Middle East, North Africa and Europe
Palestine ranks 115 out of 189 on the 2020 Human Development Index (HDI). CARE International’s programs in Palestine (West Bank/Gaza) focus on the economic empowerment of women and youth, as well as humanitarian response to meet basic and long-term needs.
CARE International has been working in the West Bank and Gaza since 1948. In Gaza, people face increasing poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and sporadic outbreaks of violence. In the West Bank, the rate of demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures and settler violence remains high.
In December 2018, when violent conflict in Palestine resulted in more than 1,000 civilian deaths, CARE Palestine (West Bank/Gaza) distributed food, medical supplies, and hygiene kits.
Another spike in violence broke out in November 2012 and our office was damaged in air strikes. CARE Palestine (West Bank/Gaza) was able to continue its emergency response and joined other humanitarian organizations to call for an end to the violence.
CARE International’s vision is that women and young Palestinians will realize their rights, reach their full life potential and contribute to a vibrant, equitable, and accountable Palestinian society. Under the women’s empowerment initiatives, CARE Palestine (West Bank/Gaza) focuses on women’s political participation and social entrepreneurship, supporting their skills and agency development.
CARE Palestine (West Bank/Gaza) has a long-term commitment to engage Palestinian communities in development processes that enable them to determine their futures, realize their rights, and live in peace and dignity. We partner with other Palestinian organizations to better advocate their own interests and rights.
Our work in Palestine focuses on:
CARE International strongly condemns the recent upsurge in violence in Gaza and the violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law by all parties to the conflict, as evidenced by recent reports of the bombing of civilian population, where the number of lost lives continues to increase, including those of women and children.
The continued bombing of civilians in Gaza and attacks on civilians in the West Bank, in East Jerusalem and inside Israel is unacceptable.
In this project led by CARE Palestine, four women tell their daily hardships living under conflict, their COVID-related challenges, and their dreams and aspirations using storytelling techniques.
My Right to My Future, Women’s Participation in Peace Building and Conflict Resolution (PEACE II) ran from 2015-2017 in Palestine with $672,993 from the EU and Austrian Agency for Development. It worked with 4,300 people directly.
The Strengthening Livelihoods through Community Adaptation and Learning project operated in West Bank and Gaza from 2014 to 2017. It was funded with $4.1 million through the German Ministry of Development (BMZ), and reached more than 11,600 people directly and 7,800 indirectly. CARE partnered with the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem.
In this project led by CARE Palestine, four women tell their daily hardships living under conflict, their COVID-related challenges, and their dreams and aspirations using storytelling techniques.
CARE's goal is that by 2030, women and young Palestinians from communities made most vulnerable by the conflict and the restrictions of the occupation will realize their rights, reach their full life potential, and contribute to a vibrant, equitable and accountable Palestinian society.
In 2021, CARE worked around the world, contributing to saving lives, defeating poverty, and achieving social justice.
