MoSD and General Personnel Council Launch Workshop on Performance Management System in the Civil Service
Ramallah – As part of the national effort to enhance institutional efficiency and elevate the performance of human resources, H.E. Dr. Samah Hamad, Minister of Social Development and Minister of State for Relief Affairs, together with Dr. Musa Abu Zaid, Head of the General Personnel Council, inaugurated a training workshop entitled “Performance Management System in the Civil Service Sector,” held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Ramallah.
In her opening remarks, Minister Hamad welcomed the Chairman of the Council and all participants and organizers, stressing the vital role the Council plays in advancing civil service in Palestine and achieving tangible outcomes at the national level.
She highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, noting that the ongoing deprivation of access to food and safe drinking water has led to the spread of malnutrition, particularly among children, emphasizing that full responsibility lies with the relevant international bodies.
Minister Hamad emphasized that human capital is the primary pillar of institutional success, even preceding financial resources, as it is the workforce that drives financial generation and supports development. She praised the commitment of the Ministry’s employees, especially those working in the field, who continue to carry out their duties under extremely difficult conditions.
She also presented the Ministry’s key programs and objectives, including efforts to mobilize aid and develop structured distribution mechanisms, in addition to protection programs targeting vulnerable groups such as children, women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly, to safeguard them from all forms of exploitation.
For his part, Dr. Abu Zaid commended the Ministry’s essential and far-reaching work, noting its significant impact on the lives of citizens and society as a whole.
He stressed that performance evaluation is a critical and complex issue—not only locally or regionally, but globally. He described it as a foundational pillar for institutional development, improving human resource capabilities, and enhancing service quality.
Abu Zaid emphasized the importance of daily and monthly evaluations throughout the year to ensure objective and accurate assessments based on employees' job descriptions. This, he explained, strengthens the weight and credibility of the process in the minds of employees and helps identify the institution’s training needs.
He added, “Employee evaluation must be conducted professionally and based on a scientific approach, requiring that the employee be involved in the inputs and core of the execution plan. This allows their achievements to be clearly measured against the strategic objectives of the institution.”
Dr. Abu Zaid also highlighted the critical role of scientific research in empowering institutions, affirming that Palestine now possesses national capabilities and no longer needs foreign expertise. He referred to the Palestinian National School of Administration as a center of excellence with expert teams capable of offering research, planning, and administrative consulting services across all sectors. He expressed his pride in the exceptional competencies within the General Personnel Council and the National School of Administration.
In conclusion, he reaffirmed that no force can undermine the resilience and will of the Palestinian people to achieve their rightful independence, stating, “No one can erase Palestine from the geographic or political map.”
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Ziyad Shadid, Director General of Civil Service Employees Affairs, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to developing human resource systems and enhancing performance and effectiveness across institutions. He encouraged participants to actively engage with the training content and contribute ideas to enrich the discussion and support development efforts.
In the same context, Ms. Israa Omar, Director of the Performance Evaluation Department, delivered a detailed presentation on the Performance Management System, covering its stages, core components, and the mechanisms for practical implementation within civil service institutions.

Latest News
On the International Day for the Elimination of Child Marriage, MoSD Affirms: Protecting Girls Begins with Education, Protection, & Family Empowerment
Ramallah – On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, the Ministry of Social Development emphasized that child marriage cannot be addressed in isolation from the broader social protection system, as it is linked to multiple factors, including poverty, school dropout, domestic violence, loss of parental care, displacement, and weakened protection networks. The Ministry explained that its role includes protecting children and girls at risk, providing case management, family interventions, psychosocial support, and referral services, and connecting families with assistance, essential services, and economic empowerment programmes. It also coordinates with relevant authorities when the safety of a child or girl is at risk. The Ministry places the best interests of the child and protection from exploitation and abuse at the heart of its child protection services. The Ministry stressed that preventing early marriage also requires protecting families from poverty and economic shocks, supporting girls' continued access to education, raising awareness of their rights, and strengthening families' ability to cope with pressures without resorting to practices that may expose girls to long-term physical, psychological, and social risks. The issue is particularly concerning in the Gaza Strip, where the Ministry warned that the loss of parental care, displacement, extreme poverty, and the declining capacity of extended families to provide care and protection increase children's vulnerability to various forms of exploitation, including early marriage. In this context, the Ministry continues to work with local and international organizations involved in child and women's protection to strengthen early intervention, referral pathways, alternative care, and psychosocial support, alongside assistance to the most vulnerable families to reduce the risk factors that may contribute to early marriage. The Ministry called for child marriage to be addressed as a child protection and human rights issue requiring coordinated action among families and social, educational, health, and legal institutions. It also called for increased investment in girls' education, protection, and empowerment to safeguard their right to grow, learn, and make decisions about their future freely and safely.
On World Children's Day, MoSD: Palestinian Children Face Harsh Realities of Loss, Displacement, Violence, & Deprivation
Ramallah – On the occasion of World Children's Day, observed annually on 20 November, the Ministry of Social Development emphasized that Palestinian children are facing extremely harsh conditions amid the continuing consequences of the Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip and escalating attacks, displacement, home demolitions, and movement restrictions in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. These conditions have deprived children of their lives, families, shelter, education, care, and safety. According to available United Nations data, at least 21,700 children have been killed in the Gaza Strip, while approximately 45,000 have been injured, including more than 11,000 children who have sustained life-altering injuries. Meanwhile, thousands of families continue to experience repeated displacement and deprivation of essential services. In the West Bank, including Jerusalem, children continue to face attacks, forced displacement of families, and damage to schools, homes, and infrastructure. More than 1,700 children have been displaced since the beginning of 2026 as a result of settler violence, movement restrictions, and demolitions. The Ministry stressed that the consequences of war and occupation extend beyond immediate casualties to include bereavement, family separation, hunger, school dropout, child labour, violence, exploitation, acquired disabilities, and psychological and social distress. These risks require a comprehensive and long-term child protection response. The Ministry explained that child protection is a central pillar of its work, implemented through Child Protection Departments in its directorates. These departments receive reports, assess levels of risk, provide case management and family follow-up, facilitate referrals to specialized services, and intervene in cases of violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Their responsibilities also include protecting children engaged in labour or begging, children who have dropped out of school, and children in conflict with the law, in coordination with relevant government authorities and partner organizations. In the Gaza Strip, children's protection and care needs have intensified significantly, particularly among orphans, children deprived of parental care, separated and unaccompanied children, and those requiring psychosocial support. In cooperation with its partners, the Ministry is working to provide alternative care, social follow-up, sponsorship programmes, psychological support, and food, health, and in-kind assistance, while strengthening and restoring child protection services across the Gaza Strip. The Ministry emphasized that protecting children is inseparable from protecting their families. Accordingly, child protection services form part of a broader social protection system encompassing food, cash, and non-food assistance, health insurance, education, school bags and stationery, psychosocial support, services for persons with disabilities, and family economic empowerment. These interventions aim to reduce the risks associated with poverty, displacement, loss of income, and family instability. The Ministry of Social Development called on the international community, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organizations, and donors to provide sustainable support for the Palestinian child protection system. It urged continued funding for alternative care programmes, orphan sponsorship, psychosocial support, education, nutrition, and rehabilitation, alongside support for Palestinian national institutions capable of reaching children and families and ensuring sustained follow-up. The Ministry concluded by emphasizing that World Children's Day cannot be merely an occasion for celebration while Palestinian children are deprived of their most fundamental rights. It stressed that protecting children begins with safeguarding their right to life and extends to ensuring their rights to family care, shelter, food, education, healthcare, protection, and social support.

