MoSD Explores Ways to Strengthen the Social Protection System and Expand Its Interventions in Gaza and the West Bank

Ramallah – Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, Dr. Samah Hamad, met with representatives of the “Sawasiya” Project to discuss ways to enhance and expand the Ministry of Social Development’s role within the social protection system, particularly in light of the escalating challenges facing the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The meeting was attended by a team from the “Sawasya” project, headed by the program director, Simon Ridley. On the Ministry side, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development, Mr. Taha Al-Irani, the State Ministry’s Advisor for Relief Affairs, Mahdi Hamdan, the Director of the Women’s Protection Department, Hiba Jibat, the Director of the Child Protection Department, Muhammad Al-Qarm, and the Acting Director of the General Administration for Legal Affairs, Ms. Aya Adawi, along with a number of specialists.

During the meeting, Dr. Hamad emphasized that the Ministry’s role within the Sawasiya Programme remains limited compared to the responsibilities entrusted to it. She stressed the need to expand this role to cover various protection interventions, in line with the Ministry’s legal mandate, and to ensure complementarity of efforts with international partners and civil society organizations.

The meeting also addressed the situation in the Gaza Strip, reviewing ongoing interventions in the areas of women’s and children’s protection, and the challenges related to limited direct access to services due to imposed restrictions. The discussion further highlighted the importance of re-prioritizing needs during the upcoming transitional phase, expected to span approximately 18 months, in order to strengthen humanitarian response and early recovery efforts.

In this context, Dr. Hamad underscored the importance of developing a comprehensive national protection plan led by the Ministry in partnership with relevant stakeholders, to define priorities and guide resources. She also stressed the need to align interventions with evolving field developments and enhance coordination among various institutions.

The meeting further discussed the reality of women’s protection in light of challenges related to case referrals and access to protection services. It was noted that only a limited percentage of violence cases reach specialized authorities, which calls for strengthening reporting mechanisms, raising community awareness, and improving a multi-sectoral response system.

Regarding child protection, the Minister reviewed the Ministry’s efforts to regulate the orphan sponsorship sector through the initiative “No Orphan Will Be Left Without Sponsorship,” which aims to establish a unified national database and regulate mechanisms for providing financial and service support to ensure fairness and transparency in the distribution of assistance.

Dr. Hamad also emphasized the importance of strengthening family-based care for children deprived of parental care, rather than expanding residential shelter institutions. She noted that work is currently underway to develop a comprehensive national strategy in this field in partnership with UNICEF.

The meeting also addressed ongoing efforts to develop the national social registry to include updated data on affected individuals and families, supporting relief and recovery operations. Mechanisms were also discussed for following up on children who have been evacuated for medical treatment abroad, ensuring their continued protection and safeguarding their legal identity.

In a related context, the Minister stressed the necessity of enhancing the protection of personal data of beneficiaries, especially women and children, and developing systems and procedures that ensure confidentiality and prevent misuse of information.

Several issues related to the development of protection services were also discussed, including the establishment of safe child visitation centers, strengthening juvenile care services, supporting women within rehabilitation and correction centers, and addressing addiction as a social issue requiring integrated interventions.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed to continue joint coordination, exchange data and assessments, and work on developing clear implementation plans supported by performance indicators, contributing to enhancing the efficiency of the national response and ensuring that social protection services reach the most vulnerable groups.