Emergency Response to Gaza Municipalities (“Window 5” of MDP-II)

• Three wars in six years with the latest in July-August 2014 aggravated the consequences of a 9-year full blockade by the Occupying Power (Israel) which has distressed the economy and, among others, the provision of basic services. Due to increased poverty and inequality as well as massive unemployment (> 44 %), Municipalities have had few opportunities to generate revenues necessary to deliver public services in an effective and efficient manner.
• However, municipalities in Gaza before the 2014 war were performing well as shown in MDP-II performance indicators.
• The Gazan population has been directly affected by the intra-Palestinian political divide (PA in Ramallah and the de facto Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip); most of the municipal workers have not been paid for 16 months.
• The Gaza Strip is one of the densest areas in the world (1.92 million persons living on 365 sq. km): it is divided in 25 Municipalities.

The overall goal of the MDP-II is the following : Citizens in the oPt receive public services from local authorities that are efficient, accountable and socially inclusive.

The specific goal of this intervention which is part of a specific window open in the MDP II is to restore municipal services damaged by the 2014 conflict in Gaza.

• Population living in 5-7 selected Gaza Municipalities  
  
• Secondary target groups include staff and authorities of selected Gazan Municipalities, but also the private sector and occasional short-term workers contracted for rehabilitation work.

Programme Development Outcome of MDP II: Municipal management practices are effective, efficient, accountable and transparent.

Specific outcome of emergency window: 5-7 selected Gaza municipalities are enabled to provide basic services in areas severely affected by the 2014 conflict in Gaza.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Basic municipal services are restored and damaged infrastructure is rehabilitated

Non-salary operating expenditures related to service restoration are covered

Donors to Window 5 (World Bank, Denmark, Germany and Belgium), to MDP-II and other donors  (OECD and OPEC/bilat and multi)

The intervention complements and supports the SDC local governance portfolio in the oPt, in particular:  MDP-II (7F-07621.01 PA 2), HIMII 7F-09136.01 (which focus on vulnerable communities which had no or limited access to basic infrastructure already prior to the war).

It is specifically linked to software interventions focussing on participatory reconstruction planning in the Gaza Strip: IDPs UDOC (7F-09398.01), UN Habitat Gaza PS2 (7F-09404.01).

Synergies with SDC-supported humanitarian initiatives will also be sought, in particular ERF.

Phase 1 01.11.2015 - 31.12.2016   (Completed)