ActionAid Palestine Holds a Consultative Workshop on Improving Palestinian Youth’s Access to Mental Health Services
Occupied Palestinian Territory – ActionAid Palestine,(AAP) in partnership with the Youth Humanitarian Action Group-Palestine and Watan Media Network, held an online consultative workshop titled “Ways to Improve Palestinian Youth’s Access to Mental Health Services” via Zoom. The workshop brought together young women and men, as well as mental health practitioners, from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The workshop aimed to discuss the findings of a study conducted by researcher Reham Odeh and supported by ActionAid Palestine in cooperation with Humanitarian Youth Group -Palestine( HYGP). The study assessed the protection and mental health needs of Palestinian youth aged 18–35 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, examined gaps in the provision of mental health and psychosocial support services, and explored coping mechanisms. The objective was to develop practical proposals and steps to improve youth access to protection services and to enable Palestinian youth to use these recommendations in their campaigns and digital activities to advocate with local and international institutions, relevant stakeholders, and decision-makers to enhance and expand mental health service provision and access.
The workshop was opened by Jameel Swalmeh, General Director of ActionAid Palestine, who welcomed participants and emphasized:
“The goals of this workshop are to formulate practical policies and produce recommendations that can be translated into concrete steps to strengthen youth resilience and improve the quality of services provided to them. Protecting youth mental health is a collective responsibility, and their meaningful participation is fundamental to building a more just and inclusive system. Investing in youth mental health is an investment in the resilience of society as a whole, and meeting their psychological needs is a core step toward protecting their rights and building a more stable future.”
The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Amer Farwana, a mental health expert, who underscored the importance of both the study and the workshop in producing practical recommendations to enhance the mental health of Palestinian youth who have endured extremely difficult conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The workshop presented the study’s findings, which revealed a pervasive sense of insecurity among surveyed youth in Gaza and the West Bank due to the ongoing war and gender-specific vulnerabilities. In Gaza, 89.7% of males and 83% of females reported feeling constantly unsafe, with psychological distress and movement restrictions cited as the main sources of anxiety, exacerbated by airstrikes, forced displacement, and the breakdown of the social fabric. In the West Bank, movement restrictions and psychological distress were identified as key issues, driven by checkpoints, settler attacks, and military incursions.
Economic collapse and rising unemployment further intensify these impacts, with both males and females in both areas reporting deep psychological trauma and a loss of agency and control over their lives. Digital violence, including gender-based online harassment, further restricts freedom of expression. These findings underscore the urgent need for gender-responsive interventions to address mental health, protection, and economic insecurity.
The workshop also discussed the extent of Palestinian youth’s access to protection services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. According to respondents, 54.8% of young women and 34.5% of young men in Gaza were able to access psychosocial support services (such as counseling and group support sessions) or protection services during 2024. In the West Bank, 18.5% of young women and 20.6% of young men reported accessing psychosocial support or protection services during the same period.
The study further indicated that despite the presence of institutions providing mental health and protection services for youth in Gaza and the West Bank, there are significant gaps in youth awareness. In Gaza, 52.4% of female participants and 72.4% of male participants reported being unaware of services such as psychological counseling, safe spaces, or legal aid available in their areas. Similarly, in the West Bank, 72% of female participants and 73.5% of male participants reported a lack of awareness of these services.
The study highlighted challenges hindering youth access to protection and mental health services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, linked to the war in Gaza, Israeli military escalation in the West Bank, movement restrictions, and logistical, geographic, social, and cultural factors. These challenges include prioritizing survival needs during the war such as securing water and food ,geographical constraints, limited freedom of movement amid bombardment, and destroyed roads. The study also revealed low awareness and trust in psychosocial support services among youth, confusion between psychosocial support and clinical psychiatric care, and limited understanding of the benefits of mental health services.
The study emphasized that stigma surrounding mental health remains prevalent, with seeking psychological help often perceived as a sign of weakness or “madness,” affecting marriage and employment prospects, alongside fears of breaches of confidentiality. Structural and institutional challenges were also identified, including the destruction of mental health centers, shortages of psychiatric medications due to the blockade, and the migration of specialized professionals in Gaza. In the West Bank, the study pointed to limited resources, a shortage of specialized mental health professionals, and the absence of youth-targeted programs addressing complex issues such as violence, unemployment, and alienation. The impact of movement restrictions and the concentration of mental health services in urban areas were also highlighted, depriving rural and marginalized communities and hindering youth access to mental health care. Additionally, individual and psychological challenges such as emotional suppression, denial, isolation, and unhealthy coping mechanisms including self-harming behaviors were found to obstruct access to services.
