ActionAid Palestine to Continue Responding to the Needs of Palestinian Community in Bethlehem Governorate to Combat COVID-19
by Engaging Youth Groups in Preparedness and Response Actions
Bethlehem-West Bank- ActionAid Palestine (AAP) continued joining national efforts exerted in responding to COVID-19 by providing 200 Palestinian families with preventive and hygiene kits in the villages of Walajeh, Dar Salah,Al- Ubeidiya,and Deheisha Camp for refugees. The response aimed at strengthening resilience and preventive actions of the infected Palestinian families of coronavirus. Those initiatives were implemented by youth voluntary groups in those areas in cooperation with our partner Alternative Information Center, national and governmental stakeholders in Bethlehem Governorate in the south of West Bank and the Palestinian Ministry of Social Development(MoSD), National Emergency Committee and Village Councils of targeted areas.
Those youth initiatives targeted 200 Palestinian families in home quarantine, families with elderly people and people with disabilities and families that lost their livelihood due to state of emergency. The response focused on the needs of women and young women who need support to strengthen their resilience to protect themselves and their families and mitigate psychological impacts and housework loads that are increased during state of emergency.
Through “Civil and Democratic Participation of Palestinian youth” Programme, AAP seeks to support the youth initiatives in response and preparedness actions. Youth are responsible for assessing the needs of community and current threats and developing response plan for addressing those threats by building their capacities to combat this pandemic. Youth provide support to those in need and raise Palestinian community’s awareness about preventive measures to contain the spread of virus through social media. This response came in conjunction with promoting youth opportunities in participation in central emergency and support committees which allows them to participate in decision making and strengthening the principles of mutual accountability and transparency between Palestinian youth and local authorities
The head of the village council in Walajeh, Khader Al-A’araj said: “ we express our thank to AAP for its support to our village which has many sufferings.Walageh is an isolated village needs to supported by different organization as it is exposed to house demolitions, confiscation of lands, water springs and agricultural crops”.
The mayor of al-Ubeidiya, Naji Radydah said: “We thank AAP for this intervention which gives youth the opportunity to participate in for being initiators and partners in all fields. The voluntary work led by youth directly connects them with community to assess its needs and help their people to combat this pandemic”.
The representative of (MoSD) in Bethlehem governorate, Mr.Badran Budier stressed the role of youth saying : “ This is a social and community initiative aiming to support families in home quarantine and thanks to AAP in activating the role of youth and utilize their energy and highlight their leading role as active actors who are prepared to serve their communities with social services”.
Background Information
ActionAid
ActionAid is a global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty. ActionAid works worldwide to empower people living in poverty and exclusion with focus on women’s rights .ActionAid works directly and closely with communities, civil society organizations, women movements and social groups and movements and other allies to tackle root causes of poverty and oppression. ActionAid deliver grassroots programmes to utilize efforts of global struggle movements working for a just, fair and sustainable world. Based on human rights-based approach and women rights’ principles, ActionAid seeks to fairly re-distribute powers through solidarity, empowerment, awareness campaigns and creating alternatives to ensure that everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from oppression.
ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of that federation which started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.
For more information, please contact
Riham Jafari
Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Gaza Strip and West Bank
Mobile:
+972 (0) 595242890
Office:
+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137
Email: