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Supporting Gaza’s Socio-Economic Resilience
November 14, 2024
Supporting Gaza’s Socio-Economic Resilience Through Emergency Employment Opportunities
As Gaza’s war extends into a second year, its toll on lives and livelihoods has been devastating. An October 2024 UNDP/ESCWA report ‘Gaza War: Expected Socioeconomic Impacts on the State of Palestine’ reveals that multidimensional poverty in Gaza has surged from 45.1% to an alarming 97.9%, leaving nearly the entire population in severe hardship. Unemployment grips 80% of Palestinians in Gaza, with the education sector among the hardest hit. Over 625,000 students have lost access to formal schooling, and an estimated 92.9% of school buildings are either damaged or destroyed, leaving thousands of teachers without jobs or income. This devastation has pushed Gaza to the breaking point, contributing to the roll-back of human development by an estimated 70 years, resembling conditions in Gaza last seen in 1955.
In this challenging environment, teachers and educators are determined to prevent a lost generation. Despite the dire circumstances, they continue to teach wherever they can, striving to restore some semblance of normalcy for Gaza’s students.
UNDP’s Emergency Response: Restoring Livelihoods and Services
As an immediate priority, and as part of the overall UN humanitarian response, a key component of UNDP’s immediate interventions already underway in Gaza includes support for emergency employment. This effort aims to restore livelihoods wherever possible and sustain critical services, including healthcare, education, and municipal services such as solid waste management. Since October 2023, UNDP’s emergency employment initiatives have been a lifeline for almost 3,000 individuals. This initiative not only provides much-needed income but aims to provide a sense of dignity to individuals and their families affected by the crisis, and contribute to sustaining essential services for the communities.
In the education sector, amongst those employed are 130 teachers supporting makeshift classrooms at 20 locations across the Gaza Strip including four in Gaza City, where over 2,600 children continue their education despite the odds. Through its focus on emergency employment, together with UN and NGO partners, UNDP is contributing to the response coordinated through the Education Cluster and its Response Plan, which aims to sustain and scale up non-formal learning activities, ensuring that access to education remains a key priority even as the war continues.
Voices from the Field
Fidaa Dahdouh in the tent teaching children who joined her teaching initiative
UNDP/PAPP image Bank
In September 2023, Fidaa Dahdouh, a 33-year-old mother of seven, had just secured her dream job as a teacher under UNDP’s Facilitating Decent Jobs in Gaza programme. But just six weeks later, the war erupted, turning her life upside down. Displaced from her home in Zaitoon, she now lives in a shelter in Deir El Balah with her family.
"In the early days of the war, we were in shock, constantly fleeing and trying to survive," Fidaa recalls. "Our days revolved around finding food, fetching water, and basic tasks. Our children forgot about school. I tried to help my younger one’s practice reading and writing, but they couldn’t focus. It was heartbreaking."
As the war continued, UNDP resumed its emergency employment initiatives and Fidaa was rehired. She and her colleague Yasmin quickly set up a makeshift school in their community, providing academic instruction alongside psychosocial support to provide some stability for their students.
“This opportunity has meant so much to me,” Fidaa says. “Emotionally, it gave me strength when I felt helpless. Financially, it provided some stability during such a difficult time. But more importantly, it allowed me to help save a generation from despair. The challenges are immense, but as a teacher, I am committed to my duty to spread knowledge, no matter the circumstances.”
Among Fidaa's students are Mayar, a second grader, and her brother Shaher, a fourth grader. Their mother is grateful for the program's impact on her children. “Since joining the school, my children have been encouraged by their teachers to study and participate. Their academic skills have improved, and even their behavior has changed for the better. Despite everything, they love going to school.”
Dareen Saidy, a 9-year-old displaced girl from Der El Balah said “"When teachers visited us in the tent and asked if we wanted to enroll in school, I was very happy. I missed reading, writing, and using a pencil instead of waiting in lines for water. Now I feel hopeful again."
Provision of Psychosocial Support
UNDP’s initiative also includes support to civil society organizations, providing psychosocial support training for teachers to address both academic and emotional needs of students. The Women Affairs Center, one of UNDP’s long-term partners explains: “Teachers receive 20 hours of training in psychosocial support, followed by training in active learning methods. Students engage in activities like play, writing, and drawing to process their emotions before receiving lessons in core subjects like Arabic, mathematics, English, and science.”
Child poses in front of one of the psychosocial support tents
UNDP/PAPP image Bank
Supporting Local Small Businesses
In addition to emergency employment, UNDP is providing urgent support to small businesses in Gaza, working closely with the Palestinian Federation of Industries and Gaza Chamber of Commerce. This support helps businesses maintain operations, retain employees, and continue to produce essential items despite the significant challenges of the ongoing war. As one example, UNDP purchases furniture — such as desks, boards, and chairs — from local producers and provides these items to temporary learning spaces as part of its support to the education sector. Additionally, UNDP is creating employment opportunities within these companies by creating extra employment opportunities to help meet increased production demands.
Looking Ahead
UNDP’s emergency employment interventions are essential to supporting access to education for Gaza’s children while also providing much-needed income to families, in spite of the significant challenges and hardships,” says Sarah Poole, UNDP’s Special Representative of the Administrator for the Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People.
By creating jobs for teachers and supporting makeshift classrooms, this initiative aims to support children in Gaza to continue learning, and to help communities by easing financial pressures. However, these efforts are a temporary solution amid a far-reaching, devastating crisis. In addition to the dire humanitarian needs, Gaza’s socio-economic conditions are under immense strain, with an unprecedented loss – of almost 70 years -- in human development, impacting essential aspects like access to education, health, and jobs. Sustained support by the international community, working closely with local and national partners, is needed to address these deepening challenges, both as part of the humanitarian response and contributing to immediate early recovery efforts wherever possible.”
children enjoying activities at one of the temporary education locations
UNDP/PAPP image Bank
As the crisis continues, UNDP remains committed to scaling up emergency employment across critical sectors and support to small businesses, helping to bridge the gap between the immediate humanitarian needs, resilience, and longer-term recovery for the Palestinians in Gaza as soon as possible.
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