HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS SEEK USD 416 MILLION TO
ASSIST PALESTINIANS IN 2012
Jerusalem – The Humanitarian Appeal for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) was launched today in Ramallah by the Humanitarian Coordinator, Maxwell Gaylard. The appeal seeks USD 416 million to respond to the humanitarian needs generated by the ongoing violations of basic human rights in the oPt. This crisis in the oPt has left communities vulnerable to human rights abuses and rendered 1.8 million Palestinians in need of humanitarian assistance. “Progress in the peace process is desperately needed—the coping strategies of Palestinian communities are being eroded with each year that passes”, said the Humanitarian Coordinator, Gaylard.
In Gaza, where the land, sea and air blockade continues to impair Gaza’s ability to develop, more than 50% of households are food insecure. While in the West Bank, more houses are being demolished, settler violence has increased, and Bedouin and herding communities, in particular, are under continuing threat of forced displacement. “In this context, the humanitarian community must do all it can to alleviate suffering and support the most vulnerable while insisting on respect for the basic human rights of Palestinians under international law, including the ability to develop and thus reduce their dependency on humanitarian action.”
The goal of humanitarian assistance in 2012 is to prevent a further deterioration of the protection situation for Palestinians in the oPt, ensure their equitable access to basic services and improve food security.
The occupation is taking a toll on every aspect of life. 1.43 million people are currently food insecure and require assistance from the Agriculture, Cash For Work and Food Sectors. More than 2 million people face problems with the quality or quantity of water they receive. Gaza alone is estimated to need 186 new schools, while more than 300,000 people in the West Bank have limited access to essential health care. Settler violence continued in 2011, with a 40% rise in the number of attacks recorded. Displacement due to demolitions also rose significantly in 2011, more than 1,000 people were displaced due to home demolitions and tens of thousands of Palestinians remain at imminent risk of displacement, most notably in the Jerusalem periphery, the Jordan Valley and within East Jerusalem.
Gaylard called on the donor community to provide early and full funding for the CAP. “The projects in this appeal address the most immediate and urgent needs in the oPt, those that require an emergency response and cannot wait for the longer‐term development activities. While the CAP requirement is lower than that of last year, this is a reflection of a more concerted focus on humanitarian needs. Many of the recovery programmes in last year’s CAP remain just as, if not more, important this year and it is hoped that they will be funded more strategically through development frameworks.”
The 2012 – 2013 Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) for oPt includes 149 emergency humanitarian projects to be implemented by 149 UN agencies and national and international non–governmental organizations (NGOs).
The oPt 2012–2013 CAP document including details of all appealing projects can be downloaded at www.ochaopt.og
For more information please contact:
Mr. Aurelien Buffler, Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) +972‐(0) 543‐311‐814, buffler@un.org
Mrs. Sara Jabari, Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) +972‐(0) 543‐310‐552, jabari@un.org
For up to date information on the funding status of the appeal, visit http://fts.unocha.org/
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/HumOrgs_2012assistanceA.pdf
Document Type: Appeal, Arabic text, Press Release
Document Sources: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Subject: Food, House demolitions, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Internally displaced persons, Living conditions, Peace process, Settlements, Water
Publication Date: 25/01/2012