On the International Day for the Elimination of Abuse of Older Persons
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Abuse of Older Persons, observed annually on 15 June, the Ministry of Social Development reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of older persons. This commitment is grounded in a comprehensive national and international legal framework, including the amended Palestinian Basic Law of 2003, which guarantees social protection for all citizens; the Palestinian Draft Law on Older Persons No. (2) of 1999, which affirms their rights to care, protection, and participation; the United Nations Principles for Older Persons adopted in 1991; and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002), which calls upon states to ensure the independence, participation, dignity, care, and self-fulfillment of older persons.
Older persons represent a significant demographic group in Palestine. Their number is estimated at approximately 336,000 people aged 60 years and above, accounting for 6% of the total population, including around 228,000 in the West Bank and 108,000 in the Gaza Strip. Data further indicate that 92% of older men are married, while widowhood affects 42% of older women, reflecting a heightened level of social vulnerability that requires targeted responses.
While abuse of older persons is traditionally understood as physical, psychological, economic abuse, or neglect, the Palestinian reality reveals an additional dimension rarely addressed in international literature: structural abuse resulting from war. When an older person is deprived of essential medication because of the collapse of the healthcare system, forced to flee multiple times while losing mobility aids or medical equipment, or denied access to adequate food due to restrictions affecting entire communities, this constitutes systematic abuse. Such practices violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, which obliges the protection of civilians and vulnerable groups during armed conflict, and are inconsistent with international commitments concerning the protection of older persons.
In the Gaza Strip, approximately 108,000 older persons have endured catastrophic conditions for more than 32 months of war. More than 70% suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions. Reports indicate that 80% urgently require medications and medical equipment that remain inaccessible due to the destruction of the healthcare system. With regard to disability, data show that 48% of older persons in Palestine experience at least one functional difficulty, while 32% of those aged 75 years and above live with severe disabilities or complete functional limitations. The World Health Organization has reported more than 42,000 new disability cases in Gaza since the beginning of the war, while over 83% of persons with disabilities have lost or had their assistive devices damaged. These hardships are compounded by extreme weather conditions, including harsh winters and intense summer heat, which disproportionately affect older persons in the absence of adequate shelter and heating.
In the West Bank, older persons continue to face escalating challenges that directly affect their daily lives. Restrictions on movement impede access to healthcare services for those dependent on regular treatment, while increasing settler violence poses a direct threat to older persons living in rural and marginalized communities, particularly those who live alone. The vulnerability of widowed older women heading their households is further exacerbated by limited income opportunities and insufficient protection mechanisms.
In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Social Development continues to provide a comprehensive package of services. The Ministry operates “Beit Al-Ajdad” (House of Grandparents) in Jericho, the only government-run residential care center for older persons in Palestine, providing residential care to approximately 100 older persons annually. Through its service-purchasing mechanism, the Ministry also finances residential care for an additional 150 older persons in five accredited institutions. Furthermore, 12 specialized social counselors follow up on the conditions of more than 1,200 older persons residing in care institutions. In partnership with relevant stakeholders, the Ministry provides daytime care services to 600 older persons, awareness-raising services to 700 older persons, psychosocial support services to 300 older persons, individual and group counseling services to 450 older persons, assistive and medical devices to 350 older persons, and home-based care services to 400 older persons. In coordination with the Ministry of Health, approximately 70,000 older men and women benefit from free government health insurance. During 2026, thousands of older persons also benefited from winterization assistance, food support, in-kind assistance, and cash assistance through emergency response programs implemented in partnership with international organizations.
The Ministry’s work is guided by the National Strategy for Older Persons (2021–2026), developed in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The strategy is built on five core principles: independence, participation, care, self-fulfillment, and dignity. In addition, the Ministry, in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO), completed a study on activating Article 121 of the Public Pension Law, aimed at establishing a permanent social allowance for poor older persons with no source of income. The Ministry is also working with the Ministry of Local Government to establish day clubs for older persons in villages and towns, with the objective of promoting social participation, advancing active ageing, reducing isolation and social withdrawal, and improving their psychological, health, and social well-being.
The Ministry calls upon all members of society, public institutions, civil society organizations, and media outlets to strengthen a culture of respect for older persons and appreciation of their contributions, and to report any cases of abuse or neglect through the Ministry’s toll-free hotline (189) or through its directorates across all governorates.
The Ministry also calls on the international community, humanitarian organizations, and human rights actors to translate international commitments into immediate action by advocating for safe humanitarian corridors that ensure uninterrupted access to medicines, food, and care services for older persons in Gaza, and by financing specialized care programs commensurate with the scale of the humanitarian crisis affecting older Palestinians.
