The Palestinian Reality Today: Rural populations are unable to access livelihoods, facing severe violations of their human rights. The Palestinian economy is weak, unproductive, and dependent on imports. Compounding this are the consequences of geopolitical dispute in the territory and recurring episodes of violence, creating a fragile security situation with restrictions on movement and access to natural resources. Additionally, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall increase the vulnerability of rural communities and the agricultural sector.
The situation is particularly dire for Palestinian women, who not only endure these challenges but also face significant inequalities, as there are no measures in place to encourage their participation in productive activities.
In this context, the current Convenio for the West Bank focuses on agricultural development and the creation of equal employment opportunities for sustainable growth in rural populations. It aims to address the restrictive and discriminatory challenges faced by Palestinians by developing capacities and transferring knowledge in green, energy-efficient agricultural production models. The goal is to foster economic growth through circular economy principles and to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation capabilities through disaster prevention and management strategies.
The Convenio focuses on the availability of natural resources, quality employment opportunities, and climate change sustainability with a gender-inclusive approach.
The Convenio is built around three major components, which are interconnected:
- Strengthening livelihoods: This component covers the entire green agriculture value chain, from land access to the sustainable and efficient management of resources. It promotes access to financial services, with a particular focus on building the capacities of women and young people to enhance their access to resources.
- Promoting employability: This includes providing vocational education aligned with labor market demand, strengthening coordination structures with academic institutions through models like Agribusiness and Precision Conservation Management (PCM), and ensuring inclusive, equal access to employment. It also introduces a circular economy model.
- Promotion and Risk Reduction management strategies: These strategies will be implemented at local, regional, and national levels, integrating environmental and gender perspectives. Institutional participation and collaboration with various ministries will support the Palestinian business sector, establishing sustainable strategic alliances. Moreover, specific programs will focus on increasing women’s participation in the labor market and decision-making processes, aiming to achieve equality of opportunity and gender balance in the sector.