Core area “Peaceful and inclusive societies with a focus on building the capacity of local authorities and supporting civil society” More public participation and better public services

    Effective and responsive government institutions, good governance and a vibrant civil society are crucial for securing the needs-oriented provision of basic services for the people even in crisis situations. They are also important for fostering social cohesion and peaceful conflict management, and maintaining stability.

    Training situation in the GIZ "Train the Trainer" project

    Training situation in the GIZ “Train the Trainer” project

    Even though the system in the Palestinian territories is essentially rooted in democracy, there are significant legitimacy deficits. While local elections were held in 2021 and considered to have been largely free and fair, the most recent parliamentary and presidential elections were held as long ago as in 2006. Moreover, in addition to the conflict with Israel, there are the continuing divisions within the Palestinian territories – between the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the latter having ruled since 2007 but not enjoying international recognition. New elections had been scheduled for 2021 but were then cancelled at short notice.

    In this difficult context, Germany wants to help through its development cooperation to ensure that the people can participate in the political process and that public services meet their needs.

    Cooperation with municipalities

    Local authorities are particularly important partners. The cooperation programme is intended to enable them to improve their service delivery. Support is provided, for example, for the establishment of transparent public financial management and the introduction of e-governance programmes. Germany also provides funding for the development of municipal infrastructure through the Palestinian Municipal Development and Lending Fund (MDLF). Germany is the largest contributor to the Fund.

    Examples of relevant activities include the use of new dialogue formats in the field of citizen journalism, which are used to strengthen the exchange between local authorities and the people. Support is also being provided to partnerships between German and Palestinian municipalities.

    Cooperation with civil society

    Supporting a moderate civil society that is willing to engage in dialogue is an important contribution towards statebuilding, building political will through a democratic process, dialogue within society, and capacity for peace. Even if civil society players will not be able to resolve the fundamental conflicts, they do work for compliance with universal human rights and liberties, trauma healing, and the strengthening of dialogue and non-violence. In this way, they are helping to ensure that a peaceful solution remains possible. However, the scope for action available to civil society in the Palestinian territories is being restricted from several sides – both by Israel and by the Palestinian Authority. In the Gaza Strip, the rule of Hamas means considerable restrictions on civic space.

    In this context, Germany's development cooperation provides special support for the social participation of disadvantaged groups such as persons with disabilities, and the participation of women and impoverished population groups. Civil society stakeholders are key to making the interests of marginalised and underrepresented groups heard in political reform processes. Important players in this field of cooperation are the German political foundations, church development agencies, and the Civil Peace Service.