Gaza Strip, 16 January 2019 - Aiming at empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Japan, in partnership with the Palestinian Olympic Committee and Al Aqsa University, opened the first winter camp for persons with disabilities under the theme “Gaza Stronger by its Will”. The winter camp is organized as part of the Government of Japan’s support to the Palestinian people in Gaza with a contribution amount of USD 35,000.

Around 100 young men and women aged between 16 to 24 are expected to participate in the camp. The camp activities have a rights-based approach designed to empower participants with disabilities and improve their skills. These encompass social activities including theatre and arts, sports, Telematch games and cooking. These recreational activities aim at decreasing the stress level youth are experiencing due to the difficult economic and social situation they live in.

The camp will also encourage the participants to work together in groups and propose initiatives that address their utmost needs and expectations within the community they live in.  They will work on ten initiatives; three of which will be selected at the final stage of the camp, and will be implemented by the participants within their communities.

It is worth noting that the camp is part of a larger programme funded by the Government of Japan for the amount of USD 99,792 that aims at creating short-term alternative spaces for traumatized children and youth in Gaza. In addition to the camp which targets youth with disabilities, the programme includes an assessment of youth with disabilities to better understand their interests and capacities, needs and challenges, and identify possible solutions for greater social engagement; a social innovation camp to identify best innovative technological solutions that respond to two recognized challenges of youth with disabilities in Gaza; and finally a three-month rehabilitation programme for 100 traumatized children aged between six and fourteen, who have been affected by the recent tensions in Gaza.

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.

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