Social Development Participates in the High-Level Arab Event on Implementing the Arab Strategy for Older Persons in Libya
Ramallah – The high-level Arab event on implementing the Arab Strategy for Older Persons represents an important platform to strengthen joint Arab cooperation and to develop policies and services provided to this group, in a way that ensures their rights and enhances their community participation, especially in light of the social and humanitarian challenges facing the region.
The Ministry of Social Development participated in the event, which was held in the Libyan capital Tripoli on 1–2 April 2026, with the participation of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, representatives of international organizations, and experts. The State of Palestine was represented by the Director General of the General Administration for Older Persons, Mr. Ghanem Omar, who headed the delegation, alongside the Director of the Directorate of Social Development in Jericho, Mr. Yaqoub Salah Al-Din.
The event witnessed wide participation by Arab officials, including the Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity, Engineer Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and Libya’s Minister of Social Affairs, Ms. Wafaa Al-Kilani, in addition to the official representing the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, a number of Arab ambassadors, and representatives of 15 Arab delegations specialized in the fields of protection and care for older persons. It also included international organizations, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
During the event, the Palestinian delegation presented the reality of older persons in Palestine under the current circumstances, highlighting the severe humanitarian challenges, particularly in the Gaza Strip, as a result of the ongoing war since 7 October 2023, and the accompanying acute shortages of food and medicine, the deterioration of health conditions, as well as the consequences of displacement. The delegation also addressed the situation in the West Bank, including movement restrictions, attacks, and the worsening living conditions. The delegation further presented the Ministry of Social Development’s experience in providing protection and care services for older persons, including residential, day, and home-based care, as well as psychosocial support, awareness and educational programs, and the promotion of the concept of active ageing.
The delegation stressed the importance of continuing support for existing projects, particularly the home care project for older persons supported by the League of Arab States, and the need to renew and expand it. It also highlighted the need to develop day care programs, noting that the Ministry has prepared a project proposal that will be submitted to the League of Arab States to strengthen these services. The delegation also emphasized the importance of enhancing joint Arab coordination, exchanging expertise, and developing policies and legislation that ensure the rights of older persons and improve the quality of services provided to them, especially amid the humanitarian crises affecting the region.
The event also commended the decision of Libya’s Minister of Social Affairs to provide social protection assistance to Palestinian families residing in Libya and facilitate their access to social security services, in addition to offering free residential care for older Palestinian persons in specialized institutions.
The event concluded with a set of recommendations, most notably strengthening investment in home-based and day care services, developing legislation related to the rights of older persons, and enhancing partnerships between governments and international organizations, in order to improve the quality of life for this group and ensure their dignity.