© UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0309/Pirozzi
A Palestinian boy stands outside a building in the Shufat camp for Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem, the West Bank.
State of Palestine*
In 2013, UNICEF and partners plan for:
17,000
children access improved pediatric health services
74,000
children and caregivers benefit from protection and psychosocial support activities
15,000
adolescents access after-school learning, recreational and life-skills programmes
2013 requirements (US$)
Humanitarian Situation
The main manifestations of the Israeli occupation across the State of Palestine have barely changed, and as a result the nature and scope of humanitarian needs of Palestinian children and women remain largely the same. Movement and access within the State of Palestine is restricted in Gaza by the blockade, and in the West Bank by a combination of physical obstacles such as checkpoints, roadblocks and gates and bureaucratic constraints such as permits and restricted areas. As a result, there has been a steady erosion of access to essential services, including education and health. The conflict continues to expose children and their caregivers to serious protection risks. In 2012 demolitions in the West Bank forcibly displaced at least 670 people, including 354 children, mostly in Area C and East Jerusalem. Because of the ongoing conflict and settler violence in 2012, 10 boys and one girl were killed, while 323 boys and 14 girls were injured. In November, as this chapter was drafted, the Gaza Strip experienced eight days of violence, in which 140 Palestinians died and over 1,200 were injured. An initial assessment of the situation indicates a need for psychosocial support for a significant number of children, their caregivers and their families, in addition to immediate responses in health; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and education.
Planned results for 2013
2013 Programme Targets
Nutrition
- Establish national capacity to manage acute malnutrition using guidelines for community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) to reach 8,000 acutely malnourished children in Gaza and the West Bank
Health
- 15,000 at-risk newborns in Gaza and the West Bank access lifesaving drugs and improved essential neonatal care
- 17,000 children access improved pediatric health services
- 12,000 women access improved obstetric health services
WASH
- 35,000 children (50 per cent girls), 20,000 women and 20,000 men in vulnerable communities have improved access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, coupled with hygiene education
Child protection
- 50,000 children (50 per cent girls) and 24,000 caregivers (50 per cent female) in conflict-affected areas benefit from protection and psychosocial support activities
- 100,000 children (50 per cent girls) and 15,000 caregivers (50 per cent female) benefit from mine risk education
Education
- 10,000 school-aged children (50 per cent girls) in highly vulnerable communities have protected access to safe learning environments
Adolescents
- 15,000 adolescents (50 per cent girls) access after-school learning, recreational and life-skills programmes
In 2013, UNICEF will support the State of Palestine and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in responding to the humanitarian needs of more than 302,000 children (50 per cent girls) and women affected by the protracted Israeli occupation. UNICEF will continue to lead the WASH cluster, the child protection working group and the Israel/State of Palestine working group on grave violations against children, and will co-lead the education cluster with Save the Children. UNICEF will support nutrition interventions through therapeutic feeding centres and the provision of ready-to-use therapeutic food to around 8,000 acutely malnourished children (representing 50 per cent of severely malnourished children). To improve access to safe water and adequate sanitation for 75,000 people in unserved communities in Gaza and Area C of the West Bank, UNICEF will support rehabilitation of household WASH facilities, installation of water and sewage pipes, and hygiene education. To help mitigate the negative impact of conflict and violence on vulnerable children and their caregivers, UNICEF will reach 50,000 children and 24,000 caregivers with direct psychosocial care and community-based child protection programmes. To reduce the risk of death and injury from mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 100,000 children and 15,000 caregivers will receive mine risk education. UNICEF will support protected and safe access to learning for 10,000 of the most marginalized school-aged children through protective presence, safe transport, school rehabilitation and the provision of educational supplies. UNICEF will also give special attention to the needs of adolescent girls and boys, as a highly vulnerable age group, through psychosocial support activities and after-school learning and recreational programmes for 15,000 adolescents.
Results from 2012
UNICEF appealed for US$15,436,000 for its humanitarian action in the State of Palestine in 2012. As of the end of October, US$17,124,986, or 111 per cent of the requested amount, had been received as contributions, enabling UNICEF to achieve many of its targets. At least 100,000 children and 55,000 women received nutritional support through micronutrient supplementation and promotion of exclusive breastfeeding, in addition to regular access to nutrition information through 64 nutrition surveillance sentinel sites. In addition, infant and young child feeding practices are promoted through the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative implemented in nine hospitals (six in the West Bank and three in Gaza). UNICEF supported essential outreach health services to Bedouin communities in the Jordan Valley through mobile clinics, as well as providing essential drugs in Gaza. Access to safe water and sanitation was provided to approximately 130,000 children and women through water tanks, rehabilitation of sanitation facilities, newly installed water and sewage pipes, and hygiene promotion campaigns for targeted communities. The rehabilitation of 23 schools, including the construction of 10 new classrooms, provided improved and protected access to education for at least 12,000 children, while another 5,400 children benefited from the provision of school vehicles and an enhanced protective presence on the way to school. More than 40,000 children received learning materials (school bags and stationery), and pre-positioned educational supplies were procured for another 45,000 children. Around 26,000 adolescents (50 per cent girls) benefited from alternate learning opportunities in adolescent-friendly centres throughout the State of Palestine. Protection and psychosocial support were provided to about 29,000 children through coordinated referral and response by both psychosocial emergency teams and child protection networks. Around 15,000 caregivers were trained in protection and coping skills, and some 440 professionals and volunteers were mobilized in child protection networks, family centres and child safe spaces. The monitoring and reporting mechanism (MRM) database on children affected by armed conflict (CAAC) was regularly updated, and the analysis of grave violations against children was used to guide the Humanitarian Country Team’s advocacy and psychosocial programming.
UNICEF funding requirements for 2013
UNICEF is appealing for US$17,280,000 to meet the humanitarian needs of Palestinian children in 2013. This request is aligned with the Inter-Agency Consolidated Appeal for 2013, with additional funds requested for nutrition, health and WASH. In light of the escalating crisis in Gaza during November 2012, this appeal is expected to increase. Without additional funding, UNICEF will be unable to respond to the humanitarian needs of children and women in Gaza, Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, who need critical nutrition, health and WASH services as well as essential education and protection support programmes.
* State of Palestine’ was designated for use in all official United Nations documents as of 19 December 2012. It reflects General Assembly resolution 67/19.
1 To be reached at year end through non-CAP funding.