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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