Workshop entitled: Towards a comprehensive system for the care of orphans in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Ramallah – The Ministry of Social Development, in partnership with the Welfare Association (Taawon), organized a workshop titled “Towards a Comprehensive System for Orphan Care in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,” with the participation of representatives from national and international institutions and organizations working in the field of orphan care. The workshop was held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Ramallah, with virtual participation from Gaza.

The workshop aimed to discuss ways to develop a comprehensive and sustainable national system for orphan care that guarantees their fundamental rights and promotes their integration into society within a developmental approach based on social justice and family empowerment. The program included opening remarks by H.E. Dr. Samah Hamad, Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, and Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director General of Taawon, along with presentations and studies addressing the situation of orphans in Palestine and the experiences of civil and sectoral organizations in this field.

In her remarks, Dr. Hamad stated that the Ministry is working to build an integrated national system for orphan care that enhances social justice and unifies governmental and civil efforts to provide a safe and supportive environment for children. She noted that the aggression on Gaza has left more than 69,000 martyrs and 170,000 injured, including about 57,000 orphaned children.

She explained that the Ministry gives the issue of orphans special priority through Cabinet decisions and social protection programs and is working to link these efforts within the National Social Registry to ensure fair targeting and service integration.

Dr. Hamad added that the Ministry provides 18 core social services, including protection, care, and empowerment, targeting children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, women, and poor families.

She praised Taawon’s partnership in developing a comprehensive national model for orphan care, noting that the governmental emergency operations room continues its work in the southern governorates in coordination with 47 national institutions, as part of efforts to move from relief to recovery and reconstruction, and to build a just and sustainable social protection system that preserves human dignity.

For his part, Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director General of Taawon, stated that “Taawon’s work with orphans stems from a deep belief that care goes beyond aid, towards empowering children and their families to build a better future. Our long experience in this field has taught us that investing in education and psychosocial support is the most effective path to creating real change in the lives of orphans and their communities.”

He added that “this workshop represents a new step towards building an integrated national system that benefits from successful experiences and unites the vision of partners to ensure a dignified and fair future for every Palestinian child.”

Taawon presented its developmental vision through the “Noor Initiative” as a qualitative model for comprehensive care in Gaza, focusing on empowering orphaned children and their families through education, psychosocial support, healthcare, and life skills development. The organization explained that its developmental approach moves away from direct financial assistance towards investing in people and enhancing their self-reliance, creating a sustainable model that strengthens resilience and dignity.

The organization also showcased the Noor Initiative’s digital platform, which serves as an integrated database for documenting orphans’ information and tracking their educational, psychological, and social development. The platform enables partner institutions to collaborate through a unified information management system that enhances transparency, efficiency, and service integration.

The workshop concluded with a set of key outcomes and recommendations, emphasizing the importance of establishing a joint national committee comprising representatives from civil society, government, and the private sector to lead efforts toward building a comprehensive and sustainable orphan care system in Palestine, particularly in Gaza. It also recommended forming a permanent coordination committee to hold regular meetings for follow-up, data updates, and coordination among partners.

The recommendations called for developing an organized mechanism for information and data exchange among institutions working in the field, ensuring the protection of privacy and confidentiality of orphans’ data, as well as preparing a technical procedures manual outlining case management standards and protection and intervention mechanisms. The workshop also called for establishing a unified national database supervised by the Ministry of Social Development, linked to a user-friendly digital platform to facilitate data sharing and enhance transparency and integration.

Participants further stressed the importance of focusing on the psychological and social aspects of orphan care alongside material support and of developing long-term support plans that ensure sustainability and address children’s needs throughout their life stages. The workshop also called for empowering women caregivers economically and socially, developing tailored interventions for orphans with disabilities, and monitoring foster families to ensure the stability of children and prevent the separation of siblings.

Finally, the recommendations emphasized strengthening coordination among donors and partners within a unified national vision that ensures justice and sustainability in orphan care in Palestine.

This workshop comes as part of the joint efforts between the Ministry of Social Development and Taawon to develop an integrated social protection system for orphans in Palestine, in line with national priorities and sustainable development plans.