Document Summary

The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated places on earth. Against the backdrop of occupation, the 2006 elections, and tensions resulting from Hamas' takeover of the area, the situation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has worsened, with marked increases in unemployment, poverty and deaths.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is responding to this complex set of problems that infiltrate all sectors, from the economy, to agriculture to governance and infrastructure. In particular, UNDP's Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) maintains an US$80 million operation in Gaza, which has implemented projects designed to enhance the role of civil society organizations, provide emergency livelihood support to the population, and help chronically poor families achieve self-reliance through economic empowerment.