ActionAid Palestine Supports Palestinian Youth-Led Responses Fighting COVID-19 to Drive Social Change
Through its “Civil Society and Democratic Participation of Palestinian youth” programme, ActionAid Palestine (AAP) supports the meaningful participation of Palestinian young people to take part in both, the response to COVID-19 pandemic and broader democratic participation. For their part, young people continue to advance health and safety measures whilst performing their duties as researchers, activists, innovators, and communicators.
(photo of members of youth groups during preparedness and response actions conducted by AAP in Bethlehem)
Palestinian young people are often excluded from decision-making spaces related to the distribution of (or access to) the resources necessary to design, implement and monitor interventions focused on, or which have an impact on youth.
APP supports young people to organize themselves into networks with the affected populations, strengthen their capacity to mobilize and advocate but also manage resources that are reducing the severity of the crisis whilst empowering youth leadership.
(photo of members of youth group during preparedness and response actions conducted by AAP in Hebron)
AAP facilitates youth-led responses which we believe as enabler for social change. When young people participate as leaders in their own communities, they can take up higher leadership positions at different levels. They are also enabled to initiate and supervise their own interventions.
AAP provides both the virtual space for young people to connect, share, and collaborate during the crisis, and offering small and rapid resources that can also help in engaging young people in responding to pandemic.
(photo of members of youth group during preparedness and response actions conducted by AAP in Walajeh village in Bethlehem)
Stories of Palestinian youth under AAP’s interventions have made crucial contributions to the COVID-19 response.
Hasan Awad-Young people to Utilize Energy and Time to Fight COVID-19 for Better Future
Hasan Awad-is a nurse and youth activist living in “ Khalet Al-Mayya” which is one of the most marginalized villages in the southern slopes of Hebron Governorate, in the so-called Area C which falls under full military control by the Israeli occupation, which is exposed to unlawful practices including home demolitions and land confiscation.
(photo of Hassan during preparedness and response actions by AAP)
Hasan has been volunteering in testing residents and Palestinian laborers returning from their work in ‘Israel’. He works with the government, specifically local councils to deliver food, supplies, medicine and disseminate information to help mitigate the outbreak. Being a member in the youth groups supported by AAP, Hassan was active in coordinating with active national and international organizations to mobilize funds to support the infected families.
“Participating in emergency response actions has enhanced my skills and improved my self-education about this disease to be able to deliver awareness sessions. It also enhanced my networking skills with relevant and active organization”. He added: “Young people are eager to put their energy and time in the service of tackling this pandemic and delivering a better future”.
Fatina Badrin-Example of Women’s Role in Emergency Response
(photo of Fatina during emergency and response actions conducted by AAP in Hebron south of WB)
Fatina Badarin is a young woman activist and a municipality member in Al-Samo’ town, as well as the emergency committee in the south of Hebron which has recently become affected by the spread of the pandemic. Fatina spends her time in monitoring the health conditions and teams of her community and assessing its needs during this crisis. She also supports and delivers assistance to families affected spread of virus. Fatina expressed her thank to AAP for assistance it delivered to her community. She stressed the role of women during this crisis saying: “the role and participation of women during emergency response are important and women should be offered a space in decision-making processes related to emergency”.
Mohammad Al-Bustinaji: Responding to COVID-19 Increases Youth Community Participation
(photo of Mohammad during emergency and response actions conducted by AAP in Hebron south of WB)
Mohammad Al-Bustinaji (22 years old) is a youth activist and head of youth council in his marginalized village, “Al-Majid” in the south-west of Hebron in southern WB. Mohammad is a member in the local emergency committee. He demands that youth should have a key role in emergency and preparedness saying: “COVID-19 response is a good opportunity for me as it expanded my community participation. I feel very happy when I was involved in helping the vulnerable members of society who need guidance and assistance and monitoring the families in quarantine and distributing food parcels”. Mohammad believes that the fight against COVID-19 needs every sector of society saying: “Let us help one another and the vulnerable people in the community. Let us show that youth are ready to help in fighting hand in hand, helping one another, for my village and for the country”.
