WHO-EM/PME/008/E Country cooperation strategy for WHO and the Occupied Palestinian Territory 2017–2020 Occupied Palestinian Territory WHO-EM/PME/008/E Country Cooperation Strategy for WHO and the Occupied Palestinian Territory 2017–2020 Occupied Palestinian Territory WHO Library Cataloguing in Publication Data World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Country cooperation strategy for WHO and occupied Palestinian territory 2017 – 2020: Palestine / World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean p. WHO-EM/PME/008/E 1. Health Planning - Palestine 2. Strategic Planning 3. Health Policy 4. National Health Programs - Palestine 5. International Cooperation 6. Health Priorities I. Title II. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (NLM Classification: WA 540) __________________________________ © World Health Organization 2017 Some rights reserