Dr. Samah Hamad meets with representatives from the YWCA as part of the project “Young Women for Dignity, Bodily Integrity, and Equal Participation in Decision-Making”
Ramallah – Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs and Minister of Social Development, Dr. Samah Hamad, met with a delegation from the Young Women’s Christian Association in Palestine, with the participation of several representatives from the association. The meeting focused on exploring avenues for cooperation and joint work to support women and empower young women, particularly in light of the current humanitarian and social challenges.
Dr. Hamad stressed during the meeting the importance of enhancing partnerships with civil society organizations and the role these organizations play in alleviating crises, particularly in the area of women’s protection and the provision of social services. She expressed her appreciation for the YWCA’s ongoing fieldwork and efforts and exchanged views on empowerment and protection approaches and on raising the level of young women’s participation in public life.
Dr. Hamad welcomed the open dialogue and emphasized the importance of well-studied, field-based initiatives grounded in direct experience, calling on civil society organizations to offer practical recommendations to improve current systems, especially in the absence of a Family Protection Law and a functioning legislative council.
The meeting included an open discussion and a number of questions from the association’s representatives, addressing the situation of women in shelters, social protection, challenges related to privacy and dignity, and ways to improve relevant systems and procedures. It also included a broader discussion on the current policies and regulations and how they could be developed to ensure more just and effective services.
In this context, Dr. Hamad affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening the role of shelters in the West Bank and enhancing their services to meet the needs of women survivors of violence, focusing on the provision of psychological, social, and health support to help alleviate their suffering and enable them to regain stability. She also stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation with civil society organizations to improve shelter environments and ensure women’s dignity and privacy during their stay.
The meeting resulted in several key outcomes, most notably the development of protection services and rapid response mechanisms by strengthening referral and coordination procedures between the Ministry and the association to ensure timely and effective access to services for women, through direct referral to women protection counselors in the directorates. It also included the expansion of psychosocial counseling services by providing female psychologists and social workers to offer regular consultations, especially in marginalized areas. Additionally, it was agreed to expand awareness and advocacy efforts through joint awareness campaigns to combat gender-based violence. The outcomes also included strengthening partnership in shaping national policies and strategies by involving the association in the development of social policies related to women within the Ministry’s plans and inviting them to participate in relevant meetings and workshops, as well as organizing regular meetings to review and evaluate the impact of joint programs between both parties.
This meeting came as part of the Ministry’s keenness to open communication channels with civil society organizations working on women’s issues, and within a shared approach to enhance the role of young women in supporting Palestinian society and addressing the growing challenges resulting from the ongoing humanitarian situation, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
