Social Development Discusses Strengthening Partnership with the Youth Advisory Panel to Serve Youth and Vulnerable Groups and Signs a Joint Cooperation Agreement
Ramallah – Minister of Social Development, Dr. Samah Hamad, emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships with Palestinian youth and engaging them in shaping developmental and social policies and programs during a meeting with the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), attended by representatives of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Higher Council for Youth and Sports. The meeting explored ways to further develop cooperation and enhance the role of youth in serving society and reaching the most vulnerable groups.
The meeting highlighted the role of the Youth Advisory Panel, which includes young people from the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, in conveying the voices of Palestinian youth to decision-making centers and international forums, representing their issues and needs, and contributing to community and humanitarian initiatives, relief efforts, and advocacy activities, particularly in light of the exceptional circumstances facing the Palestinian people.
The Minister stressed the importance of unifying efforts and strengthening coordination among national and international institutions amid limited resources and growing challenges, affirming that youth are key partners in social development, empowerment, and efforts to support the most vulnerable groups. She also reviewed the Ministry’s efforts to improve social services through the National Social Registry, which aims to organize social services and ensure their delivery to targeted groups, including poor families, displaced persons, and those affected by the exceptional conditions across the Palestinian territories.
In the same context, the Ministry of Social Development signed a cooperation agreement with the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) to advance joint collaboration in the areas of community empowerment, humanitarian and relief work, support for education, promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, and expanding youth participation in social and humanitarian programs and initiatives.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Samah Hamad, Minister of Social Development, and Eng. Nasr Awlad Mohammed, Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), in the presence of Mr. Taha Al-Irani, Undersecretary of the Ministry; Mr. Akram Al-Hafi, Assistant Undersecretary for Social Care and Development; Ms. Doaa Wadi, Advisor to the Minister; Mr. Mohammad Al-Qarm, Director General of the General Directorate of Family and Childhood Affairs; as well as representatives of the Ministry, members of the Youth Advisory Panel, and representatives of the United Nations Population Fund.
The Minister affirmed that the agreement represents a practical step toward translating partnership with youth into field-based programs and initiatives through information exchange and the implementation of joint activities in the areas of social welfare, humanitarian relief, development, and empowerment. These efforts will enhance service delivery to the most vulnerable groups and enable young people to contribute effectively to serving their communities and supporting the resilience of citizens, particularly in the Gaza Strip and other affected areas.
For his part, Mr. Taha Al-Irani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development, emphasized that youth constitute a fundamental pillar of community development and that the Ministry views them as active partners in designing and implementing social initiatives and programs. He noted that the agreement opens new horizons for strengthening volunteerism and youth-led initiatives and directing them toward serving the most vulnerable groups, thereby contributing to sustainable developmental and humanitarian impact.
Meanwhile, Ms. Sima Al-Alami, Team Leader of the Adolescents and Youth Programme at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), expressed her pride in the signing of the agreement, which crowns years of joint work with the Youth Advisory Panel. She stressed that young people are not merely beneficiaries of development programs but essential partners in strengthening community resilience and actively serving their communities. She also commended the significant efforts made by Panel members, particularly in the Gaza Strip, in the fields of humanitarian relief, advocacy, and community action.
In turn, Eng. Nasr Awlad Mohammed, Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), welcomed the signing of the agreement, describing it as an important step toward strengthening partnership between youth and national institutions and creating broader opportunities for youth participation in community and humanitarian initiatives. He noted that the Panel looks forward to working closely with the Ministry in implementing programs and initiatives targeting vulnerable groups and enhancing the role of youth as active agents of development and positive change.
The agreement provides for cooperation between the two parties in implementing community and humanitarian initiatives; building the capacities of youth and professionals working in social welfare, humanitarian relief, and community empowerment; developing joint awareness campaigns; supporting educational initiatives and the empowerment of vulnerable groups; conducting relevant studies, research, and opinion surveys; and establishing a joint committee to monitor implementation of the agreement, assess achievements and challenges, and further develop cooperation mechanisms.
This agreement comes within the framework of the Ministry of Social Development’s efforts to strengthen community and youth participation and expand national partnerships in ways that positively impact the quality of services provided to targeted groups and support social development, empowerment, and social welfare efforts in Palestine.