RESILIENCE SERIES TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE
IN the occupied PALESTINian territory JUNE 2017
UNDP/PAPP's Resilience Series is a series of reports highlighting practical solutions to Palestinian development challenges in line with the Transformative Resilience Framework. For more information on the Transformative Resilience Framework, visit:
www.developmentmonitor.ps
Published by: United Nations Development Programme - Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP/PAPP) Occupied Palestinian Territory Š Copyright 2017 UNDP/PAPP All Rights Reserved UNDP encourages the use of information contained in this analysis but requests that full citation to the source be made. This is part of UNDP's Resilience Series.
Contents 4 6 12 20 24
Introduction What is transformative resilience? Transformative resilience in Jerusalem
28 Agriculture for food security in Gaza
18 Further challenges to resilience in "Area X"
Transformative resilience for Bedouin communities Transformative resilience and agriculture 26 Agriculture in Area C
30 Transformative resilience and tourism 34 Transformative resilience and youth unemployment 40 Conclusion 42 References
Introduction After fifty years of protracted occupation, limited developmental progress, socioeconomic stagnation or deterioration, and political deadlock, Palestinian resilience is being steadily undermined. A quarter of Palestinians live in poverty, with that rising to almost 40% in Gaza,1 and half of Palestinians, or roughly two million people, will need some form of humanitarian assistance in 2017.2 The economy has stagnated and unemployment, particularly among young people, is widespread. A political resolution to the occupation seems further away than ever. Palestinians are becoming more and more disenfranchised and apathetic to the current situation, as communities become increasingly fragmented and isolated. National identity and social cohesion is being worn away. Increasing dependency on aid and decreasing self-sufficiency is worsening morale and diminishing hope in Palestinian communities, as well as undermining the possibility of future independence and sovereignty. The current situation could provide a bedrock for greater instability and rising extremism. It is clear that things cannot go on as they are. The current aid system within Palestine is not working, and requires true reform for programming to become more effective and to reach the most vulnerable communities. Palestinians have already demonstrated 4 | RESILIENCE SERIES | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | UNDP
their resilience, in the fact that they continue to struggle and resist after half a century of occupation. But, facing repeated trials on a daily basis is causing this resilience to erode. For now, Palestinians are still holding steadfast, but if we do not help to bolster this resilience now, it will be fully eroded. For this to happen, it is paramount to bridge humanitarian and development efforts, linking relief, rehabilitation, and development, all of which must work simultaneously in a long-term crisis, as is the case in Palestine. The Transformative Resilience Framework can act as a new paradigm moving forward. This report introduces the Transformative Resilience Framework as a tool through which development and humanitarian policymaking should be guided. It will also further our policy recommendations for addressing selected key challenges in Palestine, which have been formulated using the transformative resilience approach.
Photo credit: Shareef Sarhan/UNDP
For now, Palestinians are still holding steadfast, but if we do not help to bolster this resilience now, it will be fully eroded. UNDP | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | RESILIENCE SERIES | 5
WHAT IS TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE?
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Although resilience-based programming has recently come into vogue globally, there remains a lack of clarity and a multiplicity of different, and often contradictory, definitions. Transformative Resilience is not simply about fostering the Palestinian capacity to better cope with the trials of the Israeli occupation. Simply, we forward transformative resilience as a means through which we seek not just to assist communities in ‘bouncing back’ but in ‘bouncing beyond and better.’ Providing a crucial link to the indigenous Palestinian ideology of sumud, or steadfastness, transformative resilience helps to stimulate and promote genuine and long-lasting empowerment for Palestinians to live with agency and dignity. It acts as a framework through which we can achieve a free, independent, and resilient State of Palestine with an empowered, liberated population. It is important to recognise that resilience comes from a place of strength rather than weakness. Resilience in its most simplified form comprises three critical stages, although there is a range of resilience stages in between. When resilience is limited to learning to “cope” with the challenges at hand, this leads to eroding resilience over time. This is because individuals and communities are forced to repeatedly absorb shocks, but without mitigating measures to offset their repercussions. To manage adversity successfully, one must begin by “overcoming” the hardships (i.e. adapting to the changing circumstances). Only then, to truly become resilient, can
communities “grow” from the experiences of hardship, and strengthen themselves to become better able to deal with future challenges. In a nutshell, they must transform. The Palestine Resilience Conference 2016 provided an opportunity to bring together international and Palestinian partners to seek solutions that prevent the erosion of Palestinian resilience. There was strong government and civil society support for this, and together we have begun exploring new solutions to overcome some of Palestine's most critical problems. Equally, we have been encouraged by the government's newly released National Policy Agenda 2017-2022, which is grounded in resilience. New sectoral strategies have reinforced the resolve of the Palestinian government to pursue a resilience-led agenda for the Palestinian people. For resilience-based programming to
It is important to recognise that resilience comes from a place of strength, not weakness. UNDP | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | RESILIENCE SERIES | 7
work, there are several key principles to follow. These principles are not new; they are already recognised as necessary by many humanitarian and development actors, but are rarely integrated into actual programming. Simply, these provide us with a framework to achieve our goal of improving the lives of the most vulnerable in Palestine. Our approach is grounded in the notion that developing resilience is a process, and it is how you progress that is important, rather than the arrival at an arbitrary destination. Problem analyses are required to ensure that the root causes of eroding resilience are recognised and tackled, rather than just
Our approach is grounded in the notion that developing resilience is a process, and it is how you progress that is important, rather than the arrival at an arbitrary destination. 8 | RESILIENCE SERIES | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | UNDP
