| Country: |
Palestine |
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Agency: |
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) |
| Address: |
PO Box: 67149
Jerusalem 91517
Tel: 972-2 5817292/97
Fax: 972-2 5817382
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| Activity Title: |
Integration of Population Education into Formal and Non-Formal Education.
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| Partners: |
UNFPA, Palestinian Ministry of Education, and the Palestinian Curriculum Development Center. |
| Brief: |
The present Project has resulted in integrating reproductive health (RH) and gender in teacher training programmes, and partially in the curricula of schools. In this connection, relevant population education books/booklets were published, which with the training of 84 teachers helped to create a qualified cadre of local specialists on population education. This Project formed a starting point for other projects that UNFPA is currently implementing, namely: “Improving Adolescent lives in the Palestinian Society”, a project that will build on the achievements of previous experiences, and is expected to increase the access of youth and adolescents aged 12 to 18 years to sexual and reproductive health information and counseling. |
| Activity Title 2: |
Improving Adolescent Lives in Palestinian Society “Fatayat & Fityan”.
|
| Date: |
June 2001 – June 2004 |
| Partners: |
UNFPA is implementing this Project with a number of Palestinian organizations that are concerned with youth programmes, such as the Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association, the Women’s Center of Legal Aid and Counseling, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and the media. |
| Objectives/Goals: |
The present joint UNFPA/UNICEF Project aims at improving the conditions for healthy development and equal participation of girls and boys aged 12-18 in the Palestinian society. UNFPA’s component addresses the crucial aspect of providing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and education equally to both males and females. This component works along a three-pronged approach:
1. Increased access to information for youth and adolescents aged 12-18 years;
2. Increased public awareness on SRH of this age group, especially among teachers and parents;
Mobilization of decision-makers’ support towards improving adolescent SRH at the national level.
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| Activity Title 3: |
Adolescents and Youth Survey.
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| Brief: |
An important component of the “Fatayat & Fityan” project is to conduct a national survey on “Adolescents and Youth” and to develop and integrate core national indicators as part of a monitoring and evaluation system for adolescent health in Palestine. This survey is the first of its kind in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and is conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. UNFPA also produced a bulletin on youth in the OPT. |
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| Successful
Experiences: |
1. The major success story in the “Fatayat & Fityan” project is its ability to build a strong network between UN agencies, governmental organizations, and many NGOs of diverse interests and specializations. Such a network of institutions can serve as platform for development and implementation of policies and programmes in support of youth and adolescents in the future. The joint UNFPA /UNICEF collaborative venture has been significantly beneficial to the adolescents themselves particularly that it provided adolescents with opportunities that encompass the various aspects of their lives and not only focus on one specific area. The joint UNFPA / UNICEF co-operation has also been useful to the two UN agencies in such a way that it enabled them to communicate to partners a strategic UN vision on adolescents beyond the respective mandates of both agencies.
2. Despite the severe Israeli restrictions on the movement of people, curfews and the tight internal closures on Palestinian villages and towns, the strong commitment expressed by all Palestinian partners to implement activities related to youth was a success story by itself. This commitment was enhanced by the continuous cooperation and networking between various governmental and non-governmental organizations in implementing activities in various locations.
3. UNFPA and its partners were more determined to carry out youth activities, as it is increasingly needed to help Palestinian adolescents to improve their lives in this difficult time.
Although the political future of the region remains unresolved, there is an urgent need for humanitarian assistance as well as for rehabilitation of damaged facilities and re-establishment of services. It is also critically important to address issues of psycho -social trauma and ensure protection of the social and economic status of adolescents and youth.
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| Conclusion: |
Support to Youth Issues:
Adolescents and youth from one of the main target groups within UNFPA programmes in the OPT. UNFPA provides technical and financial support to other youth projects implemented by various organizations in the West Bank and Gaza. UNFPA has recently provided support to the following projects /activities:
1. Financial and technical assistance for the Palestinian Youth Association for Leadership and Rights Activation (PYLARA) to train a cadre of youth leaders on HIV/AIDS prevention;
2. Financial assistance to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) to publish a report on the main issues and indicators of Palestinian adolescents and youth;
3. Financial and technical assistance to the Press and Information Department at the Governorate of Gaza to publish a special issue of its quarterly magazine on adolescent SRH, in which a number of articles were written by adolescents;
4. Financial support to some youth organizations to participate in a number of regional and international workshops and meetings.
UNFPA adolescent and youth related projects and activities that are carried out in the OPT are inline with and contribute to the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond.
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