Gaza Strip, 11 July 2018 – 120 young Palestinian lifeguards will be on the job this summer in Gaza as part of the support the Islamic Development Bank and UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian people are providing in response to the high unemployment rates in Gaza.

Through phase two of the Palestinian Economic Empowerment Programme (DEEP II), the emergency job creation initiative will generate approximately 6,000 workdays for young people over a 50-day period that will run till the end of September 2018 and improving their livelihoods. With a total fund of USD 105,000, 120 job opportunities will be provided to skilled lifeguards whose jobs across the Gaza Strip will ensure the safety of people in and around the water this summer season.

The initiative is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Labor, Syndicate of Fishermen and Workers in Fishing and Fish Farming. With unemployment rates reaching a staggering 60% among youth, this initiative comes as part of UNDP’s emergency job creation programme in Gaza that covers interventions related to infrastructure and service delivery, agriculture, youth entrepreneurship and e-works, education, capacity development and vocational training among others.

For further information, please contact:

Ms Dania Darwish, Communications Specialist, Tel. +972-2-6268229 – e-mail: dania.darwish@undp.org or Shahd El-Swerki in Gaza at Tel. +972-8-2822167 – e-mail: shahd.el-swerki@undp.org. For more information on UNDP/PAPP see /sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/arabstates/www.ps.undp.org.