Outcome PAL_D_2.1

SN Outcome 2. Palestinians, including the most vulnerable, have equal access to sustainable, inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection, and affordable utilities. (UNSDCF Outcome 2)

As a result of the war on Gaza, Palestine Country Office aligned its priorities to respond to the emergency situation to provide the basic needs and protection services to women and girls. Thus, Women are better able to access an Essential Services Package (ESP) during emergencies, within the framework of the National Referral System (NRS) as a result of a new Referral Pathway Protocol. The protocol's overarching goal is to safeguard women's rights to protection, safety, dignity, justice, and access to services during crises and emergencies, including pandemics, armed conflicts, and climate-related disasters. The protocol establishes a well-defined structure at the national, governorate, and local levels to ensure an effective and coordinated response during emergencies. Key components include the formation of a National Technical Committee, Governorate Committees, and Local Committees. The ESP protocol outlines specific procedures to be followed during emergencies, clarifies the obligations and responsibilities of first responders, and assigns roles to relevant stakeholders, emphasizing a collaborative and inclusive approach. UN Women drafted the protocol. Members of the High National Committee to Combat Violence Against Women (VAW) under the leadership of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA) discussed and validated the protocol. The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) and MoWA have a plan for how to improve the protection shelters system. To develop this plan, a specialized group comprised of WCLAC’s staff, MOSD staff, protection shelters’ directors, and women's counsellors in MOSD (8 participants; 7 females and 1 male) met on July 10th and September 5th to review the system. A UN Women-hired consultant then drafted the review and recommendations and submitted to MOSD and MOWA to be reviewed through their legal units. In Gaza and the West Bank, 15,783 people (mostly women and girls) accessed inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection. In Gaza, this included: 1,271 displaced women and girls in UNRWA shelters engaged in 225 Interactive Well-being Sessions with Education on Human and Women's Rights that focused on the displacement journey, the challenges encountered, the hardships of living in displacement, and the aspirations post-war. The sessions aimed to understand the legal challenges and forms of violence women endure during displacement including legal challenges related to family laws like inheritance, children's custody and alimony. 1,593 women in Gaza accessed 1,851 legal consultations offered in displacement shelters. 8,664 individuals including 3947 women (age 20 -50 +) and 1683 girls (age below 18) and 1582 men (age 20-50 +) and 1452 boys participated in group briefing sessions for women and children and family counselling as part of the Mobile Mental health First Aid Clinics. 2544 children (age below 18) who are displaced due to the war in Gaza participated in two debriefing sessions in Rafah. The sessions give space to participants to discuss their priorities and find links to available service providers. 324 women and 260 girls (below 18) engaged in Psychological First Aid (PFA) through Psychosocial Support (PSS) sessions in Khan Younis and Rafah (sheltering camps). 208 women and 70 girls (below 18) in North Gaza, Middle area and the camps in Rafah benefited from (PFA) first aid and individual psychological counseling in a way that respects their dignity, culture, and capabilities; these women and girls were exposed to traumatic events and lost their children and homes. In the West Bank this included: 63 Women received Individual mental health and psychosocial counselling by the help desk counselors through 48 individual counselling sessions. 35 men (workers) from Gaza, who found themselves stranded in the West Bank, received 2 support sessions and psychological relief aiming to alleviate their psychological stress through support workshops and therapeutic activities, and providing them with basic needs (in Ramallah). 48 Stranded Gazan Cancer Patients received support sessions and psychological relief aiming to alleviate their psychological stress through support workshops and therapeutic activities and providing them with basic needs in Asirah (Nablus). 26 women (age 26-70) along with 10 children participated in 1 session including several cultural discussions, physical and recreational activities, and distributing health kits. Aiming to provide relief to the women, alleviate their burdens, and promote mental health amid the current circumstances. 667 individuals including 475 women (19 above 50, 168 age 30-49, 153 age 18-29 and 135 below 18) and 192 men (8 above 50, 51 age 30-49, 38 age 18-29 and 95 below 18) participated in group briefing sessions for women and children and family counselling as part of the Mobile Mental health First Aid Clinics.

SN Outcome 2. Palestinians, including the most vulnerable, have equal access to sustainable, inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection, and affordable utilities. (UNSDCF Outcome 2)

In 2025, UN Women enhanced women’s and girls’ access to essential protection, justice, participation, and economic support services across Gaza and the West Bank, prioritizing those most affected by conflict. These interventions contributed to improved safety, strengthened access to justice, increased voice and participation, and enhanced income stability for women and girls at heightened risk. UN Women and partners provided VAWG prevention and response services to 159,745 people, including significant numbers of women, girls, and women and girls with disabilities, with the highest reach of girls in Gaza where risks were most acute. Access to justice improved for 81,258 individuals through legal aid, helping reduce persistent barriers to rights and remedies. Women’s participation and accountability mechanisms expanded, strengthening voice and influence for 38,958 beneficiaries, while the Wasil feedback system recorded 30,573 interactions, demonstrating increased ability of women, adolescent girls, and women and girls with disabilities to report concerns and shape decision-making. Economic security interventions reached 1,010 women through skills training, 4,509 people through essential kits, and 4,542 individuals through cash assistance, contributing to stabilized livelihoods and reduced harmful coping. Service delivery systems were reinforced through support to 2,874 frontline providers, ensuring continuity of gender-responsive services during crisis. Collectively, these results demonstrate UN Women’s contribution to more inclusive, equitable, and gender-responsive access to protection, justice, participation, and economic services, particularly for women and girls most at risk of being left behind.

SN Outcome 2. Palestinians, including the most vulnerable, have equal access to sustainable, inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection, and affordable utilities. (UNSDCF Outcome 2)

Un Women have has found that more women victims and survivors of violence in the participating communities are seeking help through the partner governmental and CSOs and reporting victimization to authorities. Specifically, in the last year the number women and girls subjected to violence among the surveyed sample sought help from GBV service providers increased to 64 per cent (up from 32.6 per cent). Additionally, 66.5 per cent of women subjected to violence among the surveyed sample reported their victimization to relevant organizations including the Justice and Security Government institutions (up from 32.6 per cent).