The workshop included brief interventions by young women and men from the West Bank and Gaza Strip sharing their experiences, as well as mental health professionals and representatives of youth organizations who emphasized the need to develop and improve youth access to psychosocial support services and proposed steps and recommendations to enhance youth mental health access.
Asil Safi, a young woman from Gaza, spoke about youth mental health, stating:
“Young people in Gaza have mixed feelings after two years of war and nightmare. Mental health support programs must be developed for all sectors, especially youth, as everyone is still suffering from the consequences of war—displacement, poverty, and hunger. We urgently need mental health programs that support youth overwhelmed by grief, loss, and displacement.”
Mahmoud Abdel Hadi from Jenin focused on the impact of occupation checkpoints, closures, incursions, and arrests in the West Bank on youth mental health, feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and ongoing psychological pressure, saying:
“One of the main challenges preventing youth from accessing psychosocial support services is the absence of mental health centers in marginalized areas, the negative societal perception of those receiving mental health support, and fear of breaches of confidentiality. We call for the establishment of a youth mental health network in partnership with service-providing institutions.”
Mahmoud Summar, a member of (HYGP), addressed the quality of psychosocial services provided by institutions, noting that they often consist of a single session or emotional venting sessions rather than genuine support, stating: “We need specialized psychological support and serious, multi-level mental health programs with continuous follow-up.”
Randa Sayej, also a member of ( HYGP), pointed out that Palestinian youth in the West Bank and Gaza live in a state of alienation and cannot achieve inner peace, emphasizing the need for interventions that enable youth to feel active and engaged in society.
The humanitarian program officer in AAP, Samah Kassab, called for integrating and strengthening the participation of youth and local institutions in identifying priorities and needs within mental health programs delivered by international organizations.
Yousef Ashour stressed the importance of involving youth in mental health decision-making, training local cadres in psychological first aid, and strengthening their capacities.
Case manager Amani Baroud from Hayat Center emphasized the need to start mental health support within the family and home, especially as everyone is experiencing psychological crises due to the war and its repercussions.
Sufyan Barakat from Wasil Youth Development Center called for exploring new technological approaches to encourage youth participation in psychosocial support services.
The workshop concluded with numerous recommendations, including integrating youth mental health into core organizational policies and programs rather than limiting it to temporary activities or emergency responses. Recommendations emphasized strengthening meaningful youth participation in the design, implementation, and evaluation of psychosocial programs, recognizing youth as genuine partners in identifying their needs and priorities, and establishing a youth mental health network.
Additional recommendations included expanding youth-focused mental health awareness programs using interactive approaches and accessible language, with a focus on reducing stigma associated with seeking psychosocial support. Participants also stressed the importance of building the capacities of professionals working with youth through training on psychosocial support principles, psychological first aid, and trauma-informed approaches; providing safe, youth-friendly spaces for expression and sharing experiences within institutions and communities; targeting universities and schools with emotional support sessions; and establishing specialized mental health emergency teams that reach youth where they are.
The importance of strengthening referral mechanisms and specialized support was emphasized to ensure access for youth experiencing severe psychological distress, as well as linking mental health with youth social and economic empowerment through programs that foster belonging, agency, and active civic participation. Participants also highlighted the need to strengthen partnerships and coordination among local and international organizations and official institutions to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication of interventions, and to develop monitoring and evaluation systems that consider psychosocial indicators not only quantitative metrics to measure real program impact on youth. The continuation of regular workshops and sessions with young people was recommended to monitor their psychological well-being and adapt interventions to changing contexts and needs.
Finally, recommendations called for improving the use of social media and media platforms by institutions providing youth mental health services to inform young people about available services and encourage them to seek support.
About ActionAid International
ActionAid International is a global federation working with more than 41 million people across over 72 of the world’s poorest countries. We strive for a world founded on justice and sustainability, where everyone enjoys a life of dignity, freedom, and a world free from poverty and oppression. Our work focuses on achieving social justice, gender equality, and eradicating poverty.
ActionAid began its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people, grounded in their right to freedom, justice, and self-determination. In Palestine, ActionAid implements various programmes through engagement with Palestinian communities, youth groups, and women. We aim to empower women and young people, enhance their effective civic and political participation, deepen their understanding of their rights, and mobilize them to engage in collective action to address rights violations resulting from prolonged occupation. Additionally, we work to strengthen their leadership capacities and support them in practicing active citizenship by holding authorities and other duty bearers accountable.
For more information, please contact:
Riham Jafari
Communications and Advocacy coordinator – ActionAid Palestine
