The Palestinians residing in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), especially in the Gaza Strip, are facing unprecedented challenges never seen before as a result of the ongoing war that began in October 2023. Additionally, the new Palestinian government is tasked with improving the socio-economic conditions of Palestinians throughout the oPt, while at the same time facing numerous obstacles that significantly hinder their ability to provide services to most Palestinians, including the most vulnerable.
Since the outbreak of the war, a steady stream of Palestinians living in the diaspora, as well as individuals of various nationalities and faiths around the world, have shown an interest in coming to Palestine and support Gaza’s humanitarian, recovery, and reconstruction needs. In Parallel, they have offered their professional skills to support the Palestinian government and broader Palestinian community. In response, UNDP in cooperation with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation has taken the initiative to create this platform to harness the outpouring of global solidarity.
The platform, Global Volunteers for Supporting Palestine - Be a Part for Rebuilding Gaza, is part of the Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) project, implemented by UNDP/PAPP. It deploys ‘highly qualified’ professionals - of all genders- from the diaspora to serve as short-term volunteers in various Palestinian public and private institutions, including academia and civil society. This initiative illustrates how a skilled qualified and professional expatriate workforce can address knowledge and capacity gaps, contributing significantly to sectoral interventions – in areas such as education, health, and information technology, while also fostering a sense of national unity and connection.
Through the TOKTEN+ platform, friends of Palestine from across the world who are willing to volunteer their unique expertise and skills to Palestine are also very welcome.