Palestine participates in the Doha roundtable on enhancing funding for the inclusion of people with disabilities
Doha – The State of Palestine participated in a high-level roundtable organized by the United Nations Global Disability Fund and the Qatar Fund for Development, titled “From Response to Resilience: Towards Sustainable Financing Systems for the Humanitarian Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian, Recovery, and Development Contexts.” The event was held at the Qatar Foundation – Multaqa Center in Doha.
In her remarks during the session, Dr. Samah Hamd, Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, emphasized that “inclusive systems are not a luxury, but a humanitarian and developmental necessity.” She noted that Palestine’s national social protection system was among the most inclusive in the region before the aggression on Gaza, and that the Palestinian government is now working to rebuild and modernize it on inclusive foundations that ensure dignity, participation, and empowerment for persons with disabilities at all stages of recovery.
Dr. Hamd explained that Palestine applies the “From Crisis to System” model, which links emergency assistance with comprehensive recovery, ensuring that persons with disabilities become active partners in rebuilding their communities rather than mere recipients of aid. She added that the Palestinian Inclusive Recovery Program has been incorporated into the Global Disability Alliance’s fast-track pathway, in recognition of its potential to create both national and global impact.
The Minister also stressed the importance of enhancing coordination with the Palestinian government and the Ministry of Social Development to ensure the integration and sustainability of efforts, emphasizing that all initiatives and projects must align with the government’s recovery and reconstruction plans and reflect national priorities.
Dr. Hamd expressed her appreciation to the Qatar Fund for Development, the United Nations Global Disability Fund, and the Global Disability Alliance for their support and efforts to strengthen humanitarian inclusion financing, affirming that “rebuilding Gaza requires a collective moral and humanitarian commitment that places dignity at the heart of development.”
The roundtable gathered representatives from international organizations, governments, and civil society from various countries, showcasing innovative financing models that promote inclusion in response, recovery, and development phases—among them, the Palestinian experience, which was presented as a pioneering model to be built upon globally.