Project Summary:

Sawasya II represents the primary programmatic vehicle of the United Nations for advancing the rule of law, gender justice and human rights in the State of Palestine for the period 2018-2023.

Bringing together the main UN entities mandated and invested in these areas - United Nations Development programme (UNDP), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF) - in an integrated programme framework, Sawasya II seeks to support the Palestinian government in building a progressively functioning and increasingly inclusive rule of law system that respects, protects and fulfils human rights and gender equality and promotes peace and security.

Sawasya II targets specific bottlenecks in justice and security service provision. Security and justice institutions will be supported to strengthen the quality and efficiency of the services they provide to Palestinian rights holders. Moreover, Sawasya II supports all relevant Palestinian government institutions and civil society organizations in providing legal aid to the Palestinian population. This support is developed and tailored to respond to the specific needs of the different areas of the West Bank, including Area C and East Jerusalem, Hebron 2 and the Gaza Strip.

Acknowledging that the ability to access justice is a human right in itself, and is key to the realization to all other human rights, Sawasya II also addresses gender justice gaps and discrimination against women, which are deeply entrenched in the Palestinian justice and security systems. Finally, Sawasya II works with relevant national partners in strengthening the services provided to children in contact with the law by promoting effective partnership and integrative constructive work among constituent entities of the Juvenile Protection sector.

Main Objective:

The overarching objective of Sawasya II has the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 16 and 5 at its core: focused on the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provision of access to justice for all, and the realisation of effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels (SDG 16), and on achieving gender equality and empowerment for women and girls (SDG 5).

Sawasya II is fully aligned with the National Policy Agenda (2017-2022) and relevant sector and cross-sector strategies of the Palestinian Government, including the National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women (2011-2019) and is designed to contribute to key priorities of the forthcoming five-year United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), launched in 2018. Sawasya II has secured commitment from the Palestinian government at the highest level, and aims to reinforce broader national and international political and technical efforts aimed at supporting the realisation of a well-functioning Palestinian State, based on principles of good governance and the rule of law in accordance with gender equality and social inclusion.

Joint Programme Outcomes:

Overall goal: A functioning and inclusive Rule of Law system that respects, protects and fulfils human rights and gender equality, and promotes peace and security

• Outcome 1: Rule of law institutions are strengthened and reunified by legal, regulatory ad policy frameworks in line with international standards
• Outcome 2: Service provision by rule of law institutions is effective, accountable and inclusive
• Outcome 3: All Palestinians, especially children and vulnerable groups, have access to justice, security and protection without discrimination
• Outcome 4: Women's access to justice and security are improved through gender-responsive service delivery and empowerment of women