Social Recovery and Job Creation Project
Component 2: Support to Women and the Disabled (US$10 million)
The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) has developed a strategic framework on behalf of the PA to guide both recovery efforts and longer term development across WB&G. It aims to provide a national vision for sustainable development, economic resilience, and job creation. Phase one is a Social Recovery and Job Creation Program, with a total target budget of US$500 million across the WB&G. Its objectives are: i) job creation - to create temporary job opportunities, reduce unemployment, and alleviate poverty; ii) economic revitalization - by using employment as a means of sustainable development, and; iii) community support and development – by addressing specific needs to foster greater cohesion and resilience.
The “Social Recovery and Job Creation in the West Bank and Gaza Project” is designed with a US$60 million financing envelope with US$40 million from the Trust Fund for Gaza and West Bank (TFGWB) and US$20 million from the Palestinian Fund for Reconstruction and Development (PFRD). The project is fully aligned with MoPIC’s strategic framework for recovery efforts and longer-term development across WB&G. In the current phase all World Bank financing will be solely dedicated to the West Bank, with support to Gaza - likely with the same design, when the situation allows, and with additional finance.
Project Development Objective: To increase employment opportunities for select groups in target areas; and ii) improve the operational capacity of select government institutions.
Project Components:
Component 1: Labor Intensive Infrastructure (US$40 million). This component will provide financing to eligible Local Government Units (LGUs) in the West Bank to maintain the provision of local services through labor-intensive infrastructure works involving unemployed Palestinians in the West Bank.
Component 2: Support to Women and the Disabled (US$10 million). This component will support women and persons with disabilities who are not able to participate to labor intensive public works activities under Component 1. This component will support employment and livelihood development for women (especially women heads of households) and people with disabilities (PWD).
Component 3: MoPIC and PA Capacity Building (US$10 million). Support will enable MoPIC to establish a staffed and equipped Project Management Unit (PMU, and will finance broader TA facility to the Palestinian Authority to support systemic reforms and institutional strengthening through technical assistance, capacity building, and policy development.
Component 4: Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) (US$0 million). This component will provide immediate support to an Eligible Crisis of Emergency, as needed. The CERC allows the PA to reallocate funds from other project components or serve as a conduit to process financing from other funding sources for eligible emergencies. Disbursement under this component will be subject to the declaration of emergency by the PA, the international community, or the United Nations (UN).
Overall project implementation will be overseen by the MoPIC. As the lead agency, MoPIC has an important coordination and monitoring role. It will help to resolve any technical or political bottlenecks which may arise across the whole project.
The MoPIC will be responsible for establishing a project steering committee. The committee will be chaired by MoPIC and include senior representatives of relevant ministries, including the MoL, MoA, MoLG. Implementing agencies MDLF and NDC will also be invited to attend and will have no policy-making role
The MDLF will have the responsibility for the delivery of project activities under component 1, Labor Intensive Infrastructure (US$40 million). NDC will have the responsibility of delivery of activities under component 2, Support to Women and the Disabled (US$10 million). MOPIC will have the responsibility for the delivery of all other Project components.
2. Component 2: Support to Women and the Disabled (US$10 million)
Women, particularly women heads of households and with disabilities, are especially vulnerable during conflict and post-conflict situations. Lessons from previous conflicts and shocks highlight the need to ensure that women, including more vulnerable women, have dedicated access to recovery support. This is critical to build both household and community level resilience. NGOs across the WB&G play a vital role in delivering social services and support to the development of the job market. The domestic NGO sector has sufficient capacity to deliver project activities and reach the most vulnerable members of society.
This component will support women and persons with disabilities who are not able to participate to labor intensive public works activities under Component 1. It will help beneficiaries to grow and sustain existing businesses, and where possible, also create new ones. Whether it be microbusinesses or those which are more well-established, women and persons with disabilities are active in a broad range of sectors in the West Bank as i) producers, such as agriculture (fruit and vegetable supply, eggs, olive oil, cheese making etc.), handicrafts (embroidery, woodworking etc.), ii) importers, iii) service providers, such as tailoring, food, cleaning, and iv) processors, such as beauty products and value addition in the agriculture sector, where many struggle with product certification.
The component aims to improve both business management practices and access to finance, through the following activities: i) development of business management skills and financial literacy (e.g. organization, negotiation, record keeping), ii) strengthening operational processes (e.g. marketing, legal and business registration, product certification), iii) mentoring and coaching. Access to finance is a major constraint to women-owned businesses; therefore, grant funding will be provided under the project to sustain and scale businesses and offered to grantees without any additional funding stipulations - performance-based grants - in the range of US$1,000 to $30,000 for individuals and up to US$60,000 for groups of women/cooperatives are anticipated. Such grants would be used to purchase i) inputs (e.g. equipment, materials, internet and energy costs etc.), and ii) marketing and business development (e.g. insurance, registration, certification costs).
Project Related Documents:
- Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF): To download, please Click Here
- Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP): To download, please Click Here
- Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP): To download, please Click Here