MoSD and WFP Discuss Development of a Unified Database for Humanitarian and Social Assistance
Ramallah – Dr. Samah Hamad, Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, met with Mr. Shaun Hughes, Representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Palestine, to discuss recent humanitarian developments and ways to strengthen coordination and cooperation in the areas of social protection, food security, and humanitarian response.
The meeting reviewed the current humanitarian challenges in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as well as ways to improve access to services and assistance for the most vulnerable groups. Discussions also focused on enhancing coordination mechanisms and information-sharing systems to improve the efficiency of humanitarian response efforts and ensure that assistance reaches those most in need.
During the meeting, the Minister highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, noting the continued suffering of the population amid severe shortages of food and basic services and the growing scale of humanitarian needs. She stressed the importance of intensifying relief efforts and ensuring the sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable families, particularly in light of alarming food security indicators and the worsening conditions of displaced households.
Dr. Hamad also emphasized the importance of strengthening national social protection systems through the integration of the Social Registry and databases across government institutions and international partners within a unified national system. Such an approach would ensure a single reference point for information, reduce duplication and overlap in service delivery and assistance, improve targeting and response efficiency, and support the Government’s broader digital transformation agenda and the development of a national digital identity framework.
The Minister further addressed developments in the West Bank, highlighting the continued increase in settler violence and violations affecting Palestinian communities and the resulting social and economic burdens on affected families. She called for expanding cash assistance, livelihoods support, and social assistance programs to strengthen the resilience of impacted households.
She also stressed the importance of strengthening regular coordination and information exchange between the Ministry and the World Food Programme, exploring opportunities to diversify funding sources and attract new donors and partners to ensure the sustainability of humanitarian programs. In addition, she underscored the importance of protecting beneficiary data, enhancing information security, and maintaining cooperation between relevant institutions in this area.
For his part, WFP Representative Shaun Hughes outlined the key operational and humanitarian challenges facing the Programme, particularly in the Gaza Strip. He referred to difficulties related to the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the decline in funding available for humanitarian operations. He reaffirmed the Programme’s commitment to continuing support for beneficiary families and to working in partnership with relevant government institutions to ensure the continuity and further development of humanitarian programs in line with evolving needs.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties agreed to continue regular coordination and consultations and to further strengthen their partnership in support of developing social protection and humanitarian response systems and improving services for the most vulnerable populations.