Almost 30% of the population across the Palestinian Territories live below the national poverty line. Amongst a population of around 4.6 million people, hundreds of thousands of families are struggling with economic hardship. Unemployment levels have reached more than 27%, leaving the area with the highest rate of unemployment worldwide.
In addition, water and electricity shortages across Gaza are putting livelihoods, as well as the health of local communities, at risk. A lack of safe water can be especially deadly for children. In Gaza, due to power shortages, inadequate sewage systems and high levels of salt in the water, 97% of the water is unfit for domestic purposes, posing a huge health risk.
For people across the Palestinian Territories, life is incredibly challenging:
- Over 2.2 million registered refugees live in Gaza and the West Bank (UNRWA, 2019)
- Around half the population across the Palestinian Territories are in need of humanitarian aid (UNICEF, 2018)
- Over 1 million people in Gaza are at risk of contracting water-borne diseases (WHO, 2018)
- At 54%, Gaza has the highest unemployment rate in the world (World Bank, 2018)
Islamic Relief in the Palestinian Territories
Islamic Relief has been providing humanitarian relief in Palestine since 1994 and have always been on the ground, responding to frequent emergencies with emergency relief. Non-emergency work has included food distribution, medical relief and orphan sponsorship. Islamic Relief has also established educational enhancement centres, care programs for traumatized children and a school for the deaf.
We are providing both emergency support and more long-term projects to help improve people’s livelihoods. Our priority is to help vulnerable families to lift themselves out of poverty and to live as dignified a life as possible. We have a special focus on children and young people, helping to improve their education and employment prospects, as well as their psychological well-being.
