Youth of Gaza as Capable Agents Humanitarian Response and Partners for Sustainable Development

Occupied Palestinian Territories- Young people are the critical responders in humanitarian crises. Young people are significantly contributing to crises response. Young people are the largest world population constituting 1.2 billion people worldwide and at the same time, humanitarian emergencies are increasing in frequency and severity globally, causing long-term impacts on all countries’ sustainable development. Hence, there is a need to partner and work with youth during this crisis to sustainably mitigate, respond to and build back better communities resilient to the ever-increasing humanitarian emergencies. Young people bring energy, creativity, motivation, capacity for mobilization and technological know-how in emergency response. 

Youth in Gaza are always on frontlines participating in humanitarian response to crisis and repeated wars imposed on Gaza including the latest war that was started in October 2023. The war has severely impacted the already critical humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, adversely affecting all of its 2.1 million residents.  Civilians, particularly women and children, have borne the brunt of the war’s carnage, with more than 48 ,000 killed and more than 100,000 injured. 

Mohmmad Jadallah is a young Palestinian lawyer whose life has been changed by the war against Gaza.  He worked as a licensed civil and Sharia lawyer, but Mohmmad is suffering from displacement, destruction, loss of home, education and work. Mohmmad translated this plight into a blessing by utilizing his skills in serving his community during this precedent crisis. He joined “Change Makers" youth group established by ActionAid’s Palestine partner -Palestinian Development Women Studies Association (PDWSA).  Mohammed says: "The courts stopped working, we were in front of a difficult reality, but we could not stand by. We had to be in the field, responding to the urgent needs of the people who lost everything. "

Through his membership in the group "change makers, Mohmmad and his colleagues teamed and cooperated with PDWSA to provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable, especially women and the elderly. From distributing food parcels with vegetable baskets and meat, to securing winter clothing and tents for displaced families. Mohmmad Says: “our role has not only been to distribute aid, it has been a comprehensive humanitarian response trying to bridge the gap left by the war”. 

Youth are extremely needed to be engaged in humanitarian action as it is centred on affected populations, including young people, and promote their involvement as crucial partners for sustainable development.

Young people are keen to lead crises response initiatives and support their communities towards recovery. From creating awareness, distributing food, accelerating evacuation and mobilizing resources. Youth are uniquely placed to play a valuable role in locally led humanitarian actions using their networks across their communities and great innovative approaches. Youth engagement in humanitarian response exemplified how young people’s work can positively shape the humanitarian response.

 Maximising the role of youths entails placing them at centers of processes of decision making related to humanitarian response, supporting them to design action plans and allowing them to lead the implementation process, which ensures continuity in response.  Besides, engaging youth in humanitarian response and recovery can improve humanitarian effectiveness and strengthen communities’ resilience. 

Mohammed believes that young people are the backbone of society, and that their role is not limited to humanitarian response but must be part of decision-making. "We need to empower young people to be in decision-making positions," he says, "with their participation can bring about real and sustainable change in society." Despite the challenges, Mohammed continues to work, bearing the responsibility of serving his people, believing that every effort made today is a building block in building a safer and more stable future for Gazans.

There is an urgent need for renewed focus and support for young people’s skills as paramount for effective humanitarian response and building back resilient communities after emergencies. Besides, engaging youths in tackling crises empowers them with transferable skills and stimulates their passion for participating in development issues within their communities. ActionAid Palestine works in partnership with local partners build the capacities of youth and women by enhancing their leadership skills and roles during emergencies and crisis. 

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