Strengthening nexus coherence and responsiveness in the Palestinian social protection sector

Project objectives

• Overall objective

  The overall objective of the project is to assist in the achievement of SDG 1.3, for countries to “implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including [social protection] floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and vulnerable. Specifically, it will i) enhance rights-based and nexus programmatic coherence of the Palestinian social protection sector and ii) increase the responsiveness of the social protection system in times of crisis to support OPT’s progress on SDG 1.3.
   

• Objective 1: Rights-based and cross-nexus programmatic coherence of social protection is enhanced

  Through this Specific Objective, the development intervention will seek to:

  • Formulate and operationalize a common policy orientation across the spectrum of social protection actors in line with the SDSS.
  • Develop a whole-of-sector planning and budgeting framework for implementation of the SDSS.
  • Harmonize/align key programmatic design features across government and humanitarian interventions.
  • Maximize operational efficiencies across programmes, sharing businesses processes and administrative resources.
• Objective 2: Responsiveness of the social protection system is enhanced

  This component is focused on strengthening responsiveness of the system as a central tool for the government and the international community’s response to the challenges facing OPT, and is designed mainly to build the national institutions at central and local levels, including building their capacities to design and implement social policies, mainly on shock-responsive social protection (SRSP).

  
  The support will cover policy, planning and building the capacity of the national partners in these areas, especially MoSD, local government units and regional Joint Planning Groups (JPG). This component is critical to build a comprehensive SRSP system in OPT in the long term, especially with the increase of demand for social protection after the COVID-19 pandemic. In the short term, it will build upon the lessons learned prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic on the fragility of social protection and the lack of shock response planning capacities.  Under this component, the project will work with both MoSD and MoLG at the central level, with local government units, and regional JPG at the local level to build capacities in shock-responsive planning, implementation and monitoring, as well as to link both the central and local-level SRSP systems.

  
  Through this Specific Objective, the development intervention will seek to:

  • Develop shock-responsive protocols and procedures for expanding and managing social protection programmes during crises 
  • Establish or reactivate Joint Planning Groups (JPG) across the West Bank and Gaza in support of strengthening vertical coordination between national and local government
  • Develop capacities and raise awareness among local government, CSOs and humanitarian agencies on government’s rights-based vision of social protection, the SDSS, current programmes, and administrative practices.