Social Protection Enhancement Project Supports the Resilience of Poor Families

The Social Protection Enhancement Project, during its first phase, contributed to improving access for thousands of poor and vulnerable families to social services, and to enhancing the accuracy of targeting and equity in the delivery of assistance. This was achieved through the development of an updated national database and field verification of beneficiaries’ conditions. The project included the implementation of more than 132,000 field visits in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which directly reflected in improved service quality and strengthened public trust in the social protection system.

In this context, the Minister of Social Development, Dr. Samah Hamad, today inaugurated a consultative workshop dedicated to the second phase of the project, implemented in partnership with the World Bank. The workshop was attended by Assistant Undersecretaries Rula Nazzal, Khuloud Abdul Khaliq, and Ashraf Al-Barghouthi, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Social Development, the World Bank, civil society organizations, and UN institutions, in addition to the participation of several relevant stakeholders via video conferencing (Zoom).

For her part, Dr. Samah Hamad stressed the importance of moving to the second phase of the project, noting that it focuses on expanding the scope of beneficiaries, strengthening social services, and activating the emergency response component. This, she said, would contribute to alleviating the burdens on citizens and enhancing their resilience, particularly in light of the difficult economic and humanitarian conditions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

During the workshop, Ms. Sonia Al-Hilu, Director General of the General Administration of Planning and Development, reviewed the key outputs of the first phase of the project, including efforts to verify beneficiaries’ data, update the Palestinian social registry, and strengthen the complaints mechanism in a manner that ensures access for beneficiaries and effective handling of their grievances.

The presentation also addressed the environmental and social aspects of the project, as well as the social protection and safety plan, including complaints mechanisms and the protection of vulnerable groups—especially children—and the handling of issues related to violence and exploitation. It was noted that all project documents and plans are publicly available on the Ministry of Social Development’s website.

For his part, the World Bank representative emphasized that the project is owned by the Ministry of Social Development in terms of design, implementation, and supervision, which constitutes one of the key features of World Bank projects. This approach enhances the Ministry’s leadership role in the social protection sector, while ensuring field verification and oversight of targeting criteria.

At the conclusion of the workshop, the floor was opened for discussion, during which a number of questions and interventions were raised and addressed by Minister Dr. Hamad, the project team, and representatives of the Ministry and the World Bank, within the framework of strengthening transparency and communication with all partners.