Salam Zu’rub: Model of Role of Palestinian Youth Committees on Strengthening the Survival and Resilience of Community During War in Gaza

Occupied Palestinian Territories - Salam Zu’ rub is a young woman activist living in Gaza who continues her activism and voluntary work to serve her community during times of war and crisis. Salam has joined youth -led committees (YLCs) established through partnership between Wefaq society for Women and child Care and ActionAid Palestine. Those committees include Women-Led Protection Committees (WLPCs), Youth-Led Preparedness and Response Committees (PRCs). Members of those committees are empowered to create the change in their community under unimaginable conditions caused by repeated Israeli wars against Gaza. 

The vital roles that YLCs play during times of crisis by delivering lifesaving services were essential in serving and reaching internally displaced people and women by coordinating emergency aid distribution, providing psychosocial support to affected families, and mobilizing rapid-response teams to address urgent needs such as shelter and food.

Salam like other young people in Gaza is impacted by the conditions of wars imposed on Gaza especially the most recent one which was waged in October 2023. Over the past year, young people have witnessed traumatic events, lost families and friends, suffered from hunger and thirst, lost homes, and were unable to go to school since the start of war. This war caused unprecedent humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with over 50,000 killed, more than 110,000 injured, and nearly the entire population displaced, many multiple times. There is no doubt that the war has taken a heavy toll on young Palestinians in Gaza. Most young people in Gaza have no other memory than the Israeli air, land and sea blockade since 2007. They have been living in Gaza under repeated wars and illegal air, sea and ground prison and limited opportunities caused by shrinking economic, democratic and public spaces for utilizing their potential, raise their concerns and utilize their energy in serving community where duty bearers and authorities are not taken sufficient actions to promote youth roles in building their communities and serving marginalized groups.

Despite these conditions, youth in Gaza always aspire for work and dream of enjoying human rights, peace, freedom of movement and security. Salam is an active member of Women-Led Protection and Response Committees (WLPCs) where she participated in leading initiatives that includes supporting displaced people by assessing their needs and working with community organizations as Wefaq to address their needs. Salam was on ground moving from place to another to distribute essential items to displaced people as winter clothes, blankets, mattresses, tents, and, as well as food and bread. care, shelter repairs, and food distribution contributing to survival and resilience of their community.

Those roles and contributions of YLCs have great impacts on youth and community and architecture of humanitarian response during war times. They establish and strengthen unprecedented and collective commitment of key actors and community members towards addressing the priorities, needs and rights of young women and young men, girls and boys affected by disaster, war, forced displacement and other humanitarian crises. The changes include change in the approach of community organizations working with youth, which is being built and designed on informing youth, consulting with them and engaging them meaningfully throughout all stages of humanitarian actions and response.  Moreover, the local ownership of youth for their initiatives and agenda has been increased as youth were asked to build their intervention according to need assessments for the needs of their community and there were many consultations with youth regarding their interventions. 

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Youth committees offer a space for Palestinian youth in Gaza as they have access to an enabling environment where they release their potential and utilize their collective actions to help their people to survive under unprecedent catastrophic conditions they pass through. Impacts and interventions of YLCs created changes through the existence of enhanced community partnership and collaboration with youth groups and community organizations aiming to support people’s rights. This change can be recognized through channels and network youth established with community organizations through their response to crisis and through the trust they gained after their impactful work and interventions.

 This change is also a reason for leading to another change which is change in attitudes and perception of community organizations, and figures for the role of youth which was perceived as a minor role before the war while many of views of those organizations and community figures and members have been changed as they have  become more aware and advocates for placing youth at the center of the community initiatives and humanitarian response.   In addition, the community and public participation of Palestinian youth as a marginalized group facing war, unemployment and marginalization was promoted by engaging youth in humanitarian responses focusing on delivering lifesaving items and maintaining sources needed for the survival of the community under conditions of war.

Besides, there was a change in the capacities of young people that were enhanced to allow them to act as agents of change in their community as their humanitarian responses and community interventions were guided by humanitarian principals and training that they were trained on which include participatory assessments, intervention planning, human rights-based approach…and other trainings.

Salama Says “I aspire to be a more impactful person, and I hope to be capable of shouldering responsibility within the community”.

Salam said “I have been a member of Wefaq Society for Women and Child Care youth committees since 2018. We received numerous training courses, courses, and workshops, and then we went into the field to provide services to the community. We shared our experience with our community, whether during the war or before it.

The personality of Salam has changed as she is encouraged to play leadership roles that influenced humanitarian response and community work under unimaginable conditions of war where priorities are given for life saving needs rather than improving the conditions and participation of youth. Salam is able to change this plight into a blessing by gaining more community recognition, respect and acceptance to her impact and contribution. She was equipped with all tools and knowledge to face shocks and emergencies which will serve her in the long term by allowing her to meaningfully engage and continue participating in all early recovery interventions and reconstruction efforts aiming to rebuild Gaza. 

The impact of initiatives and humanitarian responses of YLCs will be sustained since the youth will utilize the knowledge and skills gained through their work will help them to stay agents of change in their community that needs them and their initiatives for a long time. Youth of Gaza have the understanding and youth networks and alliances that will allow them to claim their rights and to demand to be placed at the centre of reconstruction efforts for rebuilding future of Gaza.

Salam said that her on leadership skills for humanitarian action, self- confidence, self- esteem, teamwork and communication skills were improved. Salam said: “the impact of youth committees makes us feel of sense of achievement and making a difference and contributing to a larger purpose which is serving our community. Each member in the committees helps in developing a wider perspective, creative thinking, excellent networking as well as hone leadership qualities.” 

Salam said: “This change makes the community believe in the role of youth in strengthening its resilience. The actions and initiatives of youth committees have also tested our ability to lead under tough time-sensitive circumstances, with limited resources and no direct authority. Engaging youth in humanitarian actions increased youth’s belonging to their community and allows youth to behave as leaders and encourages them to behave with honesty, integrity, vision and the ability to make a difference.

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 

Mobile: +972 595242890

Email: Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org