The joint UNDP, UN Women, and UNICEF Sawasya II programme ‘Promoting the Rule of Law in the State of Palestine, 2018-2023’- the UN's main initiative dedicated to advancing the rule of law, gender justice and human rights in Palestine – completed implementation in 2023. The third phase of Sawasya ‘Reinforcing Equal Access to Justice for All Palestinians, 2024-2028’ will commence in 2024. This new phase prioritizes improving service quality and responsiveness in institutions, fostering inclusivity and addressing resistance to change. To respond to the crisis in Gaza, UNDP’s programming will be adjusted to prioritize justice issues in the immediate early recovery, as well as for the longer term.
Sawasya II strengthened practice-focused legal education. Over 3,000 law students (including 1,670 women) were enrolled in clinical programmes and provided services to 972 vulnerable Palestinians (42 percent women). In parallel, Sawasya provided direct free legal consultation and representation services to 11,600 vulnerable Palestinians (75 percent women). court management system was further developed enabling access to court e-services for over 156,000 judges, lawyers, and litigants. To advance people-centred justice services, Mizan facilitated the digital transfer of alimony orders from the courts to the banks, allowing an automatic money transfer directly to a beneficiary’s account.
The Mizan II, an integrated digital court management system enabled access to court e-services for over 156,000 judges, lawyers and litigants. To advance people-centred justice services, Mizan facilitated the digital transfer of alimony orders from the courts to the banks, allowing an automatic money transfer directly to a beneficiary’s account.
UNDP’s support to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) enabled provision of direct legal aid services to 955 beneficiaries, including court representation in cases related to residency, family reunification and child registration. Almost 600 individuals in Gaza received assistance in cases where freedom of movement was in question. Over 40 percent of all the legal recipients were women. Furthermore, CSOs offered legal and psychological support to gender-based violence survivors and provided peer-to-peer support for 2,300 women.
In 2023, the Gaza war inflicted massive displacement, casualties and infrastructure damage with women and children bearing the brunt, constituting 70 percent of deaths and injuries. Nearly 85 percent of Gaza's population was displaced. The West Bank witnessed ongoing military operations and settler violence, resulting in numerous Palestinian fatalities. These crises severely undermined the rule of law, with documented grave crimes, including unlawful killings, lack of accountability and compromised judicial institutions.
This humanitarian crisis, combined with weakened institutional capacity and loss of institutional memory, poses significant challenges to accessing justice, security and human rights. Movement restrictions that Palestinians were facing in the West Bank, were hardened following the Gaza war. Unable to move freely, Palestinians experienced difficulties which severely affected their lives and livelihoods, including inability to commute to work. Consequently, lawyers, judges, clerks and litigants struggled to access courts and workplaces which led to case backlogs and significant delays in the judicial processes.
Despite the challenging context and various security and political risks, UNDP successfully continued its rule of law programming and delivered results. The joint UNDP, UN Women and UNICEF Sawasya II programme ‘Promoting the Rule of Law in the State of Palestine’ (2018 - 2023) was completed 1 , having served as the UN's main initiative dedicated to advancing the rule of law, gender justice and human rights in Palestine. Through complementary and integrated UN efforts, Sawasya II assisted the Palestinian government in establishing a more inclusive and effective rule of law system. Across different areas of the West Bank and Gaza, the programme worked with CSOs and key government bodies 2 to improve justice and security service delivery, promote human rights and address gender disparities within the Palestinian legal framework.
ACCESS TO JUSTICE THROUGH LEGAL AID SERVICES
The Sawasya programme has significantly enhanced access to justice for Palestinians through various initiatives, including legal aid services and awareness campaigns held in cooperation with CSOs and judicial institutions.
Signifying a pivotal advancement in enhancing legal support mechanisms, a ministerial committee was established in August 2023, mandated to draft a law on legal aid, design a comprehensive legal aid system and prepare for its implementation.
In line with the community-based approach, the Sawasya II implemented practice-focused legal education. Over 3,000 students, including 1,670 women, were enrolled in clinical programmes offering services to 972 vulnerable Palestinians (42 percent women). Furthermore, financial support was extended to 68 law students (57 percent women) in Gaza to help them complete their studies and obtain a law degree.
In parallel with these institutionalization efforts, Sawasya II provided direct free legal consultation and representation services to 11,600 vulnerable Palestinians. Most of the beneficiaries (more than 75 percent) were women and girls as they face heightened vulnerabilities due to socio-economic disparities, gender discrimination and limited access to resources. In addition, more than 27,000 individuals (almost 70 percent women) benefited from legal awareness sessions.
Finally, the inception of the Feminist Legal Hub initiative brought together Shari’a lawyers trained by Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC 3 ) under the joint programme, facilitating feminist discourse and knowledge exchange on recent legal developments, including circulars of the Supreme Sharia Judicial Council, the rights of minors and custody rights. These discussions enriched participants’ comprehension of critical legal matters and promoted dialogue.
DIGITAL JUSTICE
Digital transition of the justice system continued to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and help resolve family disputes more quickly and effectively. The digital case management system Mizan II 4 was further developed enabling access to court e-services for over 156,000 judges, lawyers, and litigants. In 2023, the Mizan database was expanded. Over 120,000 marriage, divorce and inheritance certificates were digitized, integrated into the civil record registry and linked to the databases of relevant ministries. Additionally, 50,000 documents were archived for the enforcement unit within the Supreme Judge Department.