Netherlands and UNDP Sign a $2.8 Million Agreement In Support of the Palestinian Justice System – UNDP Press Release

United Nations Development Programme
Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People

Netherlands and UNDP Sign a $2.8 Million Agreement In Support of the Palestinian Justice System

Jerusalem – The Government of the Netherlands has agreed to provide US$2.8 million to the UNDP’s Supporting the Rule of Law and Access to Justice for the Palestinian People programme over two years, it was announced today.

The purpose of the three-year programme is to contribute to the development of a sustainable, fair and independent justice system in the occupied Palestinian territory. The funds provided by the the Netherlands will support the institutional strengthening of the Ministry of Justice, promote access to justice, particularly at local and community level, promote gender and juvenile justice, improve the rule of law in the Gaza Strip and enhance confidence among stakeholders in the justice system.

“This contribution complements other efforts by the Netherlands to strengthen the Palestinian justice system in order to prepare the Palestinian National Authority for statehood and ensure access to justice for all Palestinian people.” said Mr. Jack Twiss Quarles van Ufford, the Dutch Head of Mission. The Netherlands is the co-chair of the Justice Sector Working Group which was set up to provide a forum for dialogue among key actors in the justice sector and co-ordinate the activities of donors in the Palestinian territory, ensuring that they are complementary and support the overall strategy of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

UNDP’s work in the justice sector complements its work in environment, poverty reduction and governance and is designed to help transform the PNA from an interim authority to the government of an independent state as envisaged in Ending the Occupation, Establishing the State, the programme of the 13th government of the PNA.

The budget of the Supporting the Rule of Law and Access to Justice programme is now US$18 million and consists of contributions from Canada, Sweden and UNDP’s Bureau of Crisis

Prevention and Recovery.

For further information, please contact:

In Jerusalem: Dania Darwish, Communications Officer, Tel. +972-2-6268229 – e-mail: dania.darwish@undp.org,

Conal Urquhart, External Relations Advisor, Tel. +972-2-6268200 – e-mail: conal.urquhart@undp.org

In New York: Sausan Ghosheh Communication’s officer, Tel. +1 (212) 906-5382 – e-mail: sausan.ghosheh@undp.org.

For more information on UNDP/PAPP see http://www.undp.ps .