Steering Committee Meeting Approves 2025 Annual Work Plan for Sawasya III Joint Programme

Chaired by Ms. Sarah Poole, UNDP/PAPP Special Representative of the Administrator, on behalf of the Resident Coordinator Mr. Muhannad Hadi - chair of the Joint UNDP/UN Women/UNICEF Programme’s Steering Committee, and H.E Judge Mohammed Abdghani Aliwawi, Chief of Justice, and co-chair of the meeting, which brought together key Palestinian officials, national and development partners.

Distinguished attendees included H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash, Supreme Judge, H.E. Counselor Sharhabil Al-Zaeem, Minister of Justice; H.E. Akram Al-Khatib, Attorney General and H.E. Mr. Taha Al-Irani, Deputy Minister of Social Development.

The 2025 Annual Work Plan reaffirms the programme’s commitment to addressing Palestinians' growing needs and advancing equal access to justice, human rights, and gender equality, particularly in light of the current challenges. 

Representing key donors, Mr. Jaco Beerends, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation at the Netherlands Representative Office in Ramallah, joined the discussions, alongside representatives of the Governments of Sweden and Canada, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and the European Union. 

The meeting was also attended by the representatives of the UNDP, UN Women, and UNICEF.  

In her opening remarks, Ms. Sarah Poole, UNDP/PAPP Special Representative of the Administrator, addressed the significant challenges facing the rule of law and justice sector in Palestine, with a particular focus on Gaza. "Transitioning to the impact on the rule of law, the justice sector in Palestine faces significant difficulties, particularly in Gaza. In the current context, access to justice is needed more than ever, particularly for women and children. Palestinians rely on services provided through your respective institutions, which have been supported through Sawasya over the last decade, such as policing, functioning courts, and critical services including legal aid.”

Ms. Poole also expressed her gratitude for the unwavering support from development partners and to national institutions and CSO partners who are delivering critical services to the Palestinians under these circumstances.” 

Building on the successes of previous phases, Sawasya III, a five-year programme, is designed to enhance equal access to justice for all Palestinians, particularly particularly during and after the end of the war. The programme aims to develop a comprehensive, preventive, and responsive justice system that upholds human rights and gender equality principles, with a particular focus on adopting innovative digital solutions.

In his remarks, H.E. Judge Mohammed Abdghani Aliwawi emphasized: “We believe that justice must be accessible to all, especially in these difficult times when Palestinians face the most heinous forms of oppression. Therefore, we will continue to make every possible effort to provide a judicial environment that safeguards human rights and facilitates citizens' access to justice services through innovative digital solutions, particularly for women and children, especially in the Gaza Strip”.

In the next phase, the Sawasya III joint programme will intensify its efforts, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the most affected areas in the West Bank, in line with government directives, to improve access to legal, psychological and social services for marginalized groups, especially women and children. Additionally, it will focus on enhancing the quality of legal education.

The Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Jaco Beerends said: “In 2025, we look forward to working with you to strengthen legal aid systems and improve access to legal aid services for the Palestinian people. It is essential that all Palestinians have equal access to justice; regardless of their age; gender; or socioeconomic status. It is therefore encouraging to see that through the Sawasya programme, tens of thousands of Palestinians access legal aid services every year – in part due to the excellent partnership with civil society organizations and the institutions represented in the room today.” 

By endorsing the 2025 Annual Work Plan, Sawasya III reaffirms its commitment to ensuring equal access to justice for all Palestinians, with a particular emphasis on integrating innovative digital solutions and reinforcing international standards. Future efforts will seek to create a lasting impact in the justice sector, addressing the needs of Palestinian society and advancing human rights at all levels.