The Habitat Country Programme Document (2023 - 2026) is launched at a critical time for the Government of Palestine and its people. Palestine is one of the most complex and challenging environments in which the United Nations operates in realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, meeting the humanitarian needs, and supporting peace building. The Habitat Country Programme Document (2023 - 2026) is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Cooperation framework (2023 - 2025) signed off with the Government of Palestine in December 2022.
In Palestine, urbanization exceeds the global average given the particularity of its complex geopolitical situation, standing at 77 per cent (71 percent in the West Bank and 87 percent in Gaza Strip) with an additional 8 per cent of the population living in refugee camps, which are characterized by high levels of informality and considered of urban nature, thus making the de facto urban population in Palestine about 85 per cent, with the remaining 15 per cent living in rural settings. With a 2.8 per cent urban population growth rate in 2021, Palestine is classified among the top 25 per cent of urbanizing countries.
UN-Habitat activities in Palestine over the past two decades have proven to be relevant in meeting the needs and aspirations of the people of Palestine. UN-Habitat will continue to provide technical support in the priority areas of spatial planning, including public spaces, land management and administration, housing rehabilitation, along with other emergent priority areas, such as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will focus on fit-for-purpose interventions based on multidimensional risk analysis to develop systems-based “out-of-fragility” strategies that are context-specific, gender- and conflict-sensitive with the aim of supporting economic development with a livelihood component and delivery of social infrastructure based on community priorities.
This will be done by deploying methodologies which ensure that core government functions are strengthened, and that local governance is responsive, inclusive, and resilient in the delivery of at-scale area- and community-based development programmes that builds on humanitarian programmes, while considering peace building interventions.
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