Developing an Integrated Social Development System (Protection, Care, and Economic Empowerment)
Ramallah – Dr. Samah Hamad, Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, affirmed that the Palestinian Government continues to advance an integrated national social protection system, led by national institutions, that strengthens the link between humanitarian response, recovery, and development efforts. This approach aims to ensure that services reach the most vulnerable groups while preserving the dignity and resilience of Palestinian citizens in the face of the unprecedented humanitarian and economic challenges confronting the State of Palestine.
The remarks were made during the Social Protection Sector Working Group (SPSWG) meeting, held at the Ministry of Social Development in Ramallah and coordinated by the Local Aid Coordination Secretariat (LACS). The meeting was attended by Andrea Ferrari Bravo, Head of Cooperation at the Office of the European Union Representative, Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF Special Representative in the State of Palestine, representatives of UN agencies, donor countries, international and national partner organizations, as well as the Ministry's Assistant Undersecretaries, Directors General, Heads of Units, and Directors of the relevant Directorates.
Dr. Hamad stressed that social protection is no longer limited to the provision of humanitarian or cash assistance. Rather, it has become a cornerstone for safeguarding human dignity, strengthening social cohesion, and building resilient state institutions capable of responding effectively to crises. She noted that the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, alongside the growing challenges in the West Bank, underscores the urgent need to invest in a more efficient and sustainable national social protection system. This effort goes hand in hand with the Government's reform agenda aimed at strengthening governance, enhancing transparency, accelerating digital transformation, and improving public services to better meet the needs of citizens.
The Minister reviewed the Ministry's key achievements over the past period, highlighting the development of the National Social Registry as the country's primary reference for identifying eligible households. She noted the ongoing verification and integration of household data into a unified national system in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other partners. She also outlined progress in strengthening the Case Management System, improving data governance, implementing the World Bank-funded Social Protection Enhancement Project, and the EU-funded NEXUS Project. In addition, she highlighted the continuation of cash assistance programmes, particularly the Life-Saving Programme supporting families in the Gaza Strip and the Future Leaders Programme supporting children deprived of parental care. Dr. Hamad emphasized the importance of shifting from financing short-term projects toward investing in sustainable national systems and securing long-term financing for the social protection sector.
For his part, Andrea Ferrari Bravo, Head of Cooperation at the Office of the European Union Representative, reaffirmed the European Union's continued commitment to supporting the Palestinian Government and its national reform programme. He highlighted the significance of the outcomes of the recent donor meeting held in Brussels, which resulted in new financial commitments to support the Palestinian budget and essential public services. He also commended the progress achieved by the Palestinian Government in implementing its reform programme, noting that the reforms presented in Brussels received broad recognition from participating countries despite the exceptional circumstances facing Palestine. He reiterated the EU's commitment to continuing its support for cash assistance programmes, strengthening the national social protection system, and advancing the Together for Gaza Initiative, contributing to recovery efforts and enhancing the resilience of Palestinian citizens.
Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF Special Representative in the State of Palestine, emphasized that social protection serves as a bridge between humanitarian action and recovery efforts, stressing that humanitarian response must go hand in hand with rebuilding national systems. He pointed to the continuing humanitarian challenges in the Gaza Strip and underscored the importance of sustaining cash assistance programmes for the most vulnerable populations, while supporting children and persons with disabilities. He also commended the Ministry of Social Development for the significant progress made in developing the National Social Registry, strengthening data-sharing with partners, and improving mechanisms aimed at reducing duplication of humanitarian assistance and enhancing the efficiency of the humanitarian response.
The meeting included several technical presentations outlining the coordination architecture of the social protection sector and the mechanisms linking the Government's coordination system with the United Nations coordination framework and the broader humanitarian coordination system. These efforts aim to strengthen the integration of humanitarian response with development initiatives and improve coordination among all partners. Participants also reviewed the current structure of sector working groups, available funding sources, and the respective roles of national and international institutions in supporting the social protection sector.
Participants further discussed progress in developing the National Social Registry, updating household data, strengthening the Case Management System, enhancing data-sharing mechanisms among partners, and reducing duplication in humanitarian assistance. They also reviewed the sector's priorities and funding needs for the coming period to ensure that services reach those most in need in an efficient and equitable manner. In addition, participants reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the collection of household data in the Gaza Strip and integrating it into the National Social Registry to improve targeting accuracy and support planning for relief and recovery programmes.
In closing, Dr. Hamad stressed the importance of sustaining international support in light of the alarming decline in the entry of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip. She announced that the Ministry will organize a press conference in the coming days to present the latest developments regarding the humanitarian situation and food security. She also emphasized the urgent need to address the accumulated debts owed to partner institutions, which now exceed NIS 35 million, in order to ensure the continuity of care and rehabilitation services, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. Participants agreed to continue strengthening partnership and coordination between the Government and its partners while further developing the national social protection system to enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian response and recovery efforts.