the needs of communities. This prevents interventions from only confronting the symptoms, rather than the root causes of vulnerability. In many instances in Palestine this means conducting advocacy to tackle barriers to development that result from the occupation. A flexible approach is critical to ensuring that programming is actually supportive of transformative resilience, causes no harm, and takes into account the views of the community it seeks to serve. Furthermore, only by pushing boundaries and taking risks can new and innovative solutions be found. This must be taken hand-in-hand with a long-term commitment to change, and the willingness to accept that mistakes will undoubtedly be made that must be learned from to really move forward. Collaboration between humanitarian and development actors is necessary, and even more so in a protracted conflict, where these needs are simultaneous and crosscutting. Working together, both within and between organisations, is critical for success. Only inclusive and sustainable change that reduces aid dependency in the long-term is real change. Finally, local community ownership over any externally resourced intervention is most critical, if real development is to occur. Community members should be consulted throughout the entire process of intervention, from conceptualisation and planning to implementation and evaluation. Transformative resilience provides a roadmap to achieve both vital humanitarian and development goals. In tandem, a discussion of power
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must be included in every programme conceptualisation, to consider which social groups are being privileged, which are being left out, and who is making these decisions and why. Gender and youth sensitivity and inclusion are particularly key in the Palestinian context. Ensuring inclusivity of marginalised and vulnerable groups in all areas is critical in the development of empowered and resilient communities. In moving from the Transformative Resilience Framework in theory, to enabling transformative change in practice, we seek to forward a solutions-based agenda, with the focus squarely on practical problem solving through the lens of transformative resilience. We must strengthen the link between humanitarianism and development in Palestine, to ensure that life-saving humanitarian work is being translated into sustainable development. Through the rest of this report, we will provide examples of transformative resilience in practice and the ways in which this can be instrumentalised to see sustainable change in Palestine. We seek to return agency and dignity to the Palestinian people, assisting them in growing towards positive and inclusive development, and bolstering their resilience to transform for the better.
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Photo credit: Ahed Izhiman/UNDP
We seek to return agency and dignity to the Palestinian people, bolstering their resilience to transform for the better. UNDP | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | RESILIENCE SERIES | 11
transformative resilience in jerusalem
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Since occupation in 1967, Israel has sustained military and civil control of East Jerusalem (hereafter ‘occupied Jerusalem’). Although there was no “formal” claim to annexation, occupied Jerusalem was effectively annexed by Israel in 1980 under the Jerusalem Law, which states that “Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.”3 This act has been universally condemned by international actors, and repeatedly declared null and void by the UN Security Council.4 Despite international criticism, Jerusalem was placed under Israeli law, jurisdiction, and administration and remains so today.
urban planning have combined to create an increasingly uninhabitable area of Jerusalem for Palestinians.5 Over the past three decades the situation in occupied Jerusalem has severely deteriorated for its Palestinian residents, raising concerns among key stakeholders about how best to reverse this growing crisis. There is an urgent need for sustainable resilience-based solutions that can overcome these vast challenges and empower Palestinian Jerusalemite communities to transform for the better.
The challenges faced by Palestinian Jerusalemites are multifaceted and numerous – both humanitarian and developmental. These challenges run along six interlinked axes: spatial, legal-political, service provision, economic, socio-cultural, and psychological. In the pursuit to build a “united” capital of Israel, Israeli policies in occupied Jerusalem are designed to best suit Israeli security, political, and economic interests. Ongoing land annexation and settlement-building continue to alter the demographic, physical, and cultural makeup of the city, and policies that discriminate against the Palestinian population are prevalent. These laws are constructed specifically to prevent Palestinian Jerusalemites from developing a united, safe, and flourishing community, with a strong identity, culture, and economy, grounded in community cohesion. Instead, a discriminatory permit and zoning system, inequitable citizenship law, limited municipal autonomy, the building of the Separation Wall, and exclusionary
Solutions to Resilience in Jerusalem The transformative approach to resilience is critical to seeing sustainable change within occupied Jerusalem. This is especially true because Jerusalemite Palestinians face simultaneous humanitarian and development challenges under protracted occupation. Thus, collaboration between humanitarian and development actors
The challenges faced by Palestinian Jerusalemites are multifaceted and numerous - both humanitaritan and developmental.
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Photo credit: Rory Evans/UNDP
Collaboration between humanitarian and development actors using resilience as a link is critical to ensuring the efficacy of our interventions.
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UNDP Resilience Series: Jerusalem
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using resilience as a link is critical to ensuring the efficacy of our interventions. Most importantly, all interventions must ensure real community ownership among residents, to ensure they are consulted throughout the entire process of intervention. Our resilience-based solutions for Jerusalem are structured along the same six problem axes mentioned above: spatial, legal-political, services, economic, and socio-cultural and psychological. However crosscutting all of these is the urgent need for legal and political advocacy, without which transformational change in occupied Jerusalem will remain impossible. Spatial Constructive urban planning has the capacity to bolster the resilience of Palestinians, through the improvement of socio-economic and environmental conditions, psychological health, and provision of services. However, Israeli masterplans seek to simultaneously increase the Israeli population in Jerusalem and reduce the Palestinian population. In response to this, Palestinians must develop their own plans, which envision a thriving, vibrant, and resilient Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. This must be done in close consultation with Palestinian communities in Jerusalem, as well as a comprehensive mapping study, including of waqf (religious trust) land.
Legal-Political In the absense of Palestinian political and legal representation, and under the rule of often contradictory legal systems, Palestinians in Jerusalem face a multiplicity of legal needs. The establishment of a well-resourced legal aid mechanism could help counter these complex challenges. Together, a group of lawyers, paralegals, and international actors should coordinate and strategise Jerusalem legal issues, including strategic litigation for public interest cases. At the same time, advocacy groups must document human rights violations against Palestinian residents, including arbitrary arrests, administrative detention, forced evictions, forced demolitions, as well as those caught up in the Israeli prison system. These records can be used to lobby the Israeli government and the international community to ensure Israeli accountability for violations of international law. Programming must focus on improving access to justice and legal representation to boost respect for human rights for Palestinian Jerusalemites, who are subject to considerable discrimination in the Israeli legal system. Palestinian residents must be empowered to advocate for their own rights, especially those who are already socially disadvantaged, such as women and youth. Services While Palestinians living in occupied
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Jerusalem pay Israeli arnona, or property tax, they do not receive the same level or quality of services. Many only pay to prove their continuing residency to the Israeli authorities. In order to counter this inequality, international actors must conduct a strenuous community mapping across Palestinian centres in occupied Jerusalem, to gain a clear understanding of current services and gaps, including in the UNRWA-administered Shuafat refugee camp. Community-based service systems must be established, which channel the concept of autonomous innovation – inclusive, bottom-up, and frugal solutions. One means of formalising these systems could be to channel community solidarity for service provision where formal systems breaks down or are limited. In the medium term, it is necessary to strengthen civil society organisations (CSOs) to improve and expand their service provision. This could be done through a CSO coordination platform. In the longer term, however it is critical for community members to support the Palestinian-run formal networks, which provide economic and social benefits. Economic The lack of economic opportunity, high unemployment, and low participation in the labour market could arguably be considered the largest barrier to resilience in occupied Jerusalem, from which many other social problems stem. The paucity of verifiable data on economic sectors must be redressed through a strenuous mapping of the labour market share of relevant sectors, 16 | RESILIENCE SERIES | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | UNDP
to drive interventions that can boost employment, especially for women and youth. Investing in the rehabilitation of the Old City could benefit the competitive advantage of Palestinian business, to produce and market higher quality goods for sale, particularly to tourists. The establishment of a business cooperative for merchants in the Old City to act as an advocacy body would be beneficial, to conduct marketing campaigns to potential customers within the State of Palestine, Palestinian communities in Israel, and the Palestinian diaspora. A comprehensive tourism strategy must be developed for Palestine as a whole, with Jerusalem at its centre. Lowering extremely high youth unemployment must also be a critical priority. Socio-cultural & psychosocial The isolation of occupied Jerusalem caused by the Separation Barrier and closer proximity to the Israeli population has led to social fragmentation both within Jerusalem communities, and between these communities and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). In response, cultural interventions, grounded in today’s manifestation of transformative resilience as everyday acts of agency, must emphasise a celebration of Palestinian life, perseverance, and steadfastness through the preservation of Palestinian art, culture, music and - most importantly - identity. International actors should lobby for
Photo credit: Rory Evans/UNDP
Credit: Ahed Izhiman/UNDP
increased access to cultural and religious sites to strengthen national and cultural identity, precursors to greater community cohesion. Interventions that support cultural programming that acts as a form of resilience-building against the trials of the occupation are essential, particularly for young people. Providing creative outlets is also a means of reducing frustration and hopelessness, and improving psychosocial health and wellbeing.
Providing creative outlets is also a means of reducing frustration and hopelessness, and improving psychosocial health and wellbeing.
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Further challenges to resilience in "Area X" The challenges of occupation faced by Palestinians in Jerusalem are compounded in Area X – the parts of the Israeli-annexed Jerusalem municipality that fall on the West Bank side of the Separation Barrier. In 2005, during a trial brought by activists that failed to prevent the wall’s construction, the Israeli government sought to allay fears that Area X residents – Palestinians who hold Jerusalem IDs and are therefore entitled to live and work throughout Jerusalem – would be abandoned, neglected, and isolated behind a colossal concrete barrier. Specifically, the government promised investment in infrastructure including new schools and easy access through checkpoints to ensure Area X residents could travel freely to the rest of Jerusalem.6 However, a decade later most of these promises have not been fulfilled. Instead, conditions in Area X have deteriorated significantly due to neglect by the municipal authorities, including grossly inequitable budget allocations in comparison to surrounding illegal settlements. There is a severe governance vacuum, resulting in widespread lawlessness, and a dearth of services, including health, waste collection, and education. As a result, there is an urgent need for solutions for transformative resilience that can overcome some of Area X’s greatest challenges.
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UNDP Resilience Series: Area X 18 | RESILIENCE SERIES | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | UNDP
Photo credit: Ahed Izhiman/UNDP
Linking humanitarian and development solutions in Area X means a strong focus on empowering Area X residents to advocate for their rights. Despite Palestinians living in Area X facing conditions that violate both international and Israeli law, legal services remain extremely limited, underfunded, and overwhelmed by the present situation. Establishing legal clinics is one way of strengthening justice mechanisms. These should include the provision of legal education to local residents, so they are aware of their legal rights under Israeli law, including an understanding of the Israeli court system. Financial assistance must also be provided to priority cases in which Area X residents, often young people, are prosecuted in Israeli courts. While civil policing remains non-existent in Area X, donor-created informal justice mechanisms may lack credibility compared to those already utilised and trusted by communities. Instead, existing informal mechanisms must be strengthened to bring them in line with international legal standards, wherever possible. Key steps include providing legal training to mediators, increasing accountability and oversight by communities themselves, and increasing the representation of women and young people within these systems. With often non-existent service provision, informal community networks have often been established to bridge the
void. These CSOs vary in their formality, from established NGOs and health and education services to highly informal community action groups. With underfunding the most critical challenge,7 the transformative resilience approach means looking beyond the provision of financial resources, to capacitydevelopment support to strengthen organisational fundraising capability and achieve self-sufficiency. Innovative new methods of fundraising and the greater involvement of the private sector is something that is currently lacking and worthy of far greater engagement. Supporting CSOs to strengthen the quality of their services is a key method of overcoming poor service provision. Paying a community organiser could boost the effectiveness of informal community service networks. In the case of more formalised CSOs, increasing funding and strengthening capacity must be a key priority, particularly in underserved areas like drug rehabilitation, supporting the victims of gender-based violence, and health services. UNDP is currently exploring the idea of an overarching CSO platform that would coordinate activities between CSOs across the whole of occupied Jerusalem.8 Ensuring the involvement of CSOs from Area X is essential for boosting civil society services in the areas of Jerusalem beyond the wall, and increasing links between Palestinian communities across Jerusalem.
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transformative resilience FOR BEDOUIN COMMUNITIES
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Bedouin and herder communities are among the most vulnerable in the oPt. Forcibly displaced from the Negev Desert, most Bedouins today are located in Area C and greater Jerusalem, where they face a complex matrix of humanitarian and development challenges.
Emergent humanitarian concerns are extremely damaging to the Bedouin quality and way of life, and undermine the potential for sustainable development.
A semi-nomadic people, Bedouins suffer the brunt of the occupation, are isolated from mainstream Palestinian society, and have increasingly faced an erosion of their traditional way of life and its potential for survival. It is difficult for them to access state services or the justice system. They also suffer from restrictions on freedom of movement, forced displacement due to the construction and expansion of illegal settlements, restrictive zoning and planning regimes, land confiscation, the denial of building permits, house demolitions, and a lack of law enforcement in response to settler violence. Already geographically marginalised, Bedouins live in areas that are often without proper road access and are isolated by checkpoints, severing them from essential services and markets, and hampering income generation and the need to graze livestock. These emergent humanitarian concerns are extremely damaging to the Bedouin quality and way of life, and undermine the potential for sustainable development for Bedouin communities. As a result, Bedouin face difficulties in accessing basic commodities such as water and electricity, access to justice, and
decent work opportunities, causing vast social disruption. Marginalised groups such as women and youth struggle with even greater vulnerabilities among Bedouin communities. Resilience-based solutions First and foremost, it is critical to take action to advocate for the end to occupation, while also improving the livelihoods of vulnerable Bedouins communities. The rights of indigenous groups are upheld in international human rights treaties, and these rights must be recognised by Israel and international and Palestinian actors.9 The transformative resilience approach
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encompasses three core areas: access to services, economic empowerment, and protection. All three of these areas are necessary for a dignified and empowered life. Using a transformative approach, we recommend non-traditional methods of service provision for Bedouin communities. This includes: the provision of portable renewable energy services, such as lightweight solar panels; the establishment of an independent institution to centralise and manage water distribution across Area C; and the facilitation of subsidised transportation links. Connecting medicine or dentistry students to Bedouin communities under the supervision of a qualified doctor could provide free healthcare to Bedouins and provide work experience for youth. Establishing community centres could also help fill service gaps. Considering alternative education models that suit the Bedouin lifestyle is key to decreasing drop outs. This could include changing the school week from 5 days to 3 shortened days, which would reduce transportation costs and allow young Bedouins to help their families with work, when necessary. With regards to economic empowerment, unconditional cash assistance is a proven way to lift people out of poverty by conferring them greater control over their own lives. Taking into consideration existing community structures and expertise is critical to shaping sustainable livelihoods, such as establishing dairy cooperatives. The provision of scholarships for quality education in necessary sectors is effective 22 | RESILIENCE SERIES | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | UNDP
for long-term and sustainable economic empowerment. Supporting the economic empowerment of women is crucial in Bedouin communities; one possible route is through developing more effective marketing plans for traditional handicrafts. Finally, Bedouin protection needs can be fulfilled through a combination of legal protection, advocacy, and awareness. A clear advocacy strategy, formulated in collaboration between all interested stakeholders – but especially with the inclusion of Bedouin communities themselves – must be developed, to pressure the Government of Israel to end the restrictive policies that erode Bedouin resilience. Even though Bedouins are among the most marginalised in Palestine, they are often disregarded by development programming. The transformative resilience approach provides a means to empower Bedouins to live with dignity and agency and transform their lives for the better.
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UNDP Resilience Series: Bedouins in the oPt
Photo credit: Steve Sabella/UNDP
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transformative resilience and agriculture
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Agriculture is central to Palestinian national identity and the symbolic connection between Palestinians and their land. Historically, the Palestinian agricultural sector was the backbone of the economy, however this has been in serious decline over the past two decades. Overarching challenges include: poor productivity; restricted access to water due to occupation restrictions, exacerbated by climate change; and limited government interest and investment. The sector also remains largely small-scale, unregulated, and reliant on unpaid family members as workers. Despite this, agriculture remains an economic sector that holds huge potential. Key benefits of agricultural investment include: the sector’s ability to absorb a high number of workers, particularly low skilled workers, women, and youth; agriculture’s productive financial contribution to the economy; productive rural land use as a method of preventing Israeli expropriation; and food production as the path to selfsufficiency and food security. The vast majority of agricultural potential in Palestine exists in Area C of the West Bank and the Gaza strip. Owing to the differing political and humanitarian conditions in
Historically, the Palestinian agricultual sector was the backbone of the economy, however this has been in serious decline. these territories, resilience-based solutions to boost agriculture must be tailored to a problem analysis of the local context. In Area C, this means focusing on building a resilient agricultural export industry that will transform livelihoods and boost growth. In Gaza, however, the ongoing devastation caused by the economic blockade and three wars requires a different approach; one that empowers communities to become resilient by boosting food security and self-reliance in extremely difficult circumstances.
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UNDP Resilience Series: Agriculture in Area C UNDP Resilience Series: Agriculture for Food Security in Gaza UNDP | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | RESILIENCE SERIES | 25
Photo credit: Ahed Izhiman/UNDP
Building resilient agribusiness and boosting livelihoods in Area C Area C contains the majority of Palestinian arable land and has huge untapped potential for productive agribusiness. However, the sector is dogged by occupation restrictions like discriminatory permit requirements that limit the ability of farmers to build irrigation systems and other infrastructure. Israel’s network of illegal settlements has robbed Palestinians of their rightful agricultural lands, in many cases for settlement farming. 70% of Area C, much of it valuable farmland, is off limits to Palestinians, with an additional 29% heavily restricted.10 Occupation policy also restricts Palestinians from accessing an equitable share of the West Bank’s water resources.11 In addition, the Paris Protocol on Economic Relations – a de facto customs union monopolised by Israel – seriously hinders Area C farmers’ ability to export to international markets, and restricts the import of critical agricultural inputs like fertiliser.12 Advocacy to end the occupation must be the first priority for boosting Area C agriculture. In the meantime, however, becoming resilient to the challenges of occupation requires the shifting of national development priorities towards the creation of an expert-formulated national agriculture strategy that focuses on every stage of the supply chain, from production to transportation to export. Strengthening farmers’ cooperatives is also a strong method for boosting exports. Together, farmers can share best practices, and collaborate on processing, transportation and export, cutting out middlemen, reducing collective risk, and boosting rural livelihoods for some of Palestine’s poorest. There are currently huge areas of neglected Palestinian agricultural land which require reclamation and investment to be made productive. This must involve upgrading agricultural roads, restoring farmland to bring it back to productivity, and constructing water harvesting wells to enhance irrigation. These interventions require strategic planning and a holistic approach to maximise potential benefits, which could reach
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US$200 million. Improving the resilience of rural communities means moving to a year-round production cycle, to remove seasonality in economic and employment opportunities in the agricultural sector. There is a need for experimentation with alternative seasonal crop strains, investment in complementary income streams like beekeeping, and expansion into demanddriven high-value crops for new international markets. Increasing water efficiency must also be a top priority; mapping water usage, installing meters to limit waste, increasing wastewater recycling, and focusing water allocation towards the highest value crops are all steps that should be taken. Innovative farming techniques have revolutionised agriculture in drought-prone environments, and many of these are cost-effective and low-tech solutions that could significantly improve productivity. These include the use of drip irrigation, efficient sprinkler systems, and raised bed planting. Crop diversification efforts should focus on crops that require minimal water allocation and are resistant to drought-like conditions. The processing of products and investing in attractive packaging and marketing can add huge additional value to agricultural products. Non-perishables like dried grains could be a particularly fruitful market for international export, as these are less likely to be ruined during lengthy customs delays. Processing and supply chain infrastructure investment could also bring huge benefits to the sector.
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Resilient agriculture and food security in Gaza Gaza is currently experiencing a devastating food security crisis. Following the 2014 war, half of the population of Gaza, including almost two thirds of registered refugees, are now dependent on food assistance.13 Investing in sustainable agriculture to alleviate food insecurity in Gaza is critical to boosting resilience in the Strip. Under economic blockade, export-oriented agribusiness is virtually impossible, yet in many cases donor support has focused on export-oriented high-value crops unsuitable for the local market. Furthermore, the blockade has seriously undermined the ability for Gaza’s farmers to compete with Israeli-subsidised imports as productivity has plummeted. Agricultural productivity is severely hindered by restrictions placed on vital imports on Israel’s “dual use” items list, which bans the import of materials considered to have an alternative military purpose. Farmers also struggle to access agricultural land within the Israeli-enforced “buffer zone”. Gaza also faces a growing water crisis, with the Coastal Aquifer which supplies virtually all of Gaza’s water increasingly polluted and pumped at more than 200% of its annual recharge rate.14 All these challenges urgently require resilience-based solutions to boost food security and alleviate a growing humanitarian crisis. Only the achievement of Palestinian sovereignty can ultimately resolve Gaza’s food security crisis. However, while political resolutions remain elusive, there is an urgent need to find pragmatic, sustainable, and community-led solutions for Gazan agriculture, in line with the Transformative Resilience Framework. This means a relentless focus on reducing food insecurity by increasing productivity, reducing the local cost of production, boosting household food supply, and innovating to withstand occupation restrictions.
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Photo credit: Ahed Izhiman/UNDP
Small-scale household farming is a key method of reducing food costs, boosting family resilience, increasing the consumption of nutritious food, and increasing the resilience of food supply chains to attack. It is estimated that 30% of Gaza’s households already have a home allotment,15 indicating an existing culture of home-growing ripe for donor support. Using hydroponic techniques, urban farmers can grow twice as many crops per square metre compared to conventional soil-based agriculture, and can reduce water usage by up to 90%.16 In aquaponic farming, fish farming and hydroponic plant production are combined into a closed-circulating system, negating the need for fertiliser. Further benefits are that the system: is ideal for urban environments; uses simple harvesting techniques; has a low environmental impact as the system
produces zero waste; negates challenges relating to soil quality; and requires only basic low-tech equipment (besides an oxygenating pump). Urgently accessing alternative water sources and boosting water efficiency in agriculture is critical to relieving pressure on the Coastal Aquifer. Taking steps to increase rainwater and dew harvesting is key, by increasing both household collection and rural agricultural reservoir capacity. Further steps that must be taken include: mapping water usage; increasing the use of drought-resistant agricultural techniques and crop strains; expanding wastewater recycling; installing meters to limit waste; and focusing water allocation towards priority crops for the local market.
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transformative resilience AND TOURISM
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Palestine has a wealth of attractions that are an undeniable tourist draw, yet this potential is currently being largely squandered. Investing in tourism can provide huge benefits to the economy, including: creating low-skilled job opportunities and foreign capital; boosting economic diversification; increasing direct taxation and therefore economic sovereignty; and promoting Palestinian heritage and critical perspectives on the struggle for independence. The occupation poses many challenges to Palestine’s tourist industry. The blockade of Gaza prevents any tourism activity in the Strip at all, while Israel’s illegal annexation of Jerusalem and control over Area C limit the development of tourist infrastructure. A lack of sovereignty over Palestine’s borders means tourists are subject to Israeli security checks and Palestine remains prohibited from building an airport. Combined with Israel’s far better resourced and organised marketing capabilities, this has left Palestine with a shrinking share of the tourism industry. Other challenges include: that only 20% of tourists to Palestine stay overnight, with the remainder visiting on low-cost day trips from Israel; that the government of Palestine has no control over the Jerusalem tourist industry; that the sector is overreliant on a low-cost low-margin seasonal Christian pilgrimage model; and that tourist infrastructure remains weak outside of Area A, with accommodation standards generally poor. Palestine also suffers from negative perceptions of safety among
Palestine has a wealth of attractions that are an undeniable tourist draw, yet this potential is currently being largely squandered. potential visitors. Government strategy also remains weak and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA) is hugely underfunded with an annual budget of just $5m. Boosting the resilience of Palestine’s tourist industry requires a transformative, enterprise-focused, and practical approach. Resilience-based solutions Encouraging tourists to stay overnight means enhancing accommodation options, particularly in the major hubs of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Raising standards in accommodation must be led by targeted training that promotes a cultural shift towards using hotels as a platform to promote value-addition activities like guides, attractions, and local
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businesses. The ongoing expansion of higher education courses in tourism-related areas is a positive step, but many courses lack practical training and the expansion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in this area may prove even more beneficial. There is an urgent need for better accommodation at the lucrative top end of the market. Palestine has a wealth of atmospheric historic buildings with enormous potential for transformation into appealing heritage hotels. Donors should support the creation of a model heritage hotel, to demonstrate the potential of this business model to local investors. In Jerusalem, where Israeli restrictions severely impede the creation of new hotels, the wealth of Palestinian-owned historic homes in the Old City are ideal for a scattered, informal homestay model, advertised through online room-letting platforms. Despite the al-Aqsa mosque being the third most important pilgrimage site for Muslims, Israeli visa restrictions and racial profiling at borders make travelling to Palestine difficult for many Muslim visitors, particularly those from the Arab world. Conducting advocacy to encourage Israel to reduce the restrictions on Muslim tourists, perhaps through the organisation of prearranged packages from Jordan, could boost both Palestinian and Israeli tourism, of mutual benefit to both parties. Targeted marketing at Muslim communities who face less restrictions, like those from OECD countries and South-East Asia, is a growth area worthy of exploration. 32 | RESILIENCE SERIES | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | UNDP
Successfully marketing Palestine means overcome false impressions of danger among potential visitors. Other key selling points include promoting: unknown natural and cultural attractions to broaden Palestine’s appeal; the lower cost of Palestinian hotels compared to Israeli alternatives; that tourists basing themselves in Bethlehem or Ramallah are better-located to visit many sites in the West Bank in comparison to being located in Israel; and, that staying in Palestinian accommodation gives guests a greater insight into Palestinian culture and heritage. Policymakers should focus on creating a positive and exciting campaign to attract more tourists to the West Bank. This will require significant investment and commitment from the Palestinian government, but the vast potential benefits of such a strategy far outweigh the initial cost.
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UNDP Resilience Series: Tourism in the oPt
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transformative resilience aND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
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Under protracted occupation and with limited economic opportunity, youth resilience is being steadily eroded. Young people in Palestine (aged 15 – 29),17 30% of the population,18 are disempowered, disenfranchised, and disenchanted with the current status quo. Unemployment has repeatedly been noted as the largest barrier to youth empowerment, standing at approximately 40%, with 33% of young men and almost 60% of young women unemployed. In Gaza, 60% of youth are unemployed, the highest unemployment rate in the world.19 Youth unemployment has both an economic and social impact, including poverty and food insecurity, exploitation, disenfranchisement, the marginalisation and oppression of women, and the spread of unhealthy coping mechanisms among youth.
economic growth in Palestine. Currently, Palestine's growing youth population poses a demographic threat. However, if properly invested in, declining fertility combined with a large youth population could provide a demographic dividend, leading to real socio-economic and political growth. A transformative resilience-based approach to youth economic empowerment must be grounded in principles of community ownership, flexibility, and transparency, with a focus on long-term sustainable change. Youth must be included at every step of the process.
On a macro level, Palestine faces poor economic performance due to the lack of economic sovereignty, land fragmentation, the distorted economic structure, and a culture of dependence. There are also large internal systemic barriers, which limit access to finance, markets, and services. Gender inequality is a major cause of women’s vertical and horizontal marginalisation in the labour market. Finally, poor education and training has led to a troubling gap between education and the labour market. Through our approach, we seek to transform the lives of Palestinian youth for the better, helping them to overcome challenges, reduce vulnerabilities, and become empowered. Even under the strictures of occupation, with the right investment, youth can be the engine of
While Palestine remains under occupation, there will continue to be limitations on economic development, which will in turn curtail youth employment possibilities. As the first step, international actors must advocate to end the constraints on the Palestinian economy, by restoring economic sovereignty to the State of Palestine, ending the economic blockade of Gaza, and
If properly invested in, declining fertility combined with a large youth population could provide a demographic dividend, leading to real socio-economic and political growth.
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Photo credit: Ahed Izhiman/UNDP
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revising the Paris Protocol for Economic Relations (PER). The development of Palestinian economic resilience is paramount. Ending youth unemployment through transformative resilience The State of Palestine must establish a cross-cutting national youth strategy to build an empowered and resilient youth population. This strategy must respond specifically and holistically to the challenges that young Palestinians face under occupation, and take a cohesive and holisitc approach to tackling the socio-economic, political, cultural, and psychological challenges facing youth. Together, all of these areas intersect with unemployment, and must be included to effectively tackle the root causes of unemployment. Firstly, the Ministry of National Economy (MoNE) must conduct a major economic review, in order to gain an evidencebased understanding of opportunities and gaps in the labour market. This will also identify areas that have high-added monetary value to the economy, and those that have high labour absorption capacity. Despite the constraints of occupation, there are still means by which the Palestinian labour force can be reintegrated into regional and global markets, in sectors where Palestine has gained exportable expertise. This mapping must also embed local economic development into the Palestinian
economic development strategy, to gain information on each community area’s comparative advantage. This will help to prevent the relocation of young people to traditional urban hubs (particularly moving from Area C to Area A) and ensure decentralised and equitable growth in all areas, with access to decent work. The culture of dependence that has been created by a lack of economic self-sufficiency must be replaced by a 'culture of enterprise'. Young people must be instilled with the skills and knowledge, but more critically the confidence and motivation, to develop their own enterprises. The government of Palestine must take steps to dismantle internal access barriers that limit youth employment and entrepreneurship. This includes reducing bureaucracy and simplifying the process of starting a business in Palestine, by going digital and decreasing prohibitively high costs. The government must also encourage investment in high value-added and high labour absorptive sectors, namely industry and agriculture. Boosting access to finance, including through low-interest loans or grants, is critical for providing a path for young people to establishing their own business. The government should establish a Youth Enterprise Fund to provide this finance to youth. Utilising education to better prepare young people for the labour market is critical. The government should increase expenditure on education, to improve educational infrastructure and construct
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The culture of dependence that has been created by a lack of economic self-sufficiency must be replaced by a 'culture of enterprise'. new institutions, train teachers and support staff, raise teacher’s salaries, purchase new equipment and technologies, and revamp the curriculum. They must also increase access to support services that provide career counselling and links to the private sector. The development of a pool of business experts or mentors in partnership between the government, youth organisations, and the private sector would be invaluable. This could be done both in-person and over web-link, in order to ensure that youth who live in remote places, or are unable to travel, such as in Gaza, are also able to access this service, and to reach a business mentor with appropriate experience. Although employers often complain of the lack of skilled workers, they are equally hesitant to hire young people because of the skills mismatch between traditional education and the labour market. Private sector employers should be incentivised to invest in training for youth, including through traineeships. Young people must be provided with demand-driven employability, entrepreneurship, and life skilling to enhance their opportunity to enter the labour market. In addition, negative perceptions towards hiring young 38 | RESILIENCE SERIES | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | UNDP
women must be redressed through gender sensitisation training and campaigning to encourage youth employment and an end gender-based segregation. Young men and women must be encouraged to enter non-traditional fields of work, with a special focus on TVET, through apprentice- and traineeships, which have a much higher employment success rate. This requires targeted campaigning that removes the stigma from vocational training, and at the same time, elevates it to the same level of social prestige as professional jobs.
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UNDP Resilience Series: Youth Employment
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Conclusion After fifty years of occupation, it is clear that the current approach to aid and development in Palestine has not achieved the gains that were promised, particularly following the Oslo Accords. Instead, the economy has stagnated, living standards have been eroded, and political solutions appear further away than ever. It is clear that a new approach is needed, to secure the livelihoods and long-term wellbeing of Palestinian communities. The Transformative Resilience Framework offers a new way, reframing development to tackle the root causes of the challenges facing Palestinian communities, rather than merely alleviating the symptoms. Central to this focus is advocacy; development actors must re-engage with efforts to end the occupation, the economic blockade of Gaza, and all the associated restrictions and barriers to the sustainable development of the Palestinian people. But while political resolutions remain elusive, there is an urgent need to bolster the resilience of Palestinian communities, so that they are empowered not just to cope under occupation, but to transform, improve, and grow. As we have seen from some of the examples provided in this report, that means a commitment to community ownership, a focus on localised, sustainable, and home-grown initiatives, and a practical and pragmatic approach 40 | RESILIENCE SERIES | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | UNDP
to problem solving. It means targeting the most vulnerable groups for support, investing in young people, and building links between Palestinians across the oPt to build a unifying national vision for sustainable and inclusive development. In a country where many communities have concordant development and humanitarian needs, it means using transformative resilience to draw links between these two strands, so that initiatives boost long-term resilience by working at both concurrently. Palestinians continue to face considerable hardship under occupation. But the Transformative Resilience Framework offers a new path out of poverty, which places human-centred, sustainable, and inclusive growth back at the heart of development in Palestine.
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The Transformative Resilience Framework offers a new way, reframing development to tackle the root causes of the challenges facing Palestinian communities. UNDP | TRANSFORMATIVE RESILIENCE | RESILIENCE SERIES | 41
References UNDP/PAPP (2015), ‘Research Paper: Poverty’ OCHA (2017), ‘Palestinian Humanitarian Response Plan 2017’ 3. Zahriyeh, E. (2014), ‘Who owns Jerusalem?’, Al Jazeera, found at: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/10/30/jerusalemstatusinternationalregime.html 4. For example: UN Security Council Resolution 478 (20.08.1980), found at: https://unispal.un.org/DPA/DPR/unispal.nsf/0/ DDE590C6FF232007852560DF0065FDDB 5. Al Haq (2017), ‘Living Under Israeli Policies of Colonization in Jerusalem’, found at: http://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/topics/ wall-and-jerusalem/1099-living-under-israeli-policies-ofcolonization-in-jerusalem 6. Government of Israel decision no. 3873 concerning the “Jerusalem Envelope” and the impact of the barrier on residents in Jerusalem, passed on 10 July 2005: found at: http://www.pmo. gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2005/Pages/des3873.aspx 7. UNDP/PAPP (2017, unpublished), Report on Civil Society in Occupied Jerusalem 8. Ibid. 9. See the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, found at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/ DRIPS_en.pdf 10. Ma’an (2014), ‘Food Insecurity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories’ (p.13) 11. Corradin (2016), “Israel: Water as a tool to dominate Palestinians”, found at: http://www.aljazeera.com /news/2016/06/israelwater-tool-dominate-palestinians-160619062531348.html. 12. UNCTAD (2015), ‘The Besieged Palestinian Agricultural Sector’ (p.40) 13. UNRWA, found at: https://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/ gaza-strip 14. Eran et al. (2014), ‘The Water and Sanitation Crises in Gaza: Humanitarian, Environmental and Geopolitical Implications with Recommendations for Immediate Measures’, EcoPeace Middle East 15. FAO/Zurayk et al. (2012), ‘Food Security Challenges and Innovation: The Case of Gaza’, found at: http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/cfs_high_level_forum/documents/FS_Chal1. 2.
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lenges _Innovation_-Gaza_Arab_Group.pdf (p.7) (2017), ‘Alternative farming on the rise in besieged Gaza’, found at: http://www. aljazeera.com/indepth/ features/2017/01/alternative-farming-rise-besiegedgaza-170120074544620.html 17. The PCBS defines youth as aged between 15 – 29, with those between the ages of 15 to 19 classified as adolescents and 20 – 29 as youth. 18. PCBS (2016), ‘On the Eve of International Youth Day 12/8/2016’, found at: http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/site/512/default. aspx?tabID=512&lang=en&ItemID=1721&mid=3172&wversion =Staging 19. Ibid. 16. Al-Jazeera
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