Safe transition: equipping Palestinian adolescents to be safe, healthy, and equal on the road to adulthood.

East Jerusalem, 29 May 2023

Consul General of Italy in Jerusalem H.E. Mr. Giuseppe Fedele, Mr. Guglielmo Giordano Head of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and Mr. Dominic Allen Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) signed today an agreement to launch the new project “safe transition: equipping Palestinian adolescents to be safe, healthy and equal on the road to adulthood”.

With a total budget of 600,000.00 EUR provided by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation the project will contribute to promoting gender equality, stronger family relations and prevention of gender-based violence and child marriage. The project will operate over a period of three years with interventions in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The objective of the project is to engage on attitudes and norms relating to gender equality, gender-based violence and healthy lives, using UNFPA’s holistic approach where adolescent boys and girls in Palestine display more gender-equitable attitudes and behaviors.

“The Italian Government has a longstanding record in supporting Palestinian population, especially young Palestinians in the field of healthcare and gender related issues. Through this grant, Italy will continue to promote social development by ensuring them, especially the most vulnerable ones as young women and girls, a healthier life free from restrictive cultural norms, social stigmas, and other barriers.” said Consul General of Italy Giuseppe Fedele.

Guglielmo Giordano, Head of AICS Jerusalem highlighted “Italy is a gender lead donor in Palestine and it is important to invest in young people and focus on their reproductive and social behavior in order to protect them from the risks that may result from lack of knowledge and information and how this will contribute to the complete participation to the development of Palestine”. 

Thanking Italy for funding this project, Mr. Dominic Allen, the UNFPA Representative in Palestine, said: “We are sincerely grateful to the Italian people, the Italian Government and our Italian partners at AICS and the Consulate-General for their leadership and support for Palestinian health and gender issues – and we’re excited to begin implementing this new project to positively engage thousands of young and adolescent Palestinians, to support them having healthier and more gender-equal lives - all for a stronger Palestine.”

For more information:

Albert Saleh
albert.saleh@aics.gov.it
+970 597 804 676