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Access to Services & Information in an Understandable Language Is a Fundamental Right of Persons with Disabilities
Ramallah – On the occasion of the International Day of Sign Languages, observed on 23 September, the Ministry of Social Development affirmed that sign language represents a fundamental right for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, and that ensuring accessible communication and access to government, social, health, and educational services forms part of the right to equality, participation, and independence. The Ministry explained that its role in supporting persons with disabilities is not limited to providing assistive devices, but also includes case management and social follow-up, health insurance, referrals to rehabilitation services, provision of wheelchairs, hearing aids, eyeglasses, hearing and vision examinations, medical supplies, protection and care services, economic empowerment, and linking persons with disabilities to specialized services and partner organizations. During 2026, the Ministry continued to develop its interventions for persons with disabilities through its directorates, centers, and partnerships with specialized institutions, with a focus on improving accessibility, facilitating access to services, and promoting social inclusion. The Ministry’s interventions also include providing assistive devices and technologies, following up on the most vulnerable cases, connecting them with rehabilitation, education, protection, and social support services, and working with partners to improve services in a manner that reflects different types of disabilities and the specific needs of each case. The Ministry stressed that sign language is not an additional service or a secondary support tool, but a fundamental means of exercising rights. The absence of accessible communication may prevent a deaf person from understanding a service, expressing their needs, reporting violence or abuse, or accessing care and protection. Providing reasonable accommodations and information in accessible formats is therefore an essential component of quality social services. This issue is of particular importance in the Gaza Strip, where war-related injuries have increased the number of people requiring rehabilitation services and assistive devices. Recent humanitarian reports indicate that around 2% of Gaza’s population is now living with serious conflict-related injuries, while shortages of rehabilitation equipment and assistive products, including hearing aids and mobility devices, persist, and the entry of such supplies continues to face prolonged delays. Reports also indicate an ongoing need for specialized services for children with disabilities in Gaza, including assistive devices, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and referral services. At the same time, children with hearing, mobility, or visual disabilities face additional barriers to accessing protection, education, and information in overcrowded displacement settings. In July alone, hundreds of children with disabilities received multisectoral support, including cash assistance, assistive devices, rehabilitation, psychosocial services, and specialized referrals. The Ministry emphasized that strengthening sign language services and accessibility should extend across government services, health and educational institutions, protection and shelter centers, humanitarian information, warnings, and emergency guidance, ensuring that deaf persons can access information at the same time and to the same standard as others. The Ministry called on government institutions, civil society, the private sector, and donors to increase investment in sign language interpretation services, training for service providers, expanded digital and physical accessibility, provision of hearing and other assistive devices, and support for rehabilitation and inclusion programmes. It stressed that building an inclusive social protection system begins with removing the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from independently and safely accessing their rights and services.
Psychosocial Support, Case Management, and Referral Are Key Components of the Social Protection System for the Most Vulnerable Groups
Ministry of Social Development: Displacement, Loss, Violence, and Economic Pressures Require an Integrated Psychosocial ResponseRamallah – On the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day, observed annually on 10 September, the Ministry of Social Development emphasized the importance of strengthening psychosocial support and community-based protection services and expanding early access to support, particularly for groups facing prolonged and severe pressures resulting from displacement, loss, violence, poverty, and family and social instability. The Ministry noted that the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” focuses on reducing stigma, creating space for safe conversations about psychological distress, and strengthening the ability of individuals and families to seek help and access appropriate services at the right time. The World Health Organization also emphasizes that prevention requires policies and services that ensure access to care and support, rather than relying on awareness-raising alone. The Ministry explained that mental health is an integral part of social protection, and that its role extends beyond providing material assistance to families to include psychosocial support, case management, family follow-up, referral to specialized services, protection from violence, and interventions targeting children, women, orphans, older persons, persons with disabilities, displaced families, and other vulnerable groups. The Ministry stressed that accumulated economic and social pressures, combined with repeated displacement and the loss of homes, sources of income, or family members, can have a direct impact on individuals’ mental health, particularly children, women, and families living in vulnerable circumstances. This requires an early and integrated response that combines psychosocial support, protection, and access to essential services. Since the beginning of 2026 through the end of August, the Ministry of Social Development has delivered approximately 135,000 social protection and care services and interventions across the West Bank and Gaza Strip. These included protection services for women, children, and juveniles; care for orphans; services for persons with disabilities and older persons; psychosocial support; case management; family follow-up; and referrals to specialized services. The Ministry also emphasized the importance of working with families and the wider community surrounding individuals, noting that effective social protection requires strengthening family and community support networks, alleviating economic and social pressures, and connecting individuals with available services. These factors constitute an essential part of prevention and of strengthening people’s ability to cope and remain resilient. The Ministry of Social Development called on local and international organizations and partners to expand psychosocial support programmes, strengthen the capacities of professionals working in protection and case management, and further develop referral pathways and coordination across the social, health, and education sectors, to ensure a more comprehensive response for individuals and families facing accumulated psychological and social pressures.