Sammar Abu Lolo: Helping GBV Survivors During COVID-19 Crisis
(photo of Sammar Abu Lolo during preparedness and response actions in Gaz strip)
Sammar Abu Lolo (24 years old) is a young woman activist in Gaza which has been suffering from social and economic challenges resulting from the prolonged blockade over the 13 years. She is a member in protection, emergency, and preparedness committees. During COVID-19 response, Sammar’s role was to assess the needs of women who are Gender based violence (GBV) survivors and respond to their needs. Sammar connects GBV survivors with local organizations and refers them to specialist organizations as the Family Support Center supported by AAP in Wefaq Society for Women and Child Care. Since she works in remote areas lacking internet access, Sammar distributed educational brochures to communicate crucial messages around personal hygiene, physical distancing, testing, and tracing, treatment, and care.
Sammar said: “I feel proud because this works targets the marginalized groups lacking access to information. I am happy that I can reach many people and thanks for AAP which gave me this opportunity to volunteer and be trained on how to respond to emergency. She added: this work has taught me how to be an active and successful leader who is capable of persuasion and creating change, facing difficult conditions, and serving community”.
Khalid Abu Jame’: Engaging Young Men in Helping GBV Survivors
(photo of Khalid Abu Jame’ during preparedness and response actions conducted by AAP in Gaza strip)
Khalid Abu Jame’ is a youth activist and member in preparedness and response committee in Khan Younis in Gaza strip where women and youth suffer from marginalization and hardship. During COVID-19 response, Khalid assisted GBV survivors and families suffering from domestic violence by referring them to Family Support Center supported by AAP in WFAQ society to receive essential services and legal and psychological support. Khalid demands public and civil organizations to design plans that utilize the energy of youth in serving marginalized groups. Khalid has benefited from volunteering in emergency response saying: “my knowledge about preventive measures and experience in addressing emergency conditions have been increased due to emergency training that AAP conducted for us. Khalid exchanged experience with other people and other members in the field of emergency and preparedness. I have now good experience in managing and distributing assistance in emergency conditions. I am now familiar with the needs of the community. This involvement has increased my knowledge and understanding for the needs and sensitivity of GBV survivors through different conditions”.
Mamdouh Al-Araj- Responding to COVID-19 Increases Youth Networking
(photo of Mamdouh Al-Araj during preparedness and response actions conducted by AAP in Bethlehem)
AAP supports youth in the most marginalized villages in WB suffering from house demolitions, confiscation of lands, water springs and agricultural crops as Mamdouh Al Araj who lives in Al-Walajeh village northwest of Bethlehem City in WB. He is the head of emergency and assistance committee in the village. Mamdouh joined other young people in establishing emergency committee after the emergency state had been declared in Palestine to assess the needs of his community. He enjoys this voluntary work saying: “ I work to communicate with external and international organizations to strengthen their relations with my village and other Palestinian villages in Area “ C” and thanks to AAP for assisting our village during this crisis”.
Arwa Zaharn-Participating COVID-19 Response is Part of Community Solidarity
(photo of Arawa Zahran during preparedness and response actions conducted by AAP in Bethlehem)
Arwa Zahran is a young woman activist from Bethlehem. AAP gave Arwa the chance to volunteer in its response and preparedness actions in Bethlehem after outbreak of pandemic. Arwa expressed her happiness towards distributing hygiene kits to families in quarantine saying: “it is a good experience since it increased my willingness to voluntary work. It has taught me how to face difficult conditions with positive energy and strong will. It also introduced me to staff and volunteers of AAP and increased my knowledge and experience in the field of crisis times”. “AAP’s intervention is part of community solidarity needed for fighting this pandemic”, she added.
Yazan Mizher -Responding to COVID-19 is Part of Social and National Responsibility
(photo of Yazan Mizher during preparedness and response actions conducted by AAP)
Yazan Mizher is a young refugee volunteer in AAP’s youth groups living in Deheisha refugee camp in Bethlehem in south of WB suffering from marginalization and night raids by Israeli soldiers. Yazan volunteered to distribute hygiene kits to families in quarantine at the beginning of crisis. AAP provides young people like Yazan to have an opportunity to be trained on emergency response whilst capitalizing on leadership, communication and advocacy trainings provided over the past two years.
Yazan said: “this contribution is part of social and national responsibility aiming to contain the spread of virus in our community. Thanks to AAP for its emergency intervention representing its commitment towards our community”.
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: