occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
Children affected by conflict: 2.2 million
Budget spent: €940,678
Number of partner organisations: Sixteen
Number of projects: Four
Total child participants: 9,270 (4,376 girls and 4,894 boys)
Total adult participants: 959 (817 women and 142 men)
The political and security situation inside the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) was comparatively stable in 2016 compared to the violent upheaval of 2014 and 2015. Yet large numbers of the population remained in acute need of humanitarian assistance -particularly children and youth.
The blockade of Gaza continued throughout 2016. About half the Gazan population remained food insecure and some 60 per cent of youth are currently classified as “without work or meaningful occupation”. In addition, some 51,000 Palestinians are still displaced as a result of the 2014 conflict. The level of psychological distress among the population as a result of this widespread deprivation of dignity, liberty, safety and prosperity is significant.
In the West Bank the wave of violence that began in October 2015 continued but became less intense over the course of the year. The rate of demolition and settlement construction reached new highs, however, with more than 1,000 Palestinian-owned structures either demolished or seized across 2016 as a whole. This situation fuels heightened tensions inside communities, which are often expressed in violence.
Highlights
Performance targets for our three ongoing programmes were all exceeded with regard to child participants - however there was deviation from the planned number of adults targeted. This deviation was due to the cancellation of a public advocacy and awareness event, and difficulties for parents to access scheduled activities during the local harvest.
Our new projects to provide mobile psychosocial support and legal representation to Palestinian youth in the West Bank were a success - some 2,800 children participated in psychosocial support activities and 88 children arrested and detained in East Jerusalem had access to quality legal aid services.
The You Lead project in the West Bank and Gaza was brought to a successful conclusion.
© Raoul Kramer
Challenges
There was significant staff turnover during the first six months of the year. This period saw the arrival of a new Country Director, Programmes Manager and PSS adviser.
The year was marked by a lack of fundraising opportunities which - when coupled with high operating costs for all NGOs in oPt - made programme implementation extremely challenging.
The gradual increase in pressure on NGOs to comply with a complex and sometimes contradictory set of demands from the three local ruling authorities (the de facto authority in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority and Israeli authorities) has often frustrated our efforts to implement programmes. This situation is likely to continue in 2017.
Projects
War Child works with local organisations, community groups and families inside the occupied Palestinian territory to protect children from harm and support their psychosocial well-being. We provide children with the tools and self-confidence they need to cope with a difficult present and build a better future - both for themselves and their communities.
Advancing the Rights of Vulnerable Palestinian Women and Children in East Jerusalem: Project to improve the social, psychosocial, economic and cultural opportunities and well-being of vulnerable Palestinian children, youth and women.
You Lead: Now concluded. Project designed to improve Palestinian children’s access to safe places for recreation and psychosocial support. This project was implemented in the West Bank, Jordan Valley and Gaza in partnership with Right To Play.
Protecting Children in No Man's Land: Initiative to provide outreach and mobile child protection, psychosocial support, recreation and legal resources (including for victims of gender-based violence) to Palestinian children and communities in the West Bank.
Helping Children Heal: Providing psychosocial support, protection and recreation opportunities to the most marginalised Palestinian children and communities in Gaza. The project also incorporates outreach services for children living in or close to the military buffer zone known as the Access Restricted Area.