Press Release - European Commission
and Ministry of Social Affairs - Palestinian Authority
Jerusalem/Ramallah
PR/35/2009
The Palestinian Authority and the European
Union will launch the payment of social allowances on Saturday 12 September,
to over 50,500 vulnerable Palestinian families across the occupied Palestinian
territory (oPt). These allowances, which are paid every three months, are
targeted towards families in need. The payments are made over-the-counter
in bank branches throughout the West Bank and Gaza. The banks will open
exceptionally on Saturday 12 September, to allow as many beneficiaries
as possible to receive their allowance ahead of the feast of Eid Al-Fitr,
which marks the end of Ramadan. Funds for the payment have been provided
by the European Commission, with a contribution from the Government of
Italy.
The assistance takes the form of an allowance of NIS 1,000 (around €200) per household and will reach 50,531 families. More than half of the beneficiary families live in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Minister for Social Affairs, Ms Majeda al Masri, said today of the programme: "The payment of social allowances through PEGASE, funded by the European Commission and the Government of Italy, provides essential and significant support to the Palestinian Authority and the Ministry of Social Affairs in implementing its programmes designed to fight poverty and alleviate its consequences, in the framework of the strategy of the Ministry to implement a program of social protection and provide a social safety net.
These allowances target the poorest and most vulnerable segments of society, who are facing growing economic hardships, especially in the Gaza Strip. This allowance also has real significance from a social and human perspective, as it is distributed during the holy month of Ramadan to allow poor and vulnerable Palestinian families to meet their needs and maintain their dignity during this period.
The Ministry of Social Affairs highly appreciates the role of the European Union, the Italian Government and the team of PEGASE for their continuous efforts in supporting this programme and understanding the needs and aspirations of the Palestinian people during this period of Ramadan and upcoming festivities. We hope that we can continue to build on this successful partnership. "
Mr Christian Berger, the European Commission Representative, added: "Our support to the social allowances scheme underlines our commitment to work closely with the Palestinian Authority to ensure that those Palestinian families who are facing daily economic difficulties are not forgotten. It is part of our overall plan to help further strengthen the institutions of the Palestinian state - one that can provide services and support to all its citizens, including those facing real economic or social hardship."
Beneficiary families can collect their payments in 44 designated branches of the Bank of Palestine and the Cairo Amman Bank, from Saturday 12 September until 15 October 2009 included.
All beneficiaries of the programme are identified in cooperation with the Ministries of Finance and Social Affairs, through the Palestinian Authority's cash support "Social Hardship Cases" programme, designed to help the most vulnerable Palestinians.
Just under €9.3 million were disbursed through the European Union's PEGASE mechanism, to the Palestinian Authority, for this payment of social allowances. Of that amount, the European Commission has contributed just under €9.1 million (just under 50 million NIS) and the Government of Italy just under €0.2 million (over 1 million NIS). This is the seventh payment of social allowances under the European Union's PEGASE mechanism, bringing the total amount contributed so far to this programme to €65.2 million.
PEGASE is the main financing mechanism of the European Union, the largest donor to the Palestinians. PEGASE programmes are designed to meet priority needs as identified by the Palestinian Authority in the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan.
Contact:
Alix de Mauny, Press and Information, European Commission, 054 802 4915
Khaled Al Barghouthi, Deputy General Director to Combat Poverty, Ministry of Social Affairs, 0599328586