FORUM: Economic and Social Council

QUESTION OF: Situation and assistance to Palestinian civilians, Humanitarian Assistance

MAIN SUBMITTER: Turkiye

CO-SUBMITTERS: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, European Union, Finland, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Labor Organization, Kenya, United (OCHA), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), UN Women, World Health Organisation (WHO),

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL,

Deeply concerned about how the high poverty rates in Palestine are expected to increase to 74.3%, affecting around 4.1 million people, including around 2.1 million who are newly impoverished, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),

Keeping in mind the Infrastructure and Camp Improvement Programme (ICIP) established in Gaza and other parts of Palestine by the UN to help in the improvement of civilian living conditions,

Acknowledging the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in helping refugees and civilians by providing services and administering installations by creating around 10 camps to accommodate an influx of refugees and civilians,

1. Encourages the establishment of child-friendly spaces for learning and recreation in the conflict-affected areas, with the aim of:

1. providing a safe and supportive environment where children can access education and recreational activities to:

1. implement safety measures such as bunkers, fencing, and security and initiate Air Bridge Operations for essential supplies (like medical, educational, Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), food)
2. develop safe routes for children to access education and activities, including sidewalks, bike trails, and educator training on maintaining safe learning environments;

2. Calls for the UN for Youth and the International Labour Organization to continue  providing support for refugees with families struggling financially to provide a proper education for their children/adolescents by providing measures including but not limited to:

1. increased language and skills training
2. providing literacy support programs for refugee children to aid in integration  
3. protecting civilians and refugees from exploitation and abuse in and entering the workforce;

3. Recommends partnerships among Member States, UN agencies, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to restore clean water and sanitation in areas with damaged infrastructure:

1. to have equitable access to clean and safe drinking water, prioritizing children and vulnerable groups to prevent waterborne diseases
2. by the restoration and maintenance of essential hygiene practices through the provision of functional sanitation facilities, hygiene kits, and public health education
3. by rebuilding and upgrading infrastructure to withstand future challenges and conflicts
4. by urging Member States to enhance civilian access to safe drinking water in Palestine and Gaza (where less than 4% is drinkable) by aligning with UN SDG 6, through actions such as but not limited to:

1. creating proper sewage infrastructure, treatment plants, fountains
2. implement rainwater collection systems and cleaning methods to improve the amount of drinkable water;

4. Further calls for the UN Refugee Agency's psychology and mental health branch to further support Palestinian refugees and civilians affected by the conflict, with solutions including one-to-one treatment with a psychologist or psychiatrist including psychological education to help refugees understand their struggles and how to handle their mental state to go on about life peacefully;

5.  Emphasizes the urgent need for gender-responsive humanitarian aid to support Palestinian women by:

1. guaranteeing access to essential healthcare services, including

1. maternal and reproductive healthcare to ensure safe childbirth and postnatal care, provided by UN agencies such as UNICEF
2. trauma counselling and psychosocial support for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV)

2. creating safe spaces to protect and empower women, including

1. shelters and resource centres providing legal aid, psychological support, and emergency assistance
2. mechanisms to report and address GBV, ensuring accountability and survivor protection;

c. delivering mobile maternity units, equipped to provide emergency obstetric care    

    which includes essential hygiene supplies such as soap, sanitary pads and    

     life-saving medicines to support the women and girls of Gaza with cooperation of

     Palestine government

d. supporting services in safe spaces and deploying mobile clinics to provide

    reproductive health services

e. partnering with women-led organizations to provide gender-responsive

    multisectoral services including gender-based violence and livelihood responses

     to women and girls most affected including internally displaced women, women  

    widows, women heads of households, and women with disabilities;

6. Urges for the immediate evacuation of injured civilians through coordinated efforts of humanitarian organizations and relevant authorities in such ways but not limited to:

1. appeals to neighboring countries, to ease border restrictions for medical evacuations and allow injured civilians to access healthcare facilities in safer regions
2. suggests the OCHA to facilitate logistical support and identify safe evacuation routes in collaboration with local authorities and humanitarian agencies;

7. Requests medical assistance,  healthcare, and  infrastructure to be provided by the Security Council in areas of Palestine, including the West Bank and Gaza Strip through actions such as but not limited to:

1. supporting the building of infrastructures with the additional funding of charities, local companies and NGOs to provide additional funding for immediate service:

1. to expand healthcare access through mobile clinics, insurance coverage, and community-driven health education
2. to create and improve temporary shelter camps for refugees along with

b. Launching mass scale vaccination programs

for children in Palestine in collaboration with the World Health Organization ( WHO), International Committee of the Red Cross ( ICRC), etc in ways such as but not limited to :

i. providing vaccinations against polio , hepatitis B, Hepatitis A , Measles , etc

ii. the establishment of programmes to reach children in remote areas

ii. monitoring of the programmes to be overseen by WHO and reported back to ECOSOC to decide how long the program should last for .