Ministry of Social Development Holds Consultative Workshop to Update Its 2025-2027 Strategy with Civil Society Participation
The Ministry of Social Development held a consultative workshop today, Tuesday, with civil society organizations to update its 2025-2027 development strategy. The workshop was attended by Minister of Social Development Dr. Samah Hamad, Head of Social Policy at UNICEF Artur Ivazov, Strategic Planning Consultant Dr. Nadia Saad, and representatives from local and international institutions.
Dr. Samah Hamad opened the workshop with a welcoming speech, emphasizing the need to expand humanitarian efforts amid the catastrophic situation in Gaza and the West Bank. She highlighted the ministry’s efforts to enhance the Government Operations Center, which now includes governmental, international, and civil society organizations, such as the Palestinian Red Crescent, UNRWA, UNESCO, the World Bank, OCHA, and UNDP, ensuring a coordinated and effective crisis response. She also noted that the ministry relies on the social registry to determine eligible families for aid, with specialized teams updating data for 350,000 families in Gaza to ensure aid reaches those most in need.
Dr. Hamad stressed that the Palestinian government, alongside UN institutions and civil society, operates within clear mechanisms. She emphasized the importance of governing in-kind assistance through the development of a procedural manual and the establishment of a warehouse system to ensure transparent storage and distribution, while implementing measures to prevent the exploitation of women and children during aid distribution.
She also highlighted the expansion of service procurement, with 60 new institutions being integrated into the system, while ensuring service providers meet quality standards for social care. Additionally, she discussed ongoing legal reforms, particularly efforts to expand beneficiary access to customs exemptions and reduce costs. She affirmed that including food security for children in Gaza within the strategy is a priority, along with providing vaccinations, primary healthcare, and psychosocial support in collaboration with partners.
In his remarks, Artur Ivazov emphasized the significance of the updated strategy as a key framework for guiding future efforts, stating that it is not just a set of documents but a practical roadmap for response and recovery. He described the scale of destruction in Gaza as unprecedented, noting that he had never witnessed anything similar anywhere in the world. Despite this, he highlighted the collective efforts being made with a unified vision for the State of Palestine and reaffirmed the international community’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian government in any plan that prioritizes children and families. He concluded by calling for increased efforts and joint action to achieve sustainable development for the most vulnerable groups.
Dr. Nadia Saad stressed the importance of developing the Ministry of Social Development’s 2025-2027 strategy as part of the nation’s recovery phase from the war’s impact. She commended Dr. Samah Hamad’s leadership in overseeing emergency response plans to ensure effective aid delivery to affected communities. She emphasized the need to ensure that marginalized groups—including children, women, and persons with disabilities—fully benefit from all available resources through both emergency response and long-term development programs in coordination with ministries and civil society organizations.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants reviewed strategic objectives, assessed political and social interventions, and discussed the governance of in-kind aid to ensure fair distribution and prevent exploitation. The importance of monitoring service centers and training service providers was also emphasized to ensure a more effective response.
Dr. Samah Hamad expressed her appreciation for the participation of partners, reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to developing sustainable strategies. She extended her gratitude to UNICEF and supporting institutions for their role in strengthening social protection and assisting the most vulnerable populations.
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