Press House and Media Center organize a dialogue meeting with Minister of Social Development

Gaza - Press House

On Thursday, 03 December 2020, Press House – Palestine (BAS), in collaboration with Media Center at Al-‎Najah National University ‎ organized a dialogue meeting with The Minister of Social Development, Dr. Ahmed Majdalani, on the topic of "Ministry of Social Development Preparedness for the Adaptation Stage in the Light of COVID-19."

The meeting was held at Al-‎Najah National University ‎, in presence of a number of journalists from West Bank and Gaza Strip and Minister Ahmed Majdalani‎, via ZOOM application, as part of “Strengthening Free and Independent Media in Palestine" project‎ activities.

The meeting aim to discuss the role of the Ministry of Social Development during Corona pandemic in Palestine on several levels, and the impact of the pandemic on several specific groups in Palestinian society from the increase in unemployment and violence rates and the increase in the number of beneficiaries of the Ministry and the challenges it faces at the same time with the difficult reality facing all Palestinians.

Mr. Bakr Dragma, facilitator of the meeting, reviewed the concept of development and the ability to implement it in the light of  Corona pandemic, in addition to the suffering of the world health and economic, and highlighted the reality of Palestinian citizen with the increase in unemployment and poverty and the decline of economy, which reflects on development.

From his part, Minister Majdalani talked about the plans followed by the ministry to help the needy groups, also reviewed in numbers and percentages the assistance provided through the ministry and through the Fund "Wakfet Ezz" during the pandemic for various groups, including the unemployed and day laborers, explaining that more than 3,000 families benefited from the fund, and stressed the importance of supporting women through the ministry's various programs, stressing that about 80% of economic empowerment programs are directed at women headed households.

In another context, Minister Majdalani stressed that there are several programs for beneficiaries, especially the people with disabilities, through the provision of insurance assistance, free prostheses and others, and noted: "Not every disabled person needs the support of the Ministry of Social Development, and the support is directed only to those who need."

From her part, Ms. Noorhan Masri, coordinator in West Bank, stressed the importance of these meetings, which will open the door to dialogue between different institutions and decision makers, which will build bridges of transparency between citizens and the government , which will help develop a democratic environment that promotes freedom and independence in Palestine specifically free media, and this is the goal of the project that we are working on at the Center Media of An-Najah University in partnership with Press House -Palestinian.