On this occasion, the Ministry of Social Development renews its commitment to advancing the rights of older persons and improving their quality of life. The Ministry further calls for Palestinian older persons to be prioritized within international humanitarian responses, emphasizing that the challenges they face today are not merely age-related vulnerabilities, but rather the direct result of systematic violations that undermine the most fundamental principles of humanity.
Latest News
MoSD Launches Consultations on the Draft Decree-Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Its Implementation Mechanisms
Ramallah – The Ministry of Social Development launched consultations today, Wednesday, on the development of the Draft Decree-Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its implementation mechanisms in the State of Palestine. The launch took place during an expanded meeting attended by representatives of persons with disabilities and their organizations, government institutions, international organizations, civil society organizations, and members of the specialized technical committee. The meeting was opened by Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Dr. Samah Hamad, in the presence of UNICEF Chief of Social Policy Artur Ayvazov; Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Union of Persons with Disabilities Majdi Mar’i; Assistant Undersecretary for Family Welfare and Protection Akram Al-Hafi; Director General of the General Directorate for Persons with Disabilities Ajaj Ajaj; and Ministry staff representing the relevant departments and directorates. The meeting also brought together representatives of ministries, government institutions, the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, organizations of persons with disabilities, international organizations, local civil society organizations, members of the technical committee, partners, and other relevant stakeholders. Dr. Hamad affirmed that work on the Draft Decree-Law represents an important step towards establishing a comprehensive legal and legislative framework that safeguards the rights of persons with disabilities and clearly defines the responsibilities of the various stakeholders, as well as mechanisms for implementation, monitoring, and accountability. She stressed the need to ensure the genuine and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations throughout all stages of drafting the law and to align it with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the State of Palestine’s international obligations. She explained that persons with disabilities, alongside women, children, and older persons, are among those most exposed to risks amid the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalating attacks, closures, and forced displacement in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. This makes ensuring their access to protection, services, assistive devices, and rehabilitation a fundamental priority within humanitarian interventions, the social protection system, and recovery and reconstruction plans. Dr. Hamad noted that the Ministry is working to develop its services and expand their accessibility by providing assistive devices and equipment, strengthening services delivered through its district offices, supporting the operation of Al-Thuraya Centre for Persons with Severe Disabilities in Nablus, and reforming and regulating the customs exemption system for vehicles used by persons with disabilities. She emphasized that finalizing the law requires a comprehensive legal, financial, and institutional review to produce a nationally agreed-upon draft that can be implemented in accordance with existing priorities and available resources. Dr. Hamad further stressed that the law must be comprehensive and responsive to the changing realities and growing needs imposed by the Palestinian context, particularly the unprecedented rise in the number of persons with disabilities resulting from the genocide in the Gaza Strip. She explained that the preparation of the law will be accompanied by a study assessing its financial impact and identifying the resources and priorities required for its implementation. A realistic and phased implementation plan will also be developed, taking into consideration the particularities of the Palestinian context and the resources available, to ensure that the law’s provisions are translated into enforceable rights and accessible services. For his part, UNICEF Chief of Social Policy Artur Ayvazov emphasized the importance of developing a comprehensive and implementable legislative framework that translates the rights of persons with disabilities into tangible policies, programmes, and services. He highlighted the importance of linking the legislative process with the financial assessment to identify priorities, required resources, and phases of implementation in a realistic and sustainable manner. Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Union of Persons with Disabilities Majdi Mar’i stressed that persons with disabilities and their representative organizations must be key partners in drafting, reviewing, and monitoring the implementation of the law. This would ensure that the legislation reflects their actual needs and lived experiences and advances their rights to equality, non-discrimination, accessibility, and full participation in society. The meeting featured a series of presentations and interventions by Ministry representatives, members of the technical committee, and partners. These addressed the current state of the rights of persons with disabilities and the main challenges they face, as well as the legal process for developing the Draft Decree-Law, the methodology for assessing its financial impact, the work plan, the consultation process, and the forthcoming implementation steps. The meeting also included an extensive discussion among representatives of government institutions, organizations of persons with disabilities, international organizations, and civil society organizations on the provisions of the Draft Decree-Law, rights- and service-related priorities, and mechanisms for ensuring the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the drafting and review process. The meeting concluded by reaffirming the commitment to continued cooperation and coordination among the Ministry, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, and all partners, with the aim of developing a comprehensive and implementable national law that safeguards the rights of persons with disabilities and promotes their independence, participation, and full inclusion in society.
MoSD and Ministry of State for Relief Stress the Urgent Need for Action to Prevent the Worsening Humanitarian Catastrophe Threatening Children in the Gaza Strip
Ramallah – The Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of State for Relief warned of the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions facing children in the Gaza Strip. They affirmed that the threats confronting children today are no longer limited to the direct consequences of the aggression, but have developed into a multidimensional crisis endangering their lives, health, development, and future amid continued restrictions on the entry of aid and the decline of health, nutrition, water, education, and protection services. Recent United Nations and international reports indicate that children in Gaza continue to bear the heaviest toll. More than 21,000 children have been killed since October 2023, while the number of children sustaining permanent disabilities and life-altering injuries continues to rise. Children also remain at risk from unexploded ordnance, which has caused hundreds of incidents, injuries, and deaths. Food security and nutrition data reveal an extremely alarming situation. More than 74,000 children under the age of five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition, including over 11,000 children facing severe acute malnutrition. Only approximately 30.3% of children aged 6–23 months receive the minimum level of dietary diversity, while just 22.4% receive a minimum acceptable diet. The nutrition crisis cannot be separated from the collapse of children’s living environment. Estimates indicate that approximately 90% of water and sanitation infrastructure has been damaged, while a significant proportion of families face water insecurity. Many residents are unable to access even the minimum quantity of water required for their daily needs, increasing the risk of skin, intestinal, and respiratory diseases and further exposing children already suffering from malnutrition and weakened immunity. The crisis also affects education and children’s psychosocial development. More than 625,000 school-age children have been deprived of formal education for the third consecutive year. Many lack access to in-person learning and continue to endure repeated displacement, bereavement, fear, and family instability, leaving long-term psychological and developmental consequences. In response to this reality, the Ministry of Social Development, in partnership with local and international organizations, continued to implement integrated child protection and care interventions during the first half of 2026. These interventions combined humanitarian relief, protection, case management, psychosocial support, alternative care, and family follow-up. In the field of child protection, Ministry teams and partners received 316 reports concerning children in need of protection and assessed 181 cases. They responded to 144 cases involving children exposed to violence and physical abuse, 59 cases involving children exposed to sexual abuse, and 140 cases involving children exposed to severe neglect. They also followed up on 258 cases after the necessary interventions had been provided and intervened in cases involving 208 separated and unaccompanied children. Alternative care interventions included admitting 50 children to the SOS Children’s Village and Al-Awda Shelter Centre and three children to the Palestinian Orphanage. The Ministry and its partners also followed up on 342 children in residential care institutions, monitored the situation of 111 children following their reunification with their families, and followed up on 173 children placed with foster families, in addition to coordinating and networking with organizations working in child protection. In the area of psychosocial support, thousands of individual and group psychological support and counselling services were provided. Referrals were also coordinated among organizations to ensure that cases could access the appropriate services. Child-related relief interventions continued as well, including the provision of food, clothing, vouchers, and essential supplies. The Ministry also placed special priority on supporting orphans. Thousands of sponsorships and food, health, and in-kind assistance packages were provided, while 5,650 newly orphaned children were added to the orphans database. Support was also extended to families caring for orphans, and interventions were carried out for unaccompanied orphaned children, including the provision of food, milk, clothing, mattresses, vouchers, and healthcare services. In parallel, the Ministry and its partners provided more than 4.4 million units of humanitarian and relief assistance in the Gaza Strip during 2026. These included approximately 4.36 million units of food and drinking-water assistance, in addition to around 128,000 units of shelter assistance and essential supplies, including tents, blankets, mattresses, health kits, and hygiene and childcare supplies. The Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of State for Relief warned that continued restrictions on the entry of food, medicine, nutritional supplements, infant formula, and health supplies, together with the decline in water, education, and protection services, risk turning the current crisis into permanent consequences for an entire generation of children. These include stunting, delayed physical and cognitive development, increased acquired disabilities, and worsening psychological and social problems. Accordingly, the two ministries call on the international community, the United Nations, humanitarian organizations, and donors to exert genuine pressure to ensure the full and sustained opening of crossings and the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance. Priority items include food, nutritional supplements for children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, infant formula, medicines, vaccines, medical and therapeutic supplies, and the equipment required to remove unexploded ordnance and rubble. They also call for urgent and sustainable funding for child protection, psychosocial support, alternative care, orphan sponsorship, education, nutrition, rehabilitation, and healthcare programmes for children with disabilities and serious injuries. Such funding is essential to ensure the continuity of services and strengthen families’ ability to protect and care for their children. The two ministries affirm that protecting Gaza’s children cannot wait. Every day that access to humanitarian assistance and essential services remains disrupted means more hunger, illness, loss, and deprivation—and further harm that may become impossible to reverse.
