Palestinian Youth to Demand Strengthening their Engagement in Developing  Call for Greater Involvement in Shaping Humanitarian Response Strategies 

Ramallah, West Bank – The Humanitarian Youth Group -Palestine (HYGP) supported by ActionAid Palestine, organized a roundtable in Ramallah to address the gaps and challenges in engaging youth in humanitarian work. The event aimed to present successful models and propose policies and mechanisms that empower youth to lead humanitarian responses during wars and crises. The roundtable brought together representatives from the Ministry of State for Relief Affairs, local Palestinian institutions, international organizations, and active youth groups working in humanitarian relief in the occupied Palestinian territories.  

The discussions at the roundtable began with a welcoming speech by Mr. Jameel Swailmeh, Director-General of ActionAid Palestine, who emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of youth in humanitarian work and response. He also stressed the need for ongoing consultation and collaboration with all institutions, ministries, government agencies, and community organizations to continue designing and implementing policies that enhance youth engagement in humanitarian efforts. "We look forward to involving youth more in decision-making processes and ensuring their active participation in any groups or spaces dedicated to decision-making in humanitarian response in Palestine. We provide youth with the opportunity to raise their voices, express their priorities, and address the gaps in emergency response from their perspective. As humanitarian organizations, it is our responsibility to consider and work on engaging youth in all stages of humanitarian response during times of disaster and war."  

The roundtable aimed to enhance the understanding of the role youth play in humanitarian interventions by highlighting the importance of their participation in humanitarian efforts and decision-making centers. It also addressed the political, social, and economic challenges faced by youth, while proposing mechanisms for empowering them through the development of recommendations to strengthen youth representation in humanitarian leadership bodies.  

The session included discussions where successful experiences were presented, exploring the leadership role of youth in humanitarian response and best practices for building sustainable partnerships between youth and humanitarian organizations. Additionally, the session focused on ways to foster innovation in the design of humanitarian interventions.  

Rand Sayej, a founding member of HYGP stated: "We believe that engaging youth in building humanitarian response strategies significantly enhances the impact of these efforts on the ground. Through collaboration with the HYHP, we aim to create an environment where youth can express their ideas and set their priorities, as they are the most knowledgeable about the needs of the Palestinian people, who form the majority of the population."  

Amani Tuwam, a representative of the PYALARA organization, added: "It is crucial to recognize the pivotal role youth can play in humanitarian response, especially given the current circumstances in Palestine. Youth are a cornerstone of field and relief work, and they have proven their ability to act swiftly and provide assistance across various regions. However, we face significant challenges in creating opportunities for their active participation in decision-making centers, which hinders their influence on humanitarian policies. We hope that sessions like this will open the door for them to play a larger role in humanitarian response."  

Iman Tahboub, Acting Director-General of Youth Affairs at the Higher Council for Youth and Sports, commented: "The workshop was comprehensive and well-rounded, shedding light on the critical role of youth in Palestinian society, particularly at this time."  

Khaled Abu Jameh, a member of HYGP in Gaza, added: " the members of HYGP from Gaza and the West Bank were chosen to join HYGP and participated in intensive training on humanitarian management. This was followed by additional training sessions on topics such as policy paper development, situational assessment, and other areas related to humanitarian work, aimed at developing and refining the skills of youth in this field."  

He continued: "During the war, we launched a series of initiatives under the title ‘Hope Initiatives’. We began with psychological support for displaced individuals in camps and shelters across central and southern Gaza. Later, we carried out an awareness initiative focused on the dangers and harms of war remnants, targeting families and their children in the southern region of the Gaza Strip." He also noted that there will be a forthcoming initiative aimed at teaching children in displacement camps.  

Youth participation in humanitarian response represents an invaluable opportunity to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to crises, particularly in the context of the Palestinian cause, which continues to endure recurring challenges caused by the occupation."  

The growing impact of humanitarian crises on global policies highlights the urgent need for immediate interventions, with the Palestinian cause serving as a compelling example. Palestinian youth possess the skills and energy required to deliver effective humanitarian responses. However, their representation in decision-making centers remains critically low, diminishing their influence on humanitarian policies.  

Facing recurring crises and disasters, youth play a pivotal role in saving the most vulnerable populations and actively contributing to rebuilding efforts, improving living conditions, and strengthening their communities. Despite this, they often struggle to spotlight the impact of crises on their lives or document their experiences as genuine contributors to humanitarian efforts. Moreover, their involvement in the field is often limited, lacking a meaningful role in decision-making processes and the management of these efforts.  

The roundtable’s outputs focused on the importance of engaging  young people in the planning of emergency response plans and viewing them as leaders and decision makers and  not as recipients or executors of response work, thereby enhancing their presence in humanitarian decision-making positions. The outcomes also emphasized the importance of relying on alternative means of financing to support youth work through the Palestinian private sector, youth cooperatives, the creation of income -generating sources for youth institutions and the building of a dialogue between the youth, government and community sectors to enhance youth leadership. Participants called for clarity of national emergency response plans and the importance of strengthening coordination and follow-up mechanisms between local and international institutions and youth groups, and the need to listen to and take into account young people's views, especially in emergency and crisis situations 

About ActionAid International 

ActionAid International is a global federation working with over 41 million people living in more than 72 of the world's poorest countries. We envision a world characterized by justice and sustainability, where every individual has the right to a dignified life and freedom, and a world free from poverty and oppression. We strive to achieve social justice, gender equality, and eradicate poverty. 

ActionAid Palestine began its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people, believing in their right to enjoy freedom, justice, and self-determination. ActionAid Palestine implements several programs through its engagement with Palestinian communities and youth and women’s groups, aiming to empower women and youth and enhance their active civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective action to address the rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation, in addition to improving their leadership capacity and practicing their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers accountable. 

For more information, please contact: 

Riham Jafari  

Communication and Advocacy Officer at ActionAid Palestine  

Email: Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org