 74 .51(، صفحة 2023-2017المجلس األعلى للشباب والرياضة، اإلستراتيجة الوطنية لقطاع الشباب الفلسطيني ) 75 http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/site/512/default.aspx?tabID=512&lang=en&ItemID=1184&mid=3172&wversion=Staging 47 The strategy of the Palestinian youth sector, for the years 2017-2022, that was prepared by the Higher Council for Youth and Sports76, also revealed that this situation is attributable to a variety of reasons including:  Limited and passive role of political parties towards the positive contribution in the strengthening of the feeling of belonging and the Palestinian identity among the youths, as well as linking the elections to personal and factional interests in general; a matter that resulted in low confidence of youths in the political parties and further contributed negatively towards low political participation, and thus the lack of opportunities for youth participation in decision-making.  The lack of a unified vision for the government and private sectors and youth institutions in relation to the priorities of youths and the proposed objectives and interventions to address the problems of youths.  Lack of participatory planning activities with youth groups and civil society organizations and all relevant actors and key partners.  Reliance of the programs implemented for youth activities on projects fully funded by external donors, as there is no dedicated budget allocations from the government budget to support youth activities.  Limited coordination, consultation and implementation of joint interventions between community organizations working in the youth sector.  The educational curriculum depends on memorization instead of creative thinking methodologies, participation, dialogue and field training for the students, or the e learning methods.  Poor skills and knowledge among the teaching staff.  National economic policies are not encouraging for young people.  Palestinian political division, the absence of legal institutions, the spread of corruption, the lack of oversight and accountability, the exclusion of youths and intolerance, reduce the role of youths in the safeguarding the Palestinian national project and makes their task more difficult in safeguarding the future of the national identity.  Not passing the law of Palestinian Youths Care, in spite of having a draft of the law that states on providing health insurance, job opportunities, the right to establishing a youth parliament, reducing university tution fees, fair sholership distribution, allow youths, male and female, to enjoy active political participation, political activities and forming parties, yet, the law is not approved yet and needs ammendments, in addition to the ambiguity of mechanizms for the implementation of the law provisions and turning it into a practical and theoretical framework. 4.7 Issues and challenges facing charity organizations Charities continue to play an important role in development, yet, they suffer from a range of challenges:  Issues related to registering and follow up of societies at the Ministry of Interior and other departments: There is a poor coordination mechanizms among the Ministry of Interior and other line ministries concerning the registration of societies,in addition to 77 76 State of Palestine, the Higher Council of Youths and Sport, the National Strategy for the Palestinian Youth Sector 2017-2022 الجمعيات، أداء على التنفيذية والئحته 2000لسنة )1 (رقم األهلية الخيرية والهيئات الجمعيات قانون أثر )ماس(، محمود دويدن، تقييم االقتصادية الفلسطيني السياسات أبحاث معهد 77 .48، صفحة 2016 48 the poor follow up mechanizms of the ministries for the work of societies, due to their limited financial and human resources and lack of proffissional ability to analyse financial and administrative reports, in addition to the overlapping of powers of the different official departments and entities.Some societies complain against 78 interventions in the appointment of boards and closing of offices. Additionally, societies believe that mandating the Ministry of Interior with registering the societies allows for the intervention of the executive in the civil work, especially during political crises. 79 94% of the societies’ sample, of the MAS Institute study of 2016, revealed that the executive and security services mostly make interventions and sometimes intervene in directing the work of the society. The Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights Unit at the Council of Ministers pointed out that the intervention of the Ministry of Interior is against its mandate, as stipulated in the law, as it should be specialized only in the registration, while leaving the other line ministries to follow up and oversee the work of the societies.80  Issues related to the management of the societies: Governance, accountability and transparency: The law lacks any reference to the management levels or the term length of the board and mechanizms of transparency and accountability, as the law and its regulations didin’t outline any mechanizms for transparency or accountability in the societies, especially for the board of a society. The law also lacks principles of transparancy in the performance of the societies such as publishing financial and administrative reports, sources of funds and donations, mechanisms of organizing and allowances of board members and financial auditing and complaints, etc. regarding the management of societies, the law did not point out administrative ranks; such as executive or financial management ranks along with the limits of their jurisdiction. That is in addition to appointing committees of the board and membership durations and did not prohibit or limit the employment of members’ relatives. There is still controversy regarding what should be adopted in the national legislations in light of accountability and transparency and what should be left to the systems and standards of the society.On 81 the other hand, there is weakness in the mechanisms of transparency, disclosure and accountability for societies where 89% of sampled societies in the 2016 study conducted by MAS institute did not have websites, only 46% of societies which do have websites disclose their financial and administrative statements approved by the society management and congress. That is in addition to 84% of societies do not disclose their bylaws to the public, 36% do not have conduct reports and only 65% have subject vacancies enjoy fair competition consistently. It is notable that 60% of societies appoint relatives of board members.82  Issues relevant to the approach strategies and programs: this is embodied in the weak complementarity between the society and government in applying governmental plans for development and tying programs of the society in the national plans in adition to limiting the functions of boards to handle financial and administrative matters and putting the right measures in place, also the absence of monitorization and supervision in reviewing .7، صفحة 2016وزارة التنمية االجتماعية، تقرير حول واقع الجمعيات الخيرية والمنظمات األهلي، 78 .50كالسابق، صفحة 79 .75-74كالسابق، صفحة 80 .55كالسابق، صفحة 81 .57كالسابق، صفحة 82 49 and approval of financial transactions.ging actors at the societies do not The mana83 conduct strategic planning, fundrise and strengthen networking with the outside parties. This is coupled with poor strategic planning in participation with the local community, citizens and relevant actors within the societies. On the other hand, there is a variation in the empowerment of societies to the volunteers, poor work mechanizms and lack of goudline manuals in the areas of speciality of these societies, along with the poor mechanizms for project design for the society needs through participatory planning, poor program monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, as 67% of the MAS study sample indicate that they didn’r have the impact assessment tools.  Issues related to financial and human resources: The limited diversity of funding sources for some societies that depend mainly on external funding and revenues of some activities and projects they implement has effect on the sustainability of these societies and their programs, where 83% of the societies sample, in the MAS survey of 2016, pointed out to their inability to financial sustainability, in addition to a significant decline in financial and in-kind support provided by the members of the societies and the dependence of societies on the membership subscripshin fees by the members in implementing their activities, which indicates to the poor philosophy of volunteerism and civic action by the members on the one hand, the limited amounts of membership subscription fees, or non commitment of members of majority of these societies to paying their membership fees.On the other hand, half of the societies in the aforementioned 84 study indicate to poor interest and lack of seriousness in human resource capacity building. 4.8. Issues and challenges facing the residents of the marginalized areas  East Jerusalem residents: Since 1967, the population of East Jerusalem are subjects to the jurisdiction of the Israeli occupation municipality and are subject to suffering difficult living conditions and many restrictions because of the occupation, which affect various aspects of their lives. The majority of Palestinian neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem suffer from the high population density due to the difficulty in obtaining building permits and because of house demolitions, land confiscation and freezing of properties by the Israeli occupation, as well as the inadequacy of public facilities and services, and the arrest of children and young people, in addition to the high unemployment rate among young people, which amounted at 40% in the second quarter of 2016, besides the high rates of poverty, where about 76% of the population of East Jerusalem live below the Israeli poverty line, of whom 84% are children. In addition, more than 99,000 Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem are isolated behind Israel's separation wall in the circumstances of bad living conditions, and are denied access to services and agricultural land and are forced to pass through barriers and obtaining permits.85 .2013المنظمات غير الحكومية، التقرير ربع السنوي الثالث، ديوان الرقابة المالية واإلدارية،المخالفات األكثر شيوعاً في المؤسسات األهلية و 83 الجمعيات، أداء على التنفيذية والئحته 2000لسنة )1 (رقم األهلية الخيرية والهيئات الجمعيات قانون أثر )ماس(، محمود دويدن، تقييم االقتصادية الفلسطيني السياسات أبحاث معهد 84 .72، صفحة 2016 تحدة القطري، األرض الفلسطينية المحتلة، التحليل القطري المشترك "لكي ال يترك أحد خلف الركب: نظرة إلى الضعف فريق األمم الم 85 .61-59، صفحة 2016والحرمان الهيكلي في فلسطين، 50  Residential communities in Area C: “The Palestinians in areas (c) are considered to be among the of the most marginalized in the West Bank population groups, especially with the increased food insecurity and malnutrition, and lack of access to health and education services, because of the lack, or inadequacy of basic public infrastructure services, closure and destruction of facilities by the Israeli occupation forces, in addition to the lack of proper adequate roads or transportation, as well as the limited access to grazing land and natural resources of water. Around 532 Palestinian communities in area (c)86 suffer the confiscation of their land by the Israeli occupation forces that demolish their homes and forcibly displace them. Most of the Palestinian local communities in the areas of (c) suffer water scarcity and rely mainly on water received through private tankers at prices up to five times higher that running pipe water, thus, their rights to mobility, housing, health, education, work and to decent living are violated.  Bedouin and pastoral communities in Area C: These communities are considered to be among the most marginalized of the Area C population. The number of the population of these communities is estimated to be around 30,171 people living in 183 Bedouin and pastoral communities87. It is estimated that 70% of them are refugees and that 90% of them depend on grazing. The Israeli measures imposed on them exacerbate the poverty gap they suffer in addition to limiting their ability to exercise their right to mobility, housing, health, education and employment. They also suffer from the constant threat of deportation and settler violence.88  The residents of H2 areas in Hebron: The residents H2 areas in Hebron, whose number is estimated to be around 40,000 Palestinians, suffer limited access to health, education, cultural services and economic activities, because of the continuous Israeli settler violence. The number of Israeli settlers is estimated at about 800 within the area and 8,000 settlers living in the settlement of Kiryat Arba in Hebron suburbs. It is also estimated that there are approximately 120 checkpoints by the Israeli occupation, which separate the area from the rest of the city. As a result of these Israeli arbitrary measures, most of the economic activities in the old city and the areas around the Israeli settlers have stopped, in addition to the displacement of thousands of Palestinians.  The population in the border areas: Around 11,000 Palestinians reside in the closed area bordering the Israeli wall, where their number is also expected to increase by 25,000 Palestinians when the Israeli wall is completed. This population is subject to harassment and the need for permits in their movement, even if their homes or their families, land or sources of income are located in these areas. These communities are separated from their farmland when the latter happens to be on the Israeli side of the wall, where the Palestinians are barred from accessing them during periods of harvest and are subject to Israeli permits regime, a matter that deprives them of their livelihoods and result into their unemployment, poverty and even death in cases of medical emergency. The Palestinians in the border areas in the Gaza Strip are also exposed to the demolition of their homes during the Israeli attacks and opening fire at farmers, they also suffer from restrictions on their access to their various rights, compared to down town areas, especially infrastructure 86 OCHA,https://public.tableau.com/profile/ocha.opt#!/vizhome/VPP2013MMay21N-Basic24/DashBasic 87 OCHA, AREA C Vulnerability Profile, 2014. 88 The UN, Analyses of the situation of the state, draft not for publication, 2016, p.32 https://public.tableau.com/profile/ocha.opt#!/vizhome/VPP2013MMay21N-Basic24/DashBasic 51 and construction projects, especially because some of them live in remote areas, and that the presence of the Israeli occupation in border areas affect the provision of the required services to them, mainly in the field of infrastructure for areas adjacent to the border.  Poor refugees and refugees in the camps: Refugees represent a percentage of 41.2% of the Palestinian population, of these 31.2% are living in poverty, where poverty rates increase as well as that of unemployment, fertility and food insecurity, all of which increase in general among the refugees in the refugee camps89. Many of the refugees cannot afford health care and education costs, and thus rely mainly on UNRWA services, aid and assistance from other organizations. Most of the poor refugees do not have assets or a capital, thus they are prone to deterioration into crises the event of exposure to any external emergency factors. In general, refugees live in poor housing conditions, with inadequate poor water and sanitation systems and suffer overcrowding. The also suffer from Israeli incursions90. In early 2015, there were 228,560 refugees living in 19 refugee camps in the West Bank, thus they make up 24.3% of the total registered refugees, while 560,964 refugees living in eight refugee camps in the Gaza Strip and make up 41.6% of the total registered refugees91. 89 PCBS, On the Eve of the International Day of Refugees (20/06/2015) 90 Camp Profiles, 2015, UNRWA 91 UNRWA in Figures 2015 52 Part three: Our future approaches ‘Where do we go in the next six years?’ 1. Our future aspirations for the future of out Palestinian society: The vision of the social development sector Immune Palestinian society that is solidifying, productive and innovative, which provides dignified life for all households and individuals, unleashes their potentials and believes in rights, equality, justice, partnership and integration. We have this vision for the social development sector, which includes a wide range of partners: official institutions, civil society and the private sector, United Nations organizations and other international partners, a vision that drives our potentials and joint efforts to confirm our aspirations and ambitious to move forward towards a united and coherent Palestinian society that is united in its households and members with interrelated and strong relationships, who work together in the pursuit of social, economic and national ambitions, while directing their collective potentials and believing in human rights and the values of equality, justice, partnership and integration. We foresee a Palestinian society that is vibrant and prosperous with its high productivity and creativity, revelling with its entrepreneurs and pioneers and serves the needs of its current and future generations and builds on its diversity, develops its social wealth and treats its citizens equally and fairly with respect, without any discrimination or exclusion. We aspire to a society where all Palestinians, women and men, girls and boys, people with disability, senior citizens, men and women and children enjoy a decent life and quality, so that all citizens enjoy basic life services, adequate food, health, education, water, appropriate infrastructure, decent work and a clean environment. This vision spins from the deep belief that decent life is for all cannot be achieved without a community that enhances access of the marginalized and vulnerable citizens and the most disadvantaged and vulnerable to marginalization, the poor and people with disabilities, women, senior citizens, children, and residents of the marginalized areas, such as East Jerusalem and Bedouin communities, shepherds and residents of areas (c), residents of border areas and areas adjacent to the Israeli wall, refugees in refugee camps and Gaza residents enjoying access to clean water and sewage, to the social system, with emphasis on the enjoyment of all their rights to ensure their full inclusion and participation at all levels, in accordance with the provisions of national laws and international conventions and treaties to which the State of Palestine is committed. So this vision emanates from a rights perspective that consolidates social justice, equality and non-discrimination, which would entail strengthening the relationship of the individual with the state, promotes good citizenship and crystallizes mature and a real understanding of the social contract; so that it can change the situation of families and individuals, male and female, and would lift them out of poverty, social marginalization and exclusion. We aspire to equality in the enjoyment of these categories of all their rights, space, mobility and decent living in the social, economic, political and business environment and to ensure positive discrimination 53 to achieve it and remove all forms of discrimination and exclusion of these categories. We stress on the integration process, out of our concept on development being a dynamic process that we aspires to be a "society for all" that respects differences and preserve the diversity and individuality, establishes a solid platform for social cohesion, which gives every Palestinian, both women and men, girls, boys, children and senior citizens, a sense of belonging, recognition and legitimacy in terms of respect for community diversity. Development can be achieved in our society with the availability of social will to mobilize latent social and human potentials of culture, values, beliefs, security, political structures and social organizations. Therefore, we foresee a society that is active with its institutions, national and local community and its groups, as key partners in the liberation and social development, together they liberate the potentials of individuals and empower them to perform their social and economic roles effectively, in order to be immune and capable of steadfastness in the face of the occupation and are able to protect themselves and cope with the shocks and pressures of political, economic, civil, political and natural crises, to which they may be exposed, and that may affect their wellbeing and livelihood requirements. We put forward this vision in declaration to our determination, resolve and plan to continue with our national efforts, for all Palestinians to live in freedom, dignity and in a decent standard of living, and to enjoy equality in social, cultural, political and economic life. Our determination and resolve in this vision spins from our commitment to the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, which asserts the full equality of rights and the values of social justice and provision of a decent life for citizens, as well as the commitment of the State of Palestine to the international agreements, treaties and protocols, most notably the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW), which protect the rights of these groups. 2. The main driver to social development partners: Governing values The work of all social development partners, official institutions, civil society, private sector, United Nations organizations and other international partners, is governed with a set of values that form regulatory guidelines for policies, programs and interventions; such parties in their work in the field of social development in Palestine. • Justice. • Equality and non-discrimination. • Rights. • Partnership. • Participation • Integration 54 3. Strategic objectives: What are the changes that we aspire to achieve in the years 2017-2022? 3.1. The first strategic objective: Poverty alleviation Combating poverty is a collective national responsibility that requires concerted efforts of all, official, civil, international and the private sector institutions, to reduce poverty in the Palestinian society and through influence in a range of interventions and policies that directly or indirectly contribute to strengthening steadfastness, immunity and economic empowerment for the Palestinian society. Through this strategic objective, we aspire toalleviate the multi dimentional poverty, hunger, deprivation, improve the food status of the marginalized and vulnerable households and strengthen the poor families and all their members, regardless of gender, age and disability, to secure the basic needs of life, food, clothing, housing convenient medical care, education and personal transportation and social relations services. It is the right of every Palestinian to enjoy adequate standard of living to preserve health and well-being to him / her and his / her family, and the right to securing their living in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, and ensuring social relations and other livelihoods of male and female citizens, which can be a result of external circumstances and subjected to falling into poverty. This objective also seeks to reduce poverty associated with inability to earn adequate income to achieve all the requirements of the whole family; food, health, education etc., so as to achieve sustainable development and a decent life for all. This goal crosscuts with all the sectors covered by the sectoral strategies, especially the management of public funds and the national economy, employment, education, health, agriculture, local government, energy and environment strategy, based on the concept that alleviating poverty should include ensuring access of poor families to convenient infrastructure, education, health and social services. Strategic Objective One: Alleviating poverty Whom do we target with this objective? The poor, male and female Who are our partners in achieving this objective? Official organizations, civil, private sector and international organizations What are the crosscuttings with the other sectoral strategies? All the sectors included in the sectoral strategies, especially the public funds, national economy, labor, education, health, agriculture, local government, energy and environment What are the right-based approach principles included in this objective? Legal binding, non-discrimination, empowerment of right holders 55 2.3 Second strategic objective: Removing all forms of marginalization and social exclusion in the Palestinian society Out of the rights approach, the relevant official, international and private sector organizations in this strategy adopt the second objective: This objective involves the elimination of all forms of negative discrimination in social, economic, cultural, sport and political rights against the marginalized groups, including the poor, women, children, youths, senior citizens and people with disabilities and in their access to resources, social, political and economic participation, for reasons related to discrimination on the basis of religion, colour, gender, disability, age or geographical location or political beliefs. This objective also focuses on the principle of accountability of relevant duty bearers in all fields and activating the role of institutions and local leaders and representatives of right holders and citizens, and empower them in this process. This objective crosscuts with a range of sectors, covered in the sectoral strategies, especially gender, youth, disability, education, health, employment, local economy and management of public funds, agriculture, local government, water, energy and environment strategy and the strategy for the implementation of UNSC resolution 1325 concerning women, peace and security, on the bases that removing all forms of marginalization and social exclusion should include the access of marginalized groups, the poor, women, children, youths, senior citizens, people with disability, to infrastructure, education, health, social services, access to justice and enhancing their social, economic and political participation. The second strategic objective: To remove all forms of marginalization and social exclusion in the Palestinian society Whom do we target in this objective? The poor, women, youths, children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Who are the partners to achieve this objective? The relevant official, national, international and private sector institutions. What are the crosscuts with sectors in the sectoral strategies? Gender, youth, disability, employment, education, health, agriculture, justice, local government, water and waste water strategy and the strategy for the implementation of the UNSC resolution 1325. What are the right-based approach principles included in this objective? Legal binding, non-discrimination, empowerment of right holders - Participation Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman, 12 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(54,95,145)), Complex Script Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt 56 3.3. The third strategic objective: To promote social cohesion Social cohesion is the ability of the community to ensure the well-being of all families and individuals and to minimize the differences among them. Social cohesion is not limited to combating social exclusion and poverty, but also includes the strengthening of family cohesion and unity, and to create solidarity in the community and promote volunteer work, social responsibility and the development of fair and inclusive economic policies for the marginalized and the poor, through a process of social development, thus, we see improvement in the confidence of the citizens and the citizens in the government and community leaders and an increase in the number of volunteers involved in development initiatives to care for the poor and marginalized groups, in addition to a decline in cases of social violence, an increase in the number of male and female citizens engaged / s in social institutions, political parties and councils and liberties, representative trade unions and institutions and other frameworks, local and national, as well as improved Palestinian view around the most important humanitarian and social values in the Palestinian society; such as social justice, belonging to the homeland, tolerance, solidarity, respect for others, which has historically characterized the Palestinian people, despite the decline of these values. This objective crosscuts mainly with the strategy on education, persons with disability and the cross-sectoral strategies for young people and gender. The third strategic objective: promoting social cohesion Whom do we target with this objective? Relevant governemnt, civil and private sector organizations Who are the partners to achieving this objective? Relevant governemnt, civil and private sector organizations What are the crosscuttings with sectors in the sectoral strategies? Gender, youth and persons with disabilities and education strategy. What are the right principles approach contained in this goal? Empower rights holders, participation 4. Sectoral Policies: What are the action rules that govern the work of all partners? The first strategic objective: Poverty reduction Sectoral policies 1. Organize and coordinate cash and non-cash social assistance: This policy is aimed at the development of social assistance systems that are gender sensitive, rather than programs to ensure sustainability to the adopt the right-bases approach. 57 2. Institutionalize and develop economic empowerment program for poor families, including the provision of needed financial resources and programs, including strengthening the process of promoting the relevant legislations. 3. Draft legislative, institutional and financial measures for the establishment and activation of agencies, funds and associations that are specialized in social security, disaster protection and insurance. 4. Draft institutional and regulatory measures to help local entities and institutions, charities and the leaders serve the poor. 5. Develop and expand the work of consumer protection associations in all governorates. The second strategic objective: the elimination of all forms of violence, marginalization and social exclusion in the Palestinian society Sectoral policies 1. Design need-based social services: This policy come to build social services to respond to the needs of the targeted households based on the analyses of their situation and conditions of the individuals and to identify appropriate interventions. 2. Enhance the decentralization of service delivery by adopting community and local alternatives: This policy seeks to strengthen the role of civil society and the local private sector institutions in the design and delivery, monitoring and evaluation of services, leading to a mixed market for the provision of social services, and local level referral systems, so as to enhance their effectiveness and ensure that they reach the target groups and on the basis of actual needs. 3. Ensuring that public education and higher education materials and curricula promote the goals of equality and justice for all and promote the rights-based approach 4. Create institutional and community mechanisms and culture that strengthen the role of institutions and local leaders, representatives of rights holders and citizens in the accountability of duty bearers in all areas. 5. Judiciary institutions develop policies and measures to empower the poor and marginalized groups to access Sharia and formal judiciary, by building a legal assistance system. 6. The provision and development of social and health and education services to all vulnerable groups, especially women and people with disabilities, children, senior citizens and youths and the development of measures for every one’s access to water, energy, sports and suitable cultural and the development of economic and entrepreneurship. Third strategic objective: Strengthening social cohesion Sectoral policies: 1. Develop national and local measures to encourage young men and women and community leaders to engage in volunteer work based on community service and on promoting community cohesion 2. Develop models with the participation of everyone to promote and institutionalization the concept of social responsibility of the private sector and municipalities 3. Develop and support national and local frameworks that sponsor community dialogue in the national unity and the promotion of human values and national issues 58 4. Ongoing national dialogue on the impact of economic policies on poverty, marginalization and discrimination and social justice rates. 5. Institutional infrastructure development and appropriate capacity building for Social Development: This policy is aimed to raise the capacity and efficiency of the services providing organizations and the development of their human resources and to establish terms of reference for the institutions and transparent and clear institutional arrangements. 6. Development of follow-up and evaluation system for the social development sector, with the participation of all partners: This policy is designed to work on developing a system for monitoring and evaluation so as to enhance accountability, transparency and governance of the sector in general, so as to ensure the progress of work in the areas of social development in accordance with sound standards and procedures and to ensure effective and efficient performance, therefore enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of various kinds of protection and social development interventions. 5. Sectoral results and responsibilities: What are the results that we want to achieve and what is the role of partners? The table below shows the results for each strategic objective and the role of different partners. Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society Strategic Objective One: Limiting poverty 1.1. Poor and vulnerable households capable of catering for their basic needs in adequate quantities and quality • provide cash assistance. • Provide regular food assistance for the food insecure households. • provide emergency financial assistance. • Rehabilitation of housing. • exemptions • Establish MIS information system and standard database on the needs of poor families and the services provided to them. • The Ministry of Health - Providing free health services. • The Ministry of Education and Higher Education - providing free educational services. • The Ministry of National Economy Development of national policies to promote investment and economic policies to address the causes of poverty and not just combat it and to build national reserves of commodities, especially flour.  Provide emergency and financial cash and food aid and assistance.  Provide adequate energy and water, especially in marginalized areas.  Adjustments to housing.  International advocacy campaigns to expose the Israeli practices that directly exacerbate poverty in Palestine.  Information and 59 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society • The Ministry of Finance: Financial policies that ensure addressing the causes of poverty and not only fight it.  The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) to develop the Palestinian concept on poverty, in line with national trends, the provision of statistics on poverty in Palestine.  Office of the Prime Minister: The development of a concept Palestinian on poverty, in line with national trends.  The Ministry of Public Works and Housing adaptation / provision of adequate housing for the poor. Studies.  Psychological counselling and social services. 1.2. Men and women, males and female youths of poor households engaged in collective and individual economic empowerment programs • Economic empowerment programs for poor families, including the establishment of new projects and business development for poor families that have existing projects. • Collective empowerment programs The Ministry of Labour empowerment programs for the unemployed. Ministry of Agriculture – collective empowerment programs for farmers. • Economic empowerment programs for poor families, including the establishment of new projects and business development for poor families that have existing projects. 60 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society for poor families and farmers. • The provision of loans for economic projects for poor families. • Vocational training and employment for young people and young women and persons with disabilities from poor families programs. • Encouraging businesses and projects that deal with the marketing of small-scale producers and poor products, and take advantage of global solidarity markets in this area. The training of their staff to enable them to better play their role in the field of direct interventions, in favor of the poor at the local level, and the design and implementation of interventions as well. The Ministry of Economy - A review of legislations and policies to develop policies and legislations that are encouraging to small producers and small businesses, and start-ups and projects that deal with the marketing of small-scale producers and poor products, and take advantage of global solidarity markets in this area. • The provision of loans for economic projects for poor families. • Vocational training and employment programs for young people and young women and persons with disabilities from poor families. • The private sector - the establishment of productive projects that employ poor labour force. Credit institutions the development of motivational policies for the poor, through the reduction of profit / interest rates and facilitate the process of borrowing and lending in the development of commodities by credit organizations to meet the needs of the poor, especially women. 1.3 Effective local and national social measures that protect the poor and vulnerable • Establish a national emergency fund to improve the national response to natural disasters. • The Ministry of Agriculture - enhance the readiness of risk prevention and agricultural insurance regulatory and • Studies and reports on social protection measures and the required needs. • Pressure and 61 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society groups, men and women, against shocks, crises and disasters. • Studies and reports on social protection measures and needs. • Review of the Palestinian legislations and determine the necessary amendments to ensure the necessary institutional environment for the implementation of policies and interventions that are or can be adopted to combat poverty in accordance with the new concept • Lobby for and the adoption of policies and legislations to provide basic needs (according to the current and future concept of poverty) and empowering the poor families, it also includes the reduction of electricity and water fees for the poor.  The care and leadership of national forums to coordinate the efforts of actors in this sector.  Unification of targeting and calculating poverty mechanisms.  Develop a national strategy to combat poverty and marginalization by financial aspects and competent cadres and governing legislations. • Social Security Corporation – Draft secondary and approval of legislations to the Social Security law. • The National Disaster Management Team / Supreme Council of the risk of civil defense: raise readiness and speed of response to natural disasters and others. • The establishment of a disaster fund. advocacy campaigns for the development of national and local measures. • The private sector financial contributions. 62 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society the end of 2018.  Building a social protection floor (define social allowances for marginalized elderly, disabled,)  Establish a high level entity / coordination entity to develop national policies (economic and social) included addressing the causes of poverty and not just fight it. The second strategic objective: the elimination of all forms of violence, marginalization and social exclusion in the Palestinian society 2.1 Protective legislations and policies that promote justice, equality and rights for all. • Studies to review policies and legislations relative to marginalized groups. • Organizing seminars with official institutions to debate amendments to the policies and legislations. • Review policies and legislations relative to the work and ministry centers. • The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Women's Affairs and the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports- adjust policies and legislations relative to each ministry for the protection and equality for women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly.  Lobbying and advocacy campaigns.  Studies and reports to review policies and legislation. 2.2. Community culture supportive of rights and accountability. • Awareness campaigns and advocacy activities around the issues of marginalized groups. • Studies and reports on the services provided. • Open meetings for citizens regarding the • The Ministry of Women's Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labour awareness campaigns and activities. • All ministries – capacity building for the staff working in the • Accountability sessions for duty bearers. • Building the capacity of rights holders on the social, civil, economic and political rights. 63 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society services provided. • Capacity building of the ministry staff about the rights and duties of employers and mechanisms of accountability and transparency. • Develop mechanisms of action to give way to the accountability of the community and community institutions to process the application of legislations, regulations and procedures. ministries regarding the duties of duty bearers, mechanisms of transparency and accountability, and the development of mechanisms of action that allows for accountability of the community and community institutions around the process of implementing legislations, regulations and procedures. • The Ministry of Education - Curriculum Review. The Ministry of Labour an awareness campaign for employers around the employment of persons with disabilities and conducting facilitative adaptive measures for the disabled without any discrimination on the basis of disability. • Awareness campaigns and activities. • Lobbying and advocacy campaigns. • Studies and reports. • Monitoring of violations. • Media programs. • Building media capabilities. • Civic education programs for young people, children and people with disabilities about citizenship, rights and public liberties, human rights and democracy. • Build the capacity of young people in the field of documenting and monitoring violations of their rights and to express them in the community forums. 2.3 Poor, marginalized and victims capable of accessing the justice system • Awareness of juveniles by specialists before entering the trial proceedings. • Awareness and counselling of parents • The Ministry of Justice review and amend policies and legislations, awareness and guidance to parents about the legal proceedings. • Provide legal support for marginalized groups. • Community awareness 64 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society about the legal proceedings. • The Ministry of Justice to provide free legal assistance to the poor and the marginalized. • The Ministry of Women's Affairs Develop a national plan to raise awareness about the right of women and girls to access justice. campaigns on the right of marginalized groups to access justice. • Studies and reports about the violation of the rights of groups to access justice. • Lobbying and advocacy campaigns. 2.4. The marginalized groups enjoy social, infrastructure and technology services. • Database of institutions concerned with the protection programs and services for women (RES. 1325 plan). • Social support services provided to women victims (RES. 1325 plan). • Training of 25 employees of the service providers in the social development sector on dealing with women victims of violence (RES. 1325 plan). • Services provided to children, women and persons with disabilities and the elderly. • Develop manuals and work procedures and regulations, etc. for services provided. • Capacity building of • All ministries that provide social services, infrastructure and Technology - the provision of health and education services and the adaptation of housing, transportation, infrastructure for the various groups, the development of manuals and working procedures on the services provided, and staff capacity building. • Social and psychological counselling • Adaptation of housing and education for people with disabilities. • Provide sponsorship, rehabilitative services and equipment for these groups. • Lobbying and advocacy campaigns regarding access of these groups to services. • Documenting violations regarding these groups’ access to services. • Studies and 65 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society staff. • Studies and reports. • Control over the services provided by NGOs. • The purchase of services from private institutions. • Periodic forums with partners on the reality of services. reports. • Awareness campaigns. 2.5 Active social, economic and political participation for the marginalized groups.  Economic empowerment programs  Social activities. studies and reports. • The Ministry of Labour - establishment of agricultural cooperatives for women and youth, and building the capacity of cooperative societies. • The Ministry of Economy - policies and legislation to encourage the marketing of products of small producers and approve specifications specializes in traditional industries and women run food industries. • The Ministry of Education – development of training programs and vocational and technical training for the integration of persons with disabilities, through the disciplines which suit the needs of  Hold social, cultural and recreational activities and programs.  Lobbying and advocacy campaigns.  Economic empowerment groups.  Organizing summer camps for young people.  Encourage entrepreneurial initiatives and activities of volunteer programs by students in schools and universities.  Education programs for 66 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society persons with disabilities and amendments to the curriculum and facilities, and the training of teaching staff on that, and provide transportation costs for persons with disabilities to gain access to these centers. • The Ministry of Culture - the establishment of cultural centers. • The Ministry of Women's Affairs provide studies and analysis on the status of young men and women, boys and girls in cultural and sports activities, involvement in volunteer work, community institutions and make specific recommendations to activate the participation of young women. • The Ministry of Culture - the development of programs to support creative young men and women, the empowerment of amateur young men and women to engage in different activities and cultural centers. • Supreme Council for Youth and Sports- the development of adults. • Awareness campaigns supporting the trends and initiatives and values of vocational work. • Educational and awareness programs and capacity building for the development of the concepts of the culture and practices of volunteer and charity work among young people, universities and youth institutions through mandatory volunteerism. • Implementation of initiatives designed to strengthen and activate youth participation in civil and political activities. • Capacity building of staff in the local cultural and sports centers and equipping such centers. • Create spaces that are friendly for children and youth. • Regular local 67 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society women's sports and for persons with disabilities and the provision of sports facilities, appropriate to the needs and conditions of young men and women in all villages and neighbourhoods and refugee camps and persons with disabilities in collaboration with the Para-Olympic Committee. The Council will also work to educate young men and women to engage in voluntary and community work and offer programs related to the care of youth initiatives and voluntary and capacity building for workers in sports clubs and cultural centers on gender and development suited for girls and women programs. • Local Government and the Ministry of Public Works: Regular local markets; such as popular markets for women made Products; in collaboration with civil society organizations. markets for women made products such as popular markets, in cooperation with the local government and the Ministry of Public Works. • Capacity building of cooperative societies, especially those targeting women. • Improve the quality of women made products and marketing programs. Third strategic objective: strengthening social cohesion 3.1 Expanded effective volunteer work initiatives.  Study on the fundraising law, which is supposed to regulate the  The Ministry of Education policies and programs to  Youth volunteer programs to support and work with the poor and 68 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society fundraising process at the national level. encourage local voluntary initiatives in schools and universities, in collaboration with local entities and institutions. marginalized groups.  Local voluntary initiatives in schools and communities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and local entities.  Advocacy campaigns to approve the fundraising law. 3.2 Effective models of social responsibility at the local and national level. • Study on the reality of social responsibility. • Campaigns targeting private sector organizations to support the implementation of programs and services to protect children, women and the elderly, the poor, persons with disabilities and youth. • The signing of national agreements with private companies to adopt models of social responsibility to combat poverty and care for marginalized groups. • Initiatives to mobilize funds from the Palestinian individuals and institutions operating abroad. • Establish a fund for social responsibility in partnership with the private sector  The Ministry of Local Government programs to build the capacity of local authorities to adopt a community development approach and the establishment of a fund for community development. • Campaigns targeting private sector organizations to support the implementation of programs and services to protect children, women and the elderly, the poor, persons with disabilities and youth. • Programs to build the capacity of local authorities to adopt a community development approach. 69 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society institutions. 3.3 Economic policies are fair and inclusive.  • Drafting studies and reports to modify or re establish fair and inclusive economic policies for the poor and marginalized groups.  Lobby the relevant ministries to adjust economic policies. The Ministry of Economy Amendment of the economic policies.  Review of Economic Policy • Lobbying and advocacy campaigns to adjust economic policies. 3.4 Social bringing system supportive of human values.  Awareness and counselling campaigns concerning the system of human values.  The Ministry of Education - a review of the Palestinian curriculum to include equality and human values and implement programs and awareness initiatives with the parents' councils in schools about raising children and dealing with violence and respect for others and the values of tolerance issues, in collaboration with civil society organizations. • Studies on the extent of adopting in the curricula the values of humanity and reviewing them in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. • Awareness programs in schools and universities on equality and human values. • Media programs to promote equality and human values. • Community education programs and initiatives aimed at children, girls and boys and young men and women. • Awareness programs to improve the knowledge, practices and attitudes of young couples in child rearing issues. 70 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society • Awareness programs and initiatives with the parents’ councils in schools about raising children and dealing with violence and respect for others and the values of tolerance. 3.5 Relevant institutions in social development are efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of the community. • Building the capacity of workers in the Ministry of Social Development in all fields related to the work of the ministry. • Studies and reports about development areas. • Institutionalization and mainstreaming of the planning groups and boards of beneficiaries. • Media campaigns to support the development efforts and trends • The development of internal measures to improve the performance of the ministry. • Fundraising and mobilizing donors for the projects. • Associations licensing and  Building the capacity of charity programs to improve governance, planning, programs and human and financial resources. 71 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society oversight of their work. • Conduct a national survey of charities to classify and determine the reality of associations (governance, strategies and approaches, programs and services, coverage and expansion, financial and human) sources. • Granting tariff exemptions for associations. • Providing financial and administrative support to the associations. • The formation and follow-up of local social safety nets • Review the current Palestinian legislations to fit in with the principles of civil work, especially the law of charities (and the inclusion of foreign associations within and reviewing executive regulations, also to clarify the process of registration of associations and the role and powers of 72 Role of the Ministry of DevelopmentSocial Role of major government organizations Expected role of the civil society the Ministry of Interior and the role of the competent authority, the time period to issue license, the term of the Assembly after the license, in addition to pointing out to the administrative levels and the duration of membership of the board of Directors and mechanisms of transparency, accountability and issues of governance (membership of public entities, diversity of growth, identify the time period to assume membership of the boards of directors, for example, a maximum of two sessions), the Labour Law, non-profit corporate law, the law of cooperative societies, and modify the tax system. Monitoring and evaluation indicators: Measuring progress towards the objectives of the sectoral strategy and results The following table illustrates measuring objectives of the sectoral strategy and results Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 73 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 1. Strategi c Objective One: Limiting poverty 1. Extreme poverty rate based on consumption patterns. PCBS. gender ، age ،Area ،2018 2023 Survey 2. Extreme poverty rate, based on income. PCBS. gender ، age ،Area ،2018 2023 Survey 3. Based on the consumption patterns of the poverty rate. PCBS. gender ، age ،Area ،2018 2023 Survey 4. Based on income poverty rate. PCBS. gender ، age ،Area ،2018 2023 Survey 5. The proportion of the population living below the poverty line  PCBS. Gender, age groups 6. Men, women and children of all ages, the proportion of those living in poverty in all its dimensions, according to national definitions...  PCBS Area ، gender ، distance (Type of deprivation ،2018 2023 Survey 7. The percentage of food-insecure households PCBS. gender ، age ،Area ،2017 2022 Survey 8. The direct economic loss related to the global gross domestic product.  PCBS. Level detail deleted ،2017 2022 Survey 1.1 Poor and vulnerable families are able to have basic needs in adequate quality and quantity. 9. The percentage of poor families that benefit from the provided social assistance Ministry of Social Development. Ministry of Social Development. Family head gender, governorat e type of service, poverty line, disability Annual Administra tive records 10. Percentage of residents living among households capable of accessing basic services  PCBS ،Ministry of Social Development ، Ministry of Health ،the Ministry of Education Area ـ, service ،2018 2023 Surveys 74 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 11. Satisfaction level of beneficiaries of assistance for poor families (in terms of quantity and quality) Ministry of Social Development. Family head gender, ، groups age ، governorat e ،2017 ،2019 2022 A special study 12. The proportion of household spending on the health of the total household expenditure. PCBS. Family head gender, governorat e ،2018 2023 Survey 13. 13. The proportion of household spending on food. PCBS. Family head gender, governorat e ،2018 2023 Survey 14. Percentage of households that resort to strategies to cope with their standard of living. PCBS. Family head gender , ،2017 2022 Survey 1.2 Men and women in poor households are engaged in individual and collective economic empowerment projects. 15. Number of beneficiaries of economic empowerment Ministry of Social Development. Project type, geographic Area, the gender of the beneficiary , age group, nature of interventio n (grant, loan, employme nt another), the nature of the project (individual, collective) Annual Administra tive records 75 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 16. Proportion of poor families targeted with economic empowerment programs, and that still manages its economic projects after three years Ministry of Social Development. Project type, geographic Area, the gender of the beneficiary , age group, nature of interventio n (grant, loan, employme nt another), the nature of the project (individual, collective) 2017 ، 2019 ، 2022 Regular study 1.3 .Effective social national and local protection measures to protect the poor and vulnerable groups, men and women of the crises, shocks and disasters. 17. The number of national social protection measures that have been developed during the past 12 months to protect the vulnerable and marginalized groups. Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Women Affairs Description of measure type Annual Administra tive records 18. Number of local and national initiatives to limit disasters.  PCBS Content description Annual Records 19. The number of dead, missing and injured people as a result of disasters per 100 000 people.  PCBS Area Annual Records 20. The number of beneficiaries of the Agricultural Resilience Insurance Fund. Ministry of Agriculture Governorat e, assistance value Annual Administra tive records 76 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 21. Number of individuals registered in the Social Insurance Fund and the Retirement and Pension Commission Social Insurance Fund Retirement and Pension Commission Gender age group, governorat e Annual Administra tive records 2. The second strategic objective: the elimination of all forms of violence, marginaliz ation and social exclusion in the Palestinian society 22. The proportion of people who are covered by minimum/social protection systems.  PCBS In cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development, the Retirement Commission, the Social Security Fund, Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor. According to gender, with the distinction between children and the unemployed, the elderly and persons with disabilities, pregnant women / newborn children and victims of labor injuries, the poor and vulnerable Annual Administrati ve records 23. Percentage of individuals exposed to violence PCBS By type of violence, marital status, educational status, group age, gender, perpetrator of violence 2016 ، 2019 ، 2024 Survey 24. Percentage of child labor PCBS gender Annual Survey 25. Percentage of children dropping out of schools The Ministry of Education gender ، Area ، education level Annual Records 26. Percentage of individuals married below 18 years of age PCBS and Sharia courts gender ، Area Annual Administrati ve records 77 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 2.1 Protective legislation and policies that promote justice, equality and rights for all. 27. Number of legislations and policies for the protection of marginalized groups, modified or new, that have been adopted. Ministry of Social Development Children, girls, women, persons with disabilities, young people, senior citizens Annual Records 2.2 Social culture supportive of rights and accountability 28. number of citizens’ complaints that have been addressed Ministry of social Development Gender, type of complaint, area annual Records 2.2 Poor and marginalized groups and victims of violence are able to access justice system 28. The number of victims of violence who have been defended before the courts. Ministry of Social Development،, Hiegher Judicial Council, courts Area, category, type of violence, gender, victims of torture (violence of the occupation) Annual Records 29. Number of inhiretance cases before courts Hiegher Judicial and Ministry of Justice Gender, type of possession, age. Annual Records 30. 3. The proportion of the adults who have the rights guaranteed to the acquisition of land, who have legally recognized documents and those who consider their land rights guaranteed.  PCBC, Ministry of Agriculture, Labd Register Gender,، type of possession Annual Records 2.3 Marginalized groups enjoy social services 31. The number of children who enjoy protection against attacks Ministry of Social Development gender, type of violence, disability nnualA Administrati ve records 78 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source and infrastructure services and technology. 32. The proportion of illigitimate children and those of unknown parentage, who are in care institutions, for whom birth certificates are issued. Ministry of Social Development Gender, intervention type (Providing family protection) Annual Administrati ve records 33. The number of orphans who have received orphan sponsor service. Ministry of Social Development gender،type of sponsorship ، Area Annual Records 34. Number of juveniles who have been cared for and recieved social rehabilitation. Ministry of Social Development gender ، Area, type of rehabilitatio n Annual Records 35. The number of beneficiaries of the rehabilitation and training services in youth rehabilitation centers. Ministry of Social Development Gender, type of training Annual Records 36. The number of women who have been subjected to violence and exploitation and recieved protection services. Ministry of Social Development age ،type of violence ، type of service ، Area Annual Records 37. The number of women in correctional and rehabilitation centers, who have recieved social services during the past 12 months. Ministry of Social Development Type of charge ،type of service Annual cordsRe 38. The number of individuals with disabilities who have obtained customs exemption service over the past 12 months. Ministry of Social Development ،, Ministry of Transportation gender، , type of waiver Annual Records 79 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 39. The number of individuals with disabilities who have recieved supportive tools during the past 12 months. Ministry of Social Development gender Annual Records 40. The number of individuals with disabilities who have received services in specialized centers during the 12 months. Ministry of Social Development gender Annual Records 41. The proportion of individuals with disabilities covered by the free health insurance Ministry of Health gender Annual Records 42. The proportion of senior citizens covered by the free health insurance Ministry of Health gender Annual Records 43. The number of residents and benificieries at care homes for the elderly over the past 12 months. Ministry of Social Development gender ،type of service , (Shelter, day) Annual Records 44. Participation rate in regular learning rate before one year of the official primary school enrollment age.  PCBS in cooperation with the Ministry of Education gender Annual Records 2.4 Effective social, economic and political participation for the marginalized groups. 45. Rate of participation in labor force PCBS Area ، gender ، age Annual Survey 46. Percentage of women working in the government sector PCBS Area ، age Annual Survey 47. The proportion of individuals who engage in cultural activities. PCBS activity ، gender ، age ، groups 2017 ، 2022 Survey 80 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 48. Unemployment rate PCBS gender، age ، education level ، qualification , groups , (graduates, youths, females) Annual Survey 49. Number of persons with disabilities enrolled in education. the Ministry of Education gender ، education level Annual Records 50. The rate of participation of individuals with disabilities in the labor force. PCBS Sector based 2017 ، 2022 Survey 51. The percentage of people in a certain age group who achieve at least a constant performance level in functional classifications of illiteracy, computational skills.  PCBS in cooperation with the Ministry of Education gender، education level Records 52. The rate of participation in the elections at the national level. PCBS in cooperation with the Elections Commission Parliamentar y, Presidential, local entities 3. The third strategic objective: to promote social cohesion 53. The proportion of young people (15 29) who have a desire to migrate abroad. PCBS gender ، Area Survey 54. The number of criminal offenses reported in the Police stations. Police, Public prosecution gender ، Area ، crime type Annual Administrati ve records 81 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 55. The improvement in the confidence of citizens in government and community leaders, at the end of 2019 and the end of the year 2022. Survey centers gender ، Area 2017 ، 2019 ، 2022 Survey 56. The rate of increase in the perspective of individuals around the improvement of humanitarian and social values in Palestinian society (social justice, belonging to the homeland, tolerance, solidarity, respect for others). Opionion survey centers gender ، Area ،2017 ،2019 2022 Survey 3.1 Extensive and effective volunteer work initiatives 57. The participation rate of children and youths in volunteer work. PCBS gender ، Area Survey 3.2 Effective models of social responsibility at the local and national level. 58. The number of models of social responsibility executed at the local and national level. Ministry of Social Development Financial support, and signed agreements with institutions and companies the size 2017 ، 2019 ، 2022 Study 82 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source .3.3 Economic policies, fair and inclusive. 59. A number of economic policies that adopt the recommendations of the relevant reports to amend or re establish fair and inclusive economic policies for the poor and marginalized groups. Ministry of Social Development Policy-type, approving actor Annual ordsRec 3.4 Socializatio n system promotes human values 60. The number of cases of violence reported to the counselors in schools. the Ministry of Education، gender ،type of violence Annual Records 3.5 Relevant social development institutions are efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of the community 61. Beneficiaries' satisfaction over the services provided by the Ministry of Social Development. Ministry of Social Development catigory ، type of service Every three years Special study 62. Percentage of government spending on poverty limiting programs.  PCBS In cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development ، Ministry of Finance Area ، program ، Target group Annual Records 63. Percentage of government spending on basic services (social security, health, education). PCBS in cooperation with the Board of the Council of Social Security Fund, Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance Area Annual Records 83 Results chain Indicators Responsibility of data collection Level of details Regularit y of indicator Data collection source 64. Government sector capital recurrent spending llocated to the sectors that benifit the poor and and women and vulnerable groups Poor disproportionately  PCBS In cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development ، Ministry of Finance. Area Annual Records  Sustainable development indicator Part Four: Connection of the strategy with the national and international approaches 1. Linkage with the National Policy Agenda Since the social development sector is closely linked to a wide range of other sectors; such as health, education, agriculture, economy, security, justice, infrastructure and culture, the strategy is generally connected with nine national priorities, as outlined in the National Policies Agenda, especially with the priority (No. 7) 84 Figure 4: Crosscuttings with the national priorities and policy matrix in the draft National Policy Agenda National Priority No. 2: National Unity The strategy is linked to the policy priority "Achieving the unity of the land and the Palestinian people," as part of the policy intervention which related to the modernization and standardization of legal and legislative system, in line with the international obligations of the State of Palestine, and which is associated with the social development categories; such as children, the elderly, the poor and people with disabilities. It is also linked to the policy priority to work with the international organization and the refugees’ host countries to ensure the provision of services to refugees in all their refuge places. As for the second policy priority "Realization of democratization practice in the State of Palestine,” the association 85 is about ensuring democratic elections at the level of civil and grassroots organizations, and strengthening respect; for the principles of pluralism, equality and non-discrimination in Palestine, in addition to safeguarding the basic liberties of the citizens, especially the poor and marginalized groups. National Priority No. 3: Strengthening the international position of the State of Palestine The strategy is linked to the policy priority "Promoting participation in the international system", in order to meet the international obligations resulting from the accession of the State of Palestine to a number of international conventions, related to the social development sector’s target categories; such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and other international conventions and treaties. National Priority No. 4: Citizen-responsive government In terms of the human rights-based approach to the social development process, which outlines the rights holders and requires a special attention to the marginalized and vulnerable groups; such as the poor, the residents of areas (c) and areas adjacent to the Israeli separation wall in the West Bank and the residents of the border areas in the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem, especially their entitlement to basic services, thus, the policy priority relating to significantly upgrading the provision level of public services to citizens is hence associated with the strategy, especially from the perspective of proposed policy interventions, manifested in the development and implementation of the strategy for improving the services provided to citizens at different levels, in collaboration with partners, in addition to the launching of e government portal to provide basic services to citizens through them, in addition to strengthening partnership and consolidating complementarity, with non-governmental organizations and the private sector, in the provision of services. National Priority No. 5: Effective Government The human rights approach requires the strengthening of transparency, accountability and effective management of public funds in government work, on grounds of being bearers of duty and major actor in the social development process to enhance the delivery of services to citizens, a matter that serves as bases for policy priorities, within this national priority, which are the institutionalization of governmental institutions’ commitment to a code of conduct, combating corruption, promoting transparency in the work of the government, in such a way that ensures the right to access to information, strengthening result and performance-based public administration and the completion of the integration of planning and the budget, in addition to the transition into the programs-based budgeting, mainstreaming gender in government policies and programs and the budget process. In addition, the policy interventions for the efficacy and effectiveness of the management of public funds include retirement reform for public sector employees, reform and restructuring of public institutions to enhance their efficiency in the provision of services, the establishment of institutions that provide basic public services, especially water and electricity services. 86 National priority No (6): The independence of the Palestinian economy “Providing decent job opportunities for all" is considered to be one of the policy priorities that are most linked to the strategy, particularly through the adoption of measures related to expediting launching of entrepreneur projects for the employment of graduates, development and support to the Palestinian Employment Fund and ensuring a safe working environment that is sensitive to the health and professional safety standards. National priority No (7): Social justice and the rule of law Social development can’t be achieved without social justice and the rule of law, which is considered as a national priority listed in the national policy agenda; and thus is considered the main ground for the strategy. This includes, first, the first policy priority for poverty reduction through the development of economic and social empowerment programs for the poor and the marginalized, the economic and social policies that are sensitive to the needs of the poor and marginalized, social integration and providing jobs to the marginalized groups (persons with disabilities, young people, women). Additionally, the second policy priority is also included here, which is providing social protection through the development of appropriate and integrated social protection systems and outlining minimum levels for that, in addition to the enforcement of a just social security law, the development and institutionalization of social responsibility and strengthening of social dialogue. On the other hand, the strategy will directly aim for outlining the strategic objectives and policy interventions that achieve the policy priority of strengthening citizens’ access to justice, which includes policy interventions that include strengthening of the legislations regulating human rights and their enforcement, ensure efficiency of the judicial system and strengthen the implementation of judicial decisions, equitable access to the judicial services, legal assistance and promote complementarity in their provision, especially for women and juveniles. Finally, in terms of the targeting of social development strategy to women, it is linked to the fourth policy priority "Promote gender equality and empowerment of women" and interventions to remove all forms of gender discrimination, in addition to the elimination of all forms of violence against them, the removal of all obstacles to the full participation of women in the community development, economic and public life. Finally, in targeting young people, the strategy will seek to identify targets that are linked to the fifth policy priority "Our Youth, Our Future", which includes policy interventions in the form of empowerment of young Palestinians to enjoy opportunities that ensure success in their future, active participation in public life and state-building, by focusing on the less privileged young. National priority No (8): Good and comprehensive education for all Education is considered to be a key component of the social development strategy, which is associated with the first policy priority "early education for our children", by contributing to the achievement of the policy interventions, in the form of developing early childhood care programs that are available to all, expand and improve the pre-school education. The strategy will further seek to define objectives that contribute to the achievement of the policy priority "improve the quality of education," which includes developing and reforming the educational curriculum to ensure just access to educational opportunities; especially the marginalized areas and groups, and priority policy of "from education to work," "which includes the harmonization of education and technical and vocational training and higher education to be aligned with the development and labor market needs, in addition to the development of education infrastructure, education facilities, vocational and technical training. 87 National Priority No. 9: High-quality comprehensive health care that is accessible to all On grounds of providing services to the right holders and achieving their wellbeing, the development strategy is linked to the ninth national priority, in particular through the policy priorities that aspire to provide comprehensive healthcare services for all and to improve citizens' health and well-being, by contributing to the reform of the public health insurance system, enhancing the financial sustainability of the healthcare system (improving the purchase and referrals of medical services system), improving the level and quality of health services, greater equality in access to healthcare services, in addition to promoting preventive healthcare and promoting citizens’ health awareness and behavior, adopting the family health approach, enhance chronic diseases management programs and implement the national policies in this regard. National priority No (10): A society that enjoys resilience and capable of Development Finally, the strategy is linked to the national priority that seeks to attain a community that is resilient and capable of development, through the provision of safety, security, the promotion of the rule of law, meeting the basic needs of residential communities, the advancement of agriculture and rural communities 2. Connection with the objectives of sustainable development Out of the commitment of the State of Palestine to the objectives of Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030), which includes 17 goals and 169 indicators, adopted by the 193 UN members states in September, in 2015, as an international vision for development for a better future of the world by 2030, The Palestinian national strategy for social development will be guided by these goals, ten of them in particular (see table 5) Table 5: Palestinian social development strategy linked to some of the goals and objectives of sustainable development (2030 Agenda) Sustainable Development Goals Crosscuttings with the results and goals of the National Strategy for Social Development Goal 1: Ending all forms of poverty everywhere This objective cross cuts with the first strategic objective of the National Strategy for Social Development (Reducing poverty rate), with all its results Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture This crosscuts with the first strategic goal (Ending poverty) Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages This crosscuts with the first and second strategic goals Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all This crosscuts with the first strategic goal (Ending poverty) and the second objective (Removing all forms of social exclusion and marginalization in the Palestinian society) Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and This crosscuts to a large extent with the second strategic objective (Removing all forms of social exclusion and marginalization in the Palestinian 88 Sustainable Development Goals Crosscuttings with the results and goals of the National Strategy for Social Development girls society), specifically all of its results and policies, as women and girls were defined as a priority target group in the national strategy Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 5 This crosscuts with the results related to the first strategic goal that states on poor and vulnerable households are capable of meeting basic needs in adequate quantities and good quality Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all This crosscuts with the first strategic objective, especially as related to economic empowerment for the poor households, women, youths and persons with disability Goal 10: Reduce income inequality within and among countries This crosscuts with the first and second strategic goals Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable This crosscuts with the first strategic objective, especially as related to the availability of infrastructure and suitable housing, and crosscuts with the second strategic objective, as related to the policy of providing and developing education, health and social services for all of the marginalized groups and developing measures for the access of everyone to water, energy and suitable cultural and sports centers, in addition to developing national measures that ensure the integration of all marginalized groups into the society Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions This crosscuts with the second objective related to the access of the marginalized groups to justice, and crosscuts with the third strategic objective Part Five: Program policy statement: “Goals and objectives of the programs for the years 2017-2019” To contribute to the achievement of the above listed strategic objectives, the Ministry of Social Development will implement three main programs under the budget: empowerment program and the fight against poverty, development and protection of marginalized and vulnerable groups, administrative development and planning program, thus, these programs are closely associated with the three strategic objectives (see Fig. 6). 89 Fig. 5: Connection of budget programs with the strategic objectives 1. The empowerment and poverty combating program There are two objectives under this program (See table 6). The first objective states on assistance to the poor and margenalized households to meet their basic needs, while the second objective seeks to economically and socially empower the poor and margenalized households Third strategic objective الجتماعيتعزيز التماسك ا Administrative development and planning program 2 Second strategic objective Ending all forms of marginalization, violence and social exclusion in the Palestinian society Development of marginalized and vulnerable groups First strategic objective الحد من الفقر Empowerment and combating poverty program 3 1 90 Table 6: Policy objectives of the empowerment and poverty combating program Program policyobjective number one Assistance to poor and marginalized houeholds Outputs 159 000 individuals have received food ration card 118,000 families received regular cash assistance 80,000 students have received exemptions 5000 thousand families received emergency assistance 120 000 families have medical insurance cards 57000 individuals received food aid Program policy objective number Economically and socially empower the poor and margenalized households Outputs 1000 households benefited from the project 250 disabled people got loans 1000 youths benefited from economic projects 500 women benefited from empowerment programs 50 farmers benefited from collective empowerment programs 2. The program of development and protection for the marginalized and vulnerable groups This program includes the development for the marginalized and vulnerable groups through ensuring the quality of social services in the areas of care, protection, education, rehabilitation and prevention for the categories of (the poor, people with disabilities, women, children, the elderly, drug addicts the prisoners and their families), as a first step towards empowerment, in its broad sense; economically, socially, psychologically, housing and work, so as to work on protecting these groups from violence, exploitation, exclusion and marginalization through specialized centers for each class, in accordance with quality standards and modern accreditation regulations, and to contribute to the development of social and vocational rehabilitation, training and management of seasonal programs, in addition to providing family care for children of unknown parentage and illegitimate children through care mechanisms and care of children in preschools and care for orphans and juveniles, in addition to children lacking parental care, in addition to providing family awareness and counseling, developing and coordinating services with the charity community organizations through the consolidation of partnerships, purchase of services and coordination of interventions, in line with the official approved laws and regulations in place. 91 This program includes six objectives (see Table 7). The first objective states for 4000 of persons with disabilities to care, protection and rehabilitation and outreach services during 2017, while the second objective targets children and their families through protection and rehabilitation, care and to educate and guide them and sponsorship. The third objectivetargets women victims of violence and seeks to provide them with protection, empowerment, care and psychological rehabilitation, social and legal services. As for the elderly, they are being targeted in the fourth objective, which provides for the protection, guidance, day care and residential services for the 1800 senior citizens. Finally, the fifth objective focuses on strengthening the partnership and complementarity with charities, local and civil community to achieve protection for the most deserving of all marginalized groups, and to provide social services, within the framework of social responsibility. Table 7: Policy objectives of the program of development and protection for the marginalized and vulnerable groups Program policy objective 1 4000 disabled people received care, protection and rehabilitation services in 2017 Outputs 650 persons with disabilities will receive a tax exemption for the purchase of cars, which can facilitate their movement and mobility, in accordance with the conditions and criteria set forth in the regulations and the decision of the Council of Ministers. 500 persons with disabilities will get the support equipment, according to the ministry standards. 50 public, places, civil and private institutions will be adapted to the needs of persons with disabilities, through the lobbying, advocacy and monitoring campaigns, in coordination with the Ministry of Works, Municipalities and protection networks. 5% of the government and private jobs will be allocated to persons with disabilities, through advocacy and monitoring of compliance with the law, in cooperation with the General Personnel Council. 60 persons with disabilities will receive services from economic empowerment projects (funded) Accomplish and equip the building to provide services for the 92 blind 1,000 persons with disabilities and their relatives participated in seminars and advocacy workshops on the rights of persons with disabilities, in accordance with Law 4 of 1999. 1000 of persons with disabilities will receive shelter, care, protection and rehabilitation services in specialized centers, according to the standards and procedures of the ministry 100 people with disabilities in Hebron received vocational rehabilitation The signing of four agreements with partner ministries to regulate the provision of services for people with disabilities.... Program policy objective no. 2 18 210 children and their families have been rehabilitated, protected, received care, awareness, counseling and sponsorship. Outputs Shelter care for 400 elderly care tht fits the laws and regulations and international agreements 1000 seniors in the elderly centers and day clubs get suitable extracurricular activities 400 elderly people received awareness regarding their different health, cultural, educational, recreational, social and psychological rights 60 service purchase agreements that provided care by individuals and institutions of the community to persons with disabilities, the elderly and women victims of violence, when such services are not available in the ministry or its affiliated centers, with priority given to the families of the poor and marginalized according to the instructions of the purchase of service 4 The Administrative Development and Planning Program The Administrative Development and Planning Program focuses on providing administrative, logistical, legal and structural support, within the framework of modernity and innovation, in addition to building control, evaluation and development systems and the development of automation system and media promotion for the programs of the ministry, in addition to fundraising , planning and reporting and capacity building to ensure the implementation of the programs of the Ministry of Social Development efficiently and effectively. 93 This program has one objective (See Table no. 8) that target providing a supportive empowering environment for the transformation of the Ministry from social affairs to social development Table no. 8: Objectives of the Empowerment and anti-poverty program Outputs 240 employees boosted their abilities in all fields Documents of the Social Development Strategy Prepare an implementation plan The completion of two studies in the field of social development and another study in the field of Empowerment and Development Three planning groups have been institutionalized and disseminated Three boards of beneficiaries have been institutionalized and disseminated A computerized complaints system and transparent model has been accomplished Media campaign to support the development and policies The completion of local and international partnerships in the field of work of the Ministry A modern and efficient regulatory system that is based on risk assessment The completion of an efficient and effective follow-up and organization 94 system Fundraising and attracting donors for projects Statistical Report Completed 129 employees have been hired A supportive legal environment for the work of the Ministry programs Develop and build the capacity of 45 employees for the development of services 12 Directorates have been logistically supported to carry out their functions The Ministry of Development is able to mobilize financial resources through the electronic platform, crowd funding Social protection platform to protect women, children, the elderly, disabled and the unemployed Community contributes to the financing of development interventions at the governorate level (Community Development Fund) Part Six: financial resources envelopes and the funding gap for 2017-2019 Table 9: the expected annual financing costs and financing gap (in thousand NIS) Public Treasury financing Program Budget Amount 2017 Expect ed Cost 2017 Financin g Gap 2017 Budget Amount 2018 Expecte d Cost 2018 Financi ng Gap 2018 Budget Amount /2019 Expecte d Cost 2019 Financi ng Gap 2019 Empower ment and combatti ng poverty 758,860 827,32 4 68,464 781,477 828,286 -46,809 804,951 829,665 -24,714 95 Develop ment and protectio n of the poor and marginali zed groups 56,573 116,05 3 59,480 58,320 102,091 -43,771 60,040 103,801 -43,761 Administ rative developm ent and planning 10,948 11,013 -65 11,375 11,400 -25 11,717 11,730 -13 Total 826,381 954,39 0 128,009 851,172 941,777 -90,605 876,708 945,196 68,488 Funding gap in development spending (in Million US Dollars) Year Actual development costs Allocations from the public budget Development spending gap 2017 12.203 0.263 11.94 2018 5.939 0.271 5.668 2019 2.586 0.279 2.307 Total 20.728 0.813 915..19 Part Seven: Action Plan In order to achieve the objectives stated in this strategy, there is a need for the Council of Ministers to approve a number of legislatins and regulations,be it relevant to the groups that will be targeted or relevant to the work of the Ministry of Social Development, of these initiatives, we mention for instance; approving the amended Persons with Disability draft law and regulations, the draft law on the Protect the Elderly and its regulations, the regulations of the Juveniles Law, in addition to the licensing regulations and supervision of the protection of persons with disability, the elderly, children and women's centers (see table 10). 96 Table 10: Proposed initiatives to authenticate the Council of Ministers during the years 2017 to 2022 Month/ year Document Summary description Initiative 2017-2019 Law The Social Affairs Ministry law 2017-2018 Law The Persons with Disability amended law 2017-2018 Law The Elderly Protections law 2017-2019 Procedures manual . Procedures manuals for all the activities of the Ministry 2017 Rules and regulations Supervision and licensing systems for the women – children – elderly and persons with disability centers 2018 Regulations Regulations for the Elderly Protection law 2018-2019 Regulations Regulations and rules for the Persons with Disability law 2017-2018 Document Regulation Social Accountability Fund The Social Responsibility Fund bylaw 2016-2017 Regulations Juveniles law regulations 2017 Regulation The Child law executive regulations 2019-2020 Rules Institutionalization and reforming of the higher councils and committees of the Higher Council of the Child Disability, in light of the strategy 2020-2021 Reports Prepare reports draft on the CRC – Optional Protocol – Rights of the Persons with Disability Part Eight: The management Plan The Ministry of Social Development is aware that the shift from protection to development will have repercussions not only on the programs and policies, but also on the sector and the actors, in addition to administrative organizational approach of the ministry; the financial and technical aspects. Consequently, the Ministry of Social Development shall activate its leadership role in the social development sector, through the promotion of social policy development tools, knowledge management and effective coordination between all parties involved in social development, especially public institutions and civil society organizations and the frameworks representing the unprivileged, represented by trade unions, Agricultural federations, trade unions and any other transparent democratic representative frameworks, in a specific way and in order to specifically include the effective interventions in the plans and programs of all institutions, which contribute to 97 achieving the national vision for Social Development, thus, the Ministry of Social Development will implement the following: Development will implement the following: 1. Activate the role of the Planning and Budgeting Group within the ministry in the management of the three ministry programs: The Ministry shall seek to develop a set of internal measures which ensure that the Planning and Budgeting Group takes the tasks of monitoring, follow-up and evaluation of the three programs of the ministry, in addition to strengthening its contribution to achieving the four strategic objectives; specifically, the Minister will activate the group through the following measures. • A semi-annual evaluation of the progress made in the output, outside and within the projects of the three programs, and an annual evaluation at the level of outputs, objectives and goals through a review to the criteria of the objectives and goals • Review the ministry's programs at the end of each year, the review includes studying the relation of the goals and objectives in the strategic objectives and the sectoral results with the causality, meaning the theory of change that is related to the three programs and adjusting them wherever necessary, this review, can be immediately after the National Strategy for Social Development is approved by the Council of Ministers. The amended design can also include performance indicators rather than performance standards. • Draft an annual programs plan: The General Directorate of Planning will work with the program managers to develop a framework and methodology for the annual plan for the programs, which is reviewed to ensure the complementarity of program management. Additionally, the directors of the directorates at the Ministry of Social Development, directors of centers and some of the relevant government institutions can also take part in the annual planning work 2- The activating the role of the national team for the monitoring and evaluation of the sectoral objectives, results and interventions: The Ministry shall seek to develop a set of measures which boost the national team’s relationship in the strategic and particularly in the field of activating counselling, dissemination of knowledge and strengthening accountability towards the components of the strategy, specifically, the Minister will enforce the following measures: • The National Team offers advice during the development of a monitoring and evaluation system at the level of sectoral results and interventions and urges institutions to provide the necessary information for system monitoring and evaluation, especially to provide semi-annual reports on the interventions implemented in the field of social development. • Hold an annual meeting to discuss progress towards the crosscutting goals and results and make decisions to modify any of the strategic tracks based on field reports. 98 1. Developing social development interventions to consolidate economic immunity and empowerment, within the framework of multi-dimensional poverty Social deprivation and marginalization Multi-dimensional sever poverty Severe social marginalizatio n plan Dignified economically independent life F in a n c ia l p o v e rt y Social marginalization plan Multi dimensional moderate poverty Interventions: "Multi-dimensional" severe Poverty: Cash and in-kind assistance and services * "multi-dimensional" moderate poverty: Services * These interventions are not necessarily focused only on multi dimensional extreme and moderate poverty, but these categories will be a priority * Services provide opportunity for growth by addressing the social vulnerability and supporting economic empowerment Systems’ support to interventions: Information system Case management system 3. Developing Information Management System (MIS): 99 Database of the poor and martyrs Wealth and assetsTax system, social insurance Beneficiary database Service transactions Complaint redressal system Planning and analyses Evaluation and reporting Services, statistics, analyses, follow up and evaluation Case files and outputs Program (Society = All beneficiaries) Complaint redressal system Beneficiary Social record (Society= All potential beneficiaries of the social development policies) application Data exchange for auditing and data quality access 5. Case management system • House visits for by social researchers • Needs assessment • Provide support • Psychological and social • Other services: Care for seniors, the disables, maternity and child care… etc. • Service referral • Monitoring progress • Referral to locally available services • Partnership with the service providers and the private sector, preferential access and funding mechanism for the referred cases • Provide quality services • Services addressing social vulnerability and support to economic empowerment Beneficiaries Services Case manageme nt system 3. Develop the function of studies and social researches as bases to social policies: The Ministry will work on consolidating human and material resources needed to produce analytical studies to help decision makers to develop policies and design interventions that contribute to the priorities of all the vulnerable and the poor. 100 4. The activation of community and international solidarity: The Ministry will develop a sub-strategy that aims to develop strategies and tools for local, regional and international resource and fundraising to support local community initiatives in the field of development and social protection, the Ministry will also develop social responsibility programs for economic empowerment of women, youth and entrepreneurs 5. Restructuring the Ministry in line with the new functions: Through the different functions that include outlining the functions, jobs and outlining the human resources, along with defining the gaps between the current situation and what is needed, then propose an organizational structure and a plan for human resources development, with both of attracting expertise and improvement of existing staff. Annexes Annex 1: Members of the Planning and Budget Team at the Ministry of Social Development Organization Representative 101 Ministry of Social Development Ministry of Social Development Ministry of Social Development Ministry of Social Development Ministry of Social Development Ministry of Social Development The Ministry of Finance and Planning Ministry of Waqf Ministry of Prisoners Ministry of Labor The National Fund for Employment and Social Protection for Workers Ministry of Health The Ministry of Education and Higher Education Higher Council for Youth The Ministry of Women Ministry Of Agriculture The Ministry of Public Works and Housing Ministry of Local Government Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics Union of charities The NGOs development Center The Independent Commission for Human Rights Birzeit University Union of the Industrial Chambers of Commerce Paltel Group Palestinian Authority retirement Commission The Establishment of the families of the martyrs and the wounded Environment Quality Authority HE / Dr. Ibrahim Shaer / Head of the sectoral group Deputy Minister Dr. Mohammed Abu Hamid Assistant Deputy Minister Dawoud Dik Assistant Deputy Minister Anwar Hamam Minister Adviser Ayman Sawalha Members of the Planning and Budget Group Fadi Barghouti Hassan Tahboub Kainat Jaradat Karim Daraghmeh Ziad Craplah Ala Abu al-Rub Ola Eker Dr. Mamoun Jabr Nizar Basalat Amin Assi Maram Sawalha Nabil Tarazi Muhyiddin Arda Jawad Saleh Abdullah Sabri Ghassan Kasabreh Aisha Ahmed Dr. Bader Araj Musa Salameh Rania Meri Nabil Abboushi Saad Jubran Bashaer Craplah 102 103 104 Annex no. 2: The linkage of the Social Development Strategy with the National Policies Agenda National priority Policy priority Relative policy interventionsة Development strategy objectives National Priority No. 2: National Unity 2.1 Achieving the unity of the land and the Palestinian people The modernization and standardization of legal and legislative system, in line with the international obligations of the State of Palestine, work with the international organizations and the refugees’ host countries to ensure the provision of services to refugees in all their refuge places First and second strategic objectives 2.2 Realization of democratization practice in the State of Palestine Elections, strengthening respect; for the principles of pluralism, equality and non-discrimination in Palestine, in addition to safeguarding the basic liberties of the citizens Third strategic objective National Priority No. 3: Strengthening the international position of the State of Palestine 3.1 Promoting participation in the international system Meeting the international obligations resulting from the accession of the State of Palestine to a number of international conventions First and second strategic objectives National Priority No. 4: Citizen responsive government 4.2 improving the services provided to citizens The development and of a strategy for improving the services provided to citizens at different levels and implementing it in collaboration with partners, with focus on marginalized areas; such as the so-called areas (c), in addition to the launching of e-government portal to provide basic services to citizens, strengthening partnership and consolidating complementarity, with non-governmental organizations and the private sector, in the provision of services. First and second strategic objectives National Priority No. 5: Effective Government 5.1 strengthening of transparency, accountability The institutionalization of governmental institutions’ commitment to a code of conduct, combating corruption and promoting transparency in the work of the government, in such a way that ensures the right to access to information, strengthening result and performance-based public administration and the completion of the integration of planning and the budget, in addition to the transition into the programs based budgeting and mainstreaming gender in government policies and programs and the budget process Third strategic objective 5.2 effective management of public funds Retirement reform for public sector employees, reforming and restructuring of public institutions to enhance their efficiency in the provision of services, the establishment of institutions that provide basic public services, especially water and electricity services First and third strategic objective National 6.2 Providing decent The adoption of measures related to expediting Second strategic 105 National priority Policy priority Relative policy interventionsة Development strategy objectives priority No (6): The independence of the Palestinian economy job opportunities for all launching of entrepreneur projects for the employment of graduates, development and support to the Palestinian Employment Fund and ensuring a safe working environment that is sensitive to the health and professional safety standards objective National priority No (7): Social justice and the rule of law 7.1 Limiting poverty The development of economic and social empowerment programs for the poor and the marginalized, the economic and social policies that are sensitive to the needs of the poor and marginalized, social integration and providing jobs to the marginalized groups (persons with disabilities, young people, women and freed prisoners). First strategic objective 7.2 Provide social protection The development of appropriate and integrated social protection systems and outlining minimum levels for that, in addition to the enforcement of a just social security law, the development and institutionalization of social responsibility and strengthening of social dialogue First and third strategic objective 7.2 Strengthen citizens access to justice Strengthening the legislations regulating human rights and their enforcement, ensuring efficiency of the judicial system and strengthening the implementation of judicial decisions, equitable access to the judicial services and promoting complementarity in their provision, especially for women and juveniles Second strategic objectives 7.3 Promote gender equality and empowerment of women The elimination of all forms of gender discrimination and end all forms of violence against them The removal of all obstacles before the full participation of women in the community development, economic and public life Second and third strategic objective 7.4 Our youths Our future The empowerment of young Palestinians to enjoy opportunities that ensure success in their future, active participation in public life and state-building, by focusing on the less privileged youths Second strategic objective National priority No (8): Good and comprehensive education for all 8.1 Early education for our children Developing early childhood care programs that are available to all, expand and improve the pre-school education Second strategic objective 8.2 Improving the quality of education Developing and reforming the educational curriculum to ensure just access to educational opportunities; especially the marginalized areas and groups Second strategic objective 8.3 From education to work The harmonization of education and technical and vocational training and higher education to be aligned with the development and labor market needs, in addition to the development of education infrastructure, education, vocational and technical training facilities Second strategic objective National Priority No. 9.1 Providing comprehensive Reform of the public health insurance system, enhancing the financial sustainability of the healthcare Second strategic objective 106 National priority Policy priority Relative policy interventionsة Development strategy objectives 9: High quality comprehensive health care that is accessible to all healthcare services for all system (improving the purchase and referrals of medical services system), improving the level and quality of health services, greater equality in access to healthcare services 9.2 Improving citizens' health and well-being Promoting preventive healthcare and promoting citizens’ health awareness and behavior, adopting the family health approach, enhance chronic diseases management programs and implement the national policies in this regard. Second strategic objective National priority No (10): A society that enjoys resilience and capable of Development 10.1 The provision of safety and security and the promotion of the rule of law The development of security sector institutions Second strategic objective 10.2 meeting the basic needs of residential communities Connecting residential communities with clean water and sewage networks, connecting residential communities with reliable energy sources, improve public transportation and improve safety situation on the roads, provide affordable housing for households and food security for the residents Second strategic objective 10.4 the advancement of agriculture and rural communities Protecting and supporting farmers, especially in the marginalized and vulnerable areas First strategic objective 10.5 Protecting the Palestinian national identity and cultural heritage Support cultural innovation and production, protect and develop the Palestinian cultural heritage, develop the cultural and tourism industries Third strategic objective Annex 3: list of policy interventions based on objectives and results Strategic Objective One: Poverty Alleviation Objective/result Policy interventions 1.1. poor and vulnerable households capable of meeting basic needs at sufficient quality and quantity  Provide regular cash assistance through cards (public transportation support card, electricity card, water support card, grocery and non grocery support card, certain coupons, etc)  Provide regular food assistance  Provide emergency cash assistance  Provide free healthcare services, to include medical insurance services  Prove free educational services, to include tuition fee waivers and cost of books  Adopt a fortification policy for basic food stuffs such as flour and salt and school meals (example: school milk cup) and building national needs of basic commodities, especially flour (such as building silos)  Economic empowerment programs for poor households, including 107 Objective/result Policy interventions new projects and developing existing businesses of poor households  Collective empowerment programs for poor households and farmers  Provide loans for economic projects for poor households that meet their needs and the needs of women, the disabled and senior citizens in particular  Vocational training and employment programs for the youth and disabled members of poor households  Establish productive projects that hire labor force by the private sector, without competing with smaller producers  Establish companies and projects to promote products of the poor and smaller producers and to benefit from relevant international solidarity markets  Capacity building programs for grassroot organizations and networks to empower them to take up their roles in a better way in the area of targeted interventions serving the interests of the poor at the local level and to design and implement interventions  Develop incentive policies for the poor at the credit organizations, by reducing interest rates and facilitating the process of loans along with developing credit products that meet the needs of the poor, women in particular 2.1. men, women and youth of poor households engaged in individual and collective economic empowerment projects 3.1. effective local and national social protection measures that protect the poor and vulnerable, men and women against shocks, crises and catastrophies  Establish a high profile coordination entity to draft national policies that address reasons of poverty instead of just alleviating it  Reviewing the Palestinian legislations and outlining the needed amendments to create the needed institutional environment to implement policies and interventions that are or can be adopted to alleviate poverty according to the new concept and in line with the approach for social development  Develop national policies that address reasons of poverty, not only its alleviation, including policies that promote investment and state financial and economic policies.  Lobby for policies and legislations to meet the basic needs (based on the current and future approach to poverty) that empower poor households also includes reducing electricity and water costs to the poor  Establish a unified database on the needs of poor households  Establish national forums supported and lead by the Ministry of Social Development to coordinate eforts of active actors in the sector  Develop the concept of poverty in Palestine to be in line with the national approach, unify targeting mechanisms and poverty calculation. 108 Objective/result Policy interventions  Develop the national strategy for alleviating poverty and marginalization by 2018  Technical support programs for the government to improve poverty alleviation efforts through technical training and counseling, research and studies support  International advocacy campaigns to expose the practices of the Israeli occupation that directly result in exacerbating poverty in Palestine.  Establish a national fund to improve national response to national calamities  Consolidate the readiness of the Risk and agricultural insurance fund, from organizational and financial perspectives, as well as trained staff that are specialized in regulatory legislations.  Consolidate the financial resources of the Risk and agricultural insurance fund  Draft and approve secondary legislations of the social security law  Establish a social protection floor 109 Strategic Objective Two: Ending all forms of marginalization and social violence and marginalization in the Palestinian society Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths 2.1 Protective legislations and policies that promote justice, equality and rights for all  Review laws and legislations governing the work of the Ministry of Health and health activity to include services delivered to children, especially those of marginalized families.  Develop policies for early discovery of children exposed to violations and neglegance and to ensure prevention against them.  Draft national protocols for the work of the Ministry of Health with the marginalized children  Study the policies and legislations on pre-school  Adapt laws to ensure gender equality  Amend the Civil Service and Labor laws to include a special quota for the employment of women with disability in the public and private sectors and monitor the implementation of that quota  Special decisions and regulations to empower women to handle funds, custody and guardianship in the absence of husbands.  Include the issues of widowed and divorced women in the social security law.  Policies and  Review laws and regulations relevant to civil service to increase allowances and incentives given to civil servants working with the disabled and senior citizens.  Review legislations relevant to the disabled and senior citizens from a gender perspective.  Review and amend current Palestinian legislations to be in line with international conventions and to ensure civil, political, cultural and economic rights of the disabled, according to the following priorities: The disabled law number (4) of 1999 The Palestinian labor law and civil service law  Ensure comprehensive health insurance for seniors, including amendment of healthcare law to that end  Approve the Palestinian senior citizen care law and accomplish its legislative framework.  Establish a national committee for the senior citizen sector for advocacy and lobbying to adopt and implement the law on one hand and align the national programs, policies and plans with the needs and rights of all senior citizens Ensure implementation of the Palestinian labor law and provide safe and souitable work environment and suitable work 110 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths mandatory education.  Draft regulations for the Jouveniles Protection Law  A campaign to approve the National Child Council legislations to reduce thje cost of electricity and water for marginalized women (the poor, disabled, senior women, wives of martyrs and prisoners, women in marginalized communities (area C), women who are heads of households, etc).  Policies to facilitate registration and licensing measures for women enterprises.  Review of the companies’ law and the draft Local Product Law from a gender perspective.  Act to review the Inestment law, so as to provide privileges to small and micro enterprises (women enterprises in equity with majoe The child law The general education law and higher education law The general healthcare law and health insurance law The public transportation law The law of organization and construction  Realize the independence of the Higher Council of People with Disability as independent public organization, in such a way that realizes its role in drafting legislations, measures, accountability and monitoring of their implementation.  Amend the regulations of current Palestinian laws from the perspective of international conventions to ensure civil, economic, cultural  Establish a national committee for  Form a national committee for the sector of  Expand the Social Security System to meet the needs of senior citizens (Health and social insurance that is in line with the needs and reality faced by senior citizens).  Lobby for and adopt policies that ensure the provision of places suitable and incubating for senior citizens; such as public spaces, transportation and others. 111 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths enterprises).  Conduct awareness around women’s rights and ensure measures and legal assistance to empower women to enjoy their rights. and social rights of the disabled. Based on the above suggestion, amend the regulations of the aforementioned legislations.  Review and amend the plans of all ministries and their budgets to be sensitive to the rights of the disables.  Introduce amendments to the organizational structure of relevant official organizations, in line with the proposals in the amended legislations and regulations.  Draft a policy to adapt public facilities to suit accessibility needs of the disabled and also to ensure access to information.  Develop the explanatory and executive regulations of the law and work systems, in such a way that includes 112 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths the needed mechanisms and measures for compliance to implement and monitor implementation of legislations.  Approve a law that is mandatory to the private sector to take up its social responsibility towards the poor and marginalized groups, including people with disability.  Draft a clear specific policy that is approved and public on the criteria and specifications of different services provided to persons with disability and have a national accreditation system for service providers.  Draft a clear specific and public policy on the commitment of the sector to the criteria of quality of services in responding to the issues 113 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths of the disabled from a right and development perspective. 2.2. social culture that strengthens rights and accountability  Draft institutional mechanisms to commit the private sector and NGOs to report violence cases to the relevant departments in coordination with the relevant actors (such as the union of physicians, etc)  Organize media and awareness programs for households and licensed kindergartens and nurseries  Consolidate the role of community education councils  Awareness programs for children around their rights and protection against violence, abuse and marginalization  Hearing and accountability sessions for duty bearers by women regarding the services provided to them  Awareness programs and campaigns around international conventions and agreements of human, political, civil and social rights  Develop media programs in advocacy for women’s rights and to combat gender marginalization, exclusion and inequality  Capacity building for media people in the area of investigative journalism to advocate for women’s rights  Hearing and accountability sessions for duty bearers by the disabled regarding the services provided to them   Awareness programs and campaigns around international conventions and agreements of human, political, civil and social rights  Develop skills and views of personnel in relevant official organizations regarding the cases and rights of the disabled and the role of ministries and official organizations as duty bearers, to abide by their duties and responsibilities regarding providing social services to the  Hearing and accountability sessions for duty bearers by senior citizens regarding the services provided to them  Awareness programs and campaigns around international conventions and agreements of human, political, civil and social rights  Draft a joint media vision and strategy for community education around the rights of senior citizens  Draft a joint media vision and strategy for community education around the rights of senior  Hearing and accountability sessions for duty bearers by the youth regarding the services provided to them  Awareness programs and campaigns around international conventions and agreements of human, political, civil and social rights  Awareness raising for youth groups around gender equality and concepts  Engage the youth in activities in support of gender equality and relevant community campaigns.  Media programs interested in the needs of the youths and their social roles.  Media programs 114 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths  Awareness of religious organizations’ representatives regarding the rights of women and their role in community awareness  Conduct community awareness programs targeting males in particular around issues of gender, reproductive health and advocacy for women issues.  Review curriculum to strengthen the image of leader-women that has economic, political and social role. disabled.  Community awareness campaigns regarding the rights of the disabled, especially their rights to work, among others.  Civic education programs regarding citizenship, public rights and liberties, human rights, democracy and rights of the disabled.  Awareness campaigns targeting employers around the privileges of hiring disabled people, conducting and ensuring facilitating and qualifying measures for people with disability, without any disability based adiscrimination  Capacity building for media people around changing the stereotype image of people with disability  Community media programs to change the stereotype image and the citizens and to prevent all forms of violence and intended and/or non-intended violations focusing on youth talents and innovative initiatives.  Civic education programs regarding citizenship, public rights and liberties, human rights, democracy and rights of the disabled.  Youth capacity building in the area of monitoring and documentation of violations to their rights and in expressing that in community platforms. 115 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths prejudices towards people with disability  Capacity building and development of monitoring entities in the ministries and coordinate between them and the organizations active in the sector to monitor violations to the rights of people with social , political and economic disability  Develop mechanisms of action to allow for accountability of the community and community institutions toimplement the legislations, regulations and procedures  Awareness campaigns for people with disabilities and their parents about their rights and the services available and the institutions that provide these services and how 116 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths to access them  Awareness and training for CSOs and private institutions about their role in meeting the needs of persons with disabilities and empowering them, and their right to work  Establish a joint fund among the private sector institutions to support persons with disabilities, as part of the social responsibility programs of the institutions. 3.2 marginalized and poor groups and victims of violence capable of accessing justice  Counselling and awareness of jouveniles before going into trial procedures.  Awareness and counselling of parents around legal measures  Provide free legal assistance, especially to children and the poor.  Draft a national awareness campaign around the right of women and girls to access justice  Provide legal support to marginalized disabled women and girls in the Jordan Vally area.  Awareness campaigns on access to justice  Awareness campaigns on access to justice  Provide legal assistance  Awareness and counselling on the legal measures  Awareness campaigns on access to justice  Provide legal assistance  Awareness and counselling on the legal measures 4.2. First paradigm: the  Develop the  Sign a service purchase  Provide daycare for  Rehabilitation of 117 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths Marginalized groups enjoy social services, infrastructure and technology right of children to optimum health  Family awareness programs in primary health centers, schools, kindergartens, nurseries and social protection centers  Establish an information system at the Ministry of Health and health sector in the national system to include clear indicators based on gender, location, age and sort of violation.  Train personnel in relevant organizations on dealing with children victims of violence.  Develop and institutionalize preventative and therapeutic psychological health services relevant to monitoring of legal, social, health and mental protection programs aimed at women who are victims of such violations and any sort of inequality, especially violence (plan for RES. 1325).  Social, health and mental support services provided to women victims.  Sign service purchase agreements between the Ministry of Social Development and local community organizations to purchase services for girls and women that are not available at the Ministry or its affiliate centers, while giving priority to poor households and cases according to service purchase instructions. agreement between the Ministry of Social Development and the institutions serving the local community for the purchase of services for people with disabilities that are not available at the Ministry or its affiliated centers, with priority given to the poor and marginalized families and cases according to the instructions of the purchase of service  Provide the service of tax exemption for the purchase of vehicles for persons with disabilities  Provide support tools for people with disabilities  Equip and operate the Resource Center to provide services for the blind. And accomplish the center for people of severe disability.  Shelter, care, rehabilitation and seniors in line with with the laws and regulations and international agreements  Conduct appropriate extracurricular activities at the elderly day centers and clubs.  Sign purchase agreements between the Ministry of Social Development and the institutions serving the local community to purchase services for the elderly that are not available in the Ministry or its affiliated centers, with priority given to the poor and marginalized families and cases according to the instructions of the service purchase agreements dropouts and students who have dropped out of education within the follow up education programs.  Educate young people (especially workers in Israel) in the field of reproductive health and to provide them with expertise and giving them the necessary knowledge.  Raise awareness with respect to the concepts of health  Community  Expand health support and counseling services provided to youth.  Awareness around risks and negative behaviors, such as drugs.  Support health services targeting the youth, especially reproductive and genital health, health education and 118 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths juveniles.  Develop internal regulations at relevant institutions in the field of child protection based on the national referral system (Ministry of Health, etc).  Institutionalize the referral system at the Ministry of Health to deal with children victims of violence and abuse in order to organize the process at the centers of the Ministry of Health and train their staff on the system.  Control foods and drinks that are harmful for children.  Second paradigm: children’s right to education  Provide vocational and social rehabilitational services to child  Shelter women victims of violence in specialized women shelters under the Ministry or purchase the service for them from accredited and licensed specialized centers.  Provide vocational training and rehabilitation services for women victims of violence and abuse.  Programs to integrate women from shelters into the community and households.  Capacity building and development for legal and counseling units of the Ministry of Social Development in Dura, Yatta and Jenin.  Draft a referral system at the Ministry of Social protection services for people with disability at specialized centers.  Sign four agreements between the Ministry of Social Development and partner ministries to organize services provided to the disabled.  Lobbying campaigns and work on adapting health centers, hospitals and educational facilities at all levels (pre-school, basic, secondary and university) government buildings, facilities, roads and transportation to facilitate access of the disabled in a way that meets their needs.  Programs for adapting school and high education curriculum and provide the needed equipment for disabled students of different age groups  Build a comprehensive data base for all disabled  Survey of the reality of the elderly in Palestine. early diagnosis of chronic diseases, including youth friendly clinics.  Support projects and technological entrepreneuer initiatives.  Provide suitable housing for young couples. 119 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths drop-outs and those with poor academic performance.  Draft a legal accountability and control system for nurseries of children younger than four years of age.  Rehabilitation and awareness of the educational staff at schools regarding dealing with disabled children  Capacity building for the educational staff in diagnosing disability at schools.  Establish education and social bringing forums that combine partners from the Ministry of Education and CSOs.  Increase the number of school counselors.  Draft measures to Development.  Provide social services and basic needs for women at correctional and rehabilitation centers.  Accomplished establishment of a database on organizations working on violence caused by the occupation, including their service in supporting women victims  Work on and demand adapting infrastructure of roads, facilities and public transportation to the needs of women and girls.  Recreational, awareness and training programs for women caretakers of the disabled and seniors in particular and for all people at the national level which defines their needs based on disability in addition to documenting all available services designed for the access and the use of the disabled.  Develop a manual for the disabled on the services available for each disability.  A program to improve and adapt the housing environment of disabled, poor and vulnerable household members which ensures their access to the different facilities at home.  Develop an early disease diagnosis system which allows for preemptive actions.  Develop a unified system for purchasing services for the disabled from CSOs which ensures diagnosis of 120 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths limit violence at schools.  Develop awareness programs for learning difficulties among children which include increasing the number of resource rooms and rehabilitation of staff.  Develop employment measures at relevant organizations to include employment criteria on dealing with children.  •Increase budgets allocated to support students with learning difficulties • Develop a calendar system. The third paradigm: The right of children to protection: • Providing family-based care for illigitimate and children of unknown parentage, who are in marginalized women, (wives of prisoners and martyrs, freed prisoner women, etc).  Develop household healthcare programs for senior and disabled women.  Provide psychological support and counseling for marginalized women, especially victims of violence, wives of prisoners and martyrs and women prisoners.  Establish special centers for women at risk and those not accomidated at shelter centers.  Economic empowerment programs for women discharged from shelter houses, released women prisoners, wives of disability, follow-up and referral.  Establish cultural, vocational, educational, functional and rehabilitational centers to strengthen access to disabled people in remote and rural areas, especially to disabilities that do not currently have services such as psychological disabilities and others.  Programs for prevention, intervention and early diagnosis of disability through maternal, neonatal and school health programs.  Provide assistance aids, medical equipment and supplies and house service for the disabled.  Programs and initiatives to provide rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities through the municipalities and the local communit 121 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths care institutions and are qualified to sponsorship • Issuance of birth certificates for illigitimate children and children of unknown parentage in care institutions • supervision and control over all licensed nurseries • Orphans sponsorship • Educational, counselling, awareness, psychological and social programs for children and their families • The provision of services and basic needs for jouveniles • Equip jouvenile centers in the southern West Bank • Construction and equipping of social services complex in Qalqilya. martyrs and prisoners and disabled women.  Develop the national observatory on violence.  Support and empower schools specialized in hearing and visual, etc disabilities).   Dissemination of educational models to provide educational rehabilitation specialist team at the Ministry of Education to follow up children with disabilities, and includes specialties in functional and physical therapy, psychological support and the provision of assistive devices, as applied by the Ministry of Education model in some areas in the West Bank.  The development of social safety nets for people with disabilities, particularly mental disabilities. 122 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths • Provide protection services to children in protection centres. • Provide psychological and social support • Vocational and social rehabilitation for juveniles in the juvenile centres. • Create juveniles court in the southern West Bank • Awareness workshops for addicts and their families in drug prevention • Equipping and rehabilitation of vocational rehabilitation centres to be able to respond to the  Provide health insurance services for each qualified disability case.  Provide convenient mental disabilities over the age of 16-year programs.  The provision of government support for people with disabilities to enhance their access to university education, in partnership with the civil society.  Develop institutional policies based on preference (positive bias) to open the way for higher education for students with disabilities, whether by giving them extra points for admission or waiver of certain percentages of the fees or the provision of government grants to 123 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths needs of the labour market. • Increase the number of foster care and protection. • Develop and improve and harmonize care centres and existing protection and care centres • Develop and build the capacity of workers in the field of protection. • Providing logistical support for those working in the field of protection. • National data base of the issues of juvenile issues. • Build and establish a protection unit with people who are unable to pay, while emphasizing the principle of harmonization.  Provide classroom resource rooms in schools.  Develop clear, specific and comprehensive systems at the universities to ensure access for students with disabilities to public facilities on campus and access to information as well as monitoring the reasonable accommodation that needs to be provided and the mobilization of resources.  Provide a reference and holistic unified system at a national level for providing the tools and 124 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths comprehensive disciplines of the family issues, (psychological, health, etc.). • Develop and institutionalize the case management system with partners at the national level. • Develop the work of child protection networks, to include lobbying and advocacy, and mobilizing the efforts of institutions to finance programs to meet the needs of children. • Hold regular meetings and agreements to increase coordination between aid devices that enable persons with disabilities to access and enjoy various services and rights. 125 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths development partners and the police, prosecutors and the judiciary level. 5.2. Active social, economic and political participation for the marginalized groups.  Organize activities to involve children in the planning, design, monitoring and evaluation of programs.  Social, cultural, recreational activities and programs and summer camps for children and their families.  Development of infrastructure and equipping resources of child cultural centres  Capacity building for the staff in the child cultural centres.  Create public facilities and recreational areas for children and their  Strengthening the role of collaborative thinking in the economic sphere.  Provide support cooperatives that have entrepreneur economic projects and expand their in quantity and quality.  Approve specifications for women traditional and food industries  Regular popular local markets for products such as in popular markets in cooperation with the local government and the Ministry of Public Works  Encourage entrepreneurship to  Lobbying, follow-up and monitoring campaigns in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works and Municipalities and protection networks to adapt public places, civil and private institutions  Lobbying and advocacy campaigns monitoring the compliance of enterprises in employing persons with disabilities in collaboration with the General Personnel Council.  Economic empowerment programs for persons with disabilities.  Community awareness seminars and workshops to advocate for the rights of persons with  Training of development institutions on the human rights approach, which focuses on the rights of older persons in the working approaches and standards of service provided in the public sector institutions (including local government entities), to ensure that the work of all public institutions takes into consideration the rights and needs of the elderly.  Awareness programs for the At work: • Encourage the establishment of cooperatives for young people. • Economic empowerment programs for young people. • Develop policies to train graduates in private sector wages and hiring a symbolic proportion of them. • Formation of entities that connect young people to the labor market. 126 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths families.  Music programs for children. increase the involvement of women in the labour market.  The development of vocational education system to take into account gender issues.  Develop a database on feminist projects, in terms of concentration in which sectors and to include the formal and informal labour  Recreational, social, cultural, musical and entertainment programs and activities for women, especially in marginalized rural areas.  Programs and the establishment of women sports clubs, particularly in rural and marginalized areas. disabilities in accordance with the law 4 of 1999.  Awareness programs for people with autism and their families.  The inclusion of persons with disabilities and their representatives in the review and amendment process of the legislation, while ensuring representation of all types of disabilities and representatives from all national and local committees on mental disabilities relevant to the laws.  Campaigns to monitor the application of the rights of the disabled Law No. (4) to ensure the employment of persons with disabilities in the public and private institutions.  Vocational rehabilitation programs for persons elderly about their different, health and learning, educational, recreational, social and psychological rights.  Support economic projects that serve the elderly, both in terms of service to them or allowing them to continue in production and work if they are able and willing.  Forums for networking, communication and exchange of experiences between the institutions of civil society (including the private sector) on the one hand and relevant educational institutions and universities on the other. • Lobbying and advocacy campaigns for the employment of graduates. • Policies to encourage investment and partnerships in viable sectors with respect to youth employment. • Programs to support small and micro-projects for young people and motivating them in the areas of initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship. • Build business structures and the development of business incubators, which 127 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths  Capacity building for the staff of sports clubs and cultural centres in gender issues and the development of programs that are suitable for girls and women.  Adapt infrastructure and provide the necessary equipment to sports clubs and cultural centres for the needs of girls and women.  Develop policies to stimulate the participation of girls and women in the governing bodies (boards and public bodies) and the activities and programs of sports clubs. with disabilities to fit in with their needs.  The development of vocational and technical training and rehabilitation programs for the integration of persons with disabilities, through the disciplines that suit the needs of persons with disabilities and adaptation of the curriculum and facilities, along with the training of teaching staff on that, in addition to providing transportation costs to reach persons with disabilities to gain access to these centres.  Literacy programs for people with disabilities.  Social, cultural, musical and entertainment programs and activities to encourage the integration of persons with disabilities, especially in marginalized rural areas.  Create and promote volunteer service and care programs for the elderly.  Create volunteer programs in partnership with public and private sector and non governmental sectors to allow seniors that are willing and able to continue to work and production and community service to do so.  Work on the establishment of an Arab and Muslim endowments and from the private sector, if possible, to support services for the elderly. provide support and training for entrepreneurs. • Provide funding and resources that increase the productivity of youth capabilities and competitiveness In education and training: • Organizing summer camps for young people. • Encourage entrepreneurial initiatives and activities of volunteer programs by students in schools and universities. • Education programs for adults. • Awareness 128 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths  Harmonization of programs and sports and cultural centres for the integration of persons with disabilities.  Capacity building for the staff working in clubs and cultural centres around the capabilities of disability issues and developing appropriate programs for them.  Develop policies to stimulate the participation of persons with disabilities in the governing bodies (boards and public bodies) and the activities and programs of the civil and grassroots organizations. campaigns to promote trends and initiatives that support the value of vocational work In community and political participation • Educational, awareness and capacity building programs for the development of cultural concepts and practices of volunteer and charity work among young people, universities and youth institutions, through mandatory volunteerism. • Implementation of initiatives designed to strengthen and activate youth participation in 129 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths civil and political life • Educational and awareness and capacity building programs to promote a culture of tolerance and acceptance of the other and pluralism among young people in Palestinian society • Educational and awareness and capacity building programs to enhance the culture of civil peace among young people. In sports and culture: • Capacity building programs and support for creative and talented youth groups. • Rehabilitation of 130 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths sports clubs in line with the needs of people with disabilities, girls and women. • Organizing competitions and Scout camps and various sports activities. • In the media and information technology: • Media programs that address the needs of young people, their needs and their community and roles • Highlight young talents and youth initiatives in the media • Capacity building programs for youth development and the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the 131 Objective/result Group-based policy interventions Children Girls and women People with disability Seniors Youths technical and technological field along with expanding the scientific entrepreneurial initiatives • Support, adoption and development of pilot graduates’ projects and initiatives, with technological nature. 132 Strategic Objective three: Social cohesion Objective/ result Policy interventions 3.1 Expanded effective volunteer work initiative • Develop youth volunteer programs to support and work with the poor and marginalized groups. • Local voluntary initiatives at schools and communities, in collaboration with local entities and institutions. • A review to the fundraising law, which is supposed to regulate the fundraising process at the national level. • Advocacy campaigns to approve the fundraising law 3.2. Effective models of social responsibility at the local and national level. • Conduct a study on the reality of social responsibility in Palestine. • Models of social responsibility implemented at the local and national level. • Campaigns targeting private sector organizations to support the implementation of programs and services to protect children, women and the elderly, the poor, persons with disabilities and youths. • The signing of national agreements with private companies to adopt models of social responsibility to combat poverty and care for marginalized groups. • Establish a fund for Social Responsibility in partnership with the private sector institutions. • Initiatives to mobilize funds from individuals and Palestinian institutions working abroad. • Programs to build the capacity of local authorities to adopt a community development approach.  • Establish a fund for community development. 3.3. Economic policies, fair and inclusive. • Conducting studies and reports to modify or re-establish a fair and inclusive economic policies for the poor and marginalized groups. • Review of Economic Policy.  Lobbying and advocacy campaigns to amend the economic policies. 3.4. Social rising system supportive of human values. • Review of the Palestinian curriculum to include the values of equality and human. • Awareness programs in schools and universities on equality and human values. • Media programs to promote equality and human values. • Community education programs and initiatives aimed at children, girls, boys and young men and women. • Awareness programs to improve the knowledge, practices and attitudes of young couples in child-rearing issues. • Awareness programs and initiatives with parents’ councils in schools about raising children and dealing with violence and respecting others as well as the values of tolerance. 3.5. Relevant institutions in the social development are efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of the With respect to the Ministry of Social Development: • Building the capacity of workers in the Ministry of Social 133 Objective/ result Policy interventions community. Development in all fields related to the work of the ministry, • Develop an implementation plan • Completion of studies and reports on social development. • Programs to institutionalize and mainstream planning groups. • Programs to institutionalize and mainstream Councils of Beneficiaries. • Computerizing the complaints system • A media campaign to support the development efforts and trends • Building modern and efficient regulatory system based on risk assessment • Completion of an efficient and effective follow-up and organization system • Activities to mobilize donors and fundraise for the projects • provide logistical support to the directorates. • The formation and follow-up of local social safety nets With respect to charities:  Review the current Palestinian legislation, especially the law of charities (and the inclusion of foreign societies in the law and reviewing the executive regulations to clarify the process of registration of societies and the role and powers of the Ministry of Interior, in addition to the role of the competent authority, and the time period to issue license, in addition to the effectiveness of the society after the license, in addition to pointing out the different management levels and duration of board membership and mechanisms of transparency, accountability besides the issues of governance (membership of public entities and t's diversity, identifying the term of board membership, for example, a maximum of two terms maximum)), labour law, non-profit corporates law, the law of cooperative societies, and amending the tax system to be escalating  Providing tariff exemptions for societies  Provide financial and administrative support to the societies.  Conduct a national survey of charities to classify and determine the reality of societies (governance, strategies and approaches, 134 Objective/ result Policy interventions programs and services, coverage and expansion, financial and human) sources.  Promote the participation of youth, women and persons with disabilities in public entities and boards of directors.  Ensure charities commitment to hold elections on time.  Activate codes of conduct in charities.  Awareness and training of members of the boards of directors and public entities around democratic life, good governance and issues of governance and corruption, accountability and transparency in the societies and the leadership role of boards of directors and administrative staff.  Activating community accountability for the work of societies, by holding regular meetings with citizens (hearings and discussion with the citizens and the formation of citizen councils, etc.).  Strengthen relationship between the public authorities and boards of societies, through regular meetings and social activities and sessions.  Regular supervision of the performance of institutions and follow-up activities by the line ministry.  Support societies in the development and review of their strategies with the participation of community actors, including a review of the vision, mission and strategic objectives, based on an annual assessment of the programs and the needs of the target groups and resources available to the society. The strategic review process should include strengthening the participation of members of the society and the beneficiary groups, institutions and related actors in the work of the society in the strategic planning process and the development of the future plans of the Society.  The dissemination of the strategic approaches for the local community, public and private stakeholders relevant to the work of potential societies and financial institutions, with the support of the General Union of Charitable Societies.  Support societies in developing frameworks, strategy-based monitoring and evaluation systems.  Review strategies on a regular basis and evaluate the experiences of the society and learn lessons as part of the annual strategy reviews, with the participation of the local community and actors. 135 Objective/ result Policy interventions  Activating volunteer work as an approach to charities’ work, through community outreach and networking with schools, societies and activating programs of volunteerism and community partnership.  Design programs based on community needs assessment to the target groups and ensure the integration of the target groups and priorities of marginalized areas, Jerusalem and Gaza.  Develop systems for referral services between public and private actors to cover the different needs of marginalized groups (girls and women victims of violence, the poor, and people with disabilities).  Create a unified portal for regulating aid and social services provided by all service providers in the social development sector.  Develop actions and programs in the societies’ systems.  The development of administrative and financial systems and internal regulations that are clear and is certified by the Board of Directors and generalized among employees.  The development of organizational structures of the societies to suit their work and their available financial and human resources.  Developing programs of voluntary work in the societies.  Apply the principle of professional evaluation and incentives in human resource management.  Establish a fund to support charities.  Audit budgets and spending mechanisms.  Financial control over the work of societies.  Educate and train societies to mobilize local and external fundraising.  Develop plans to mobilize local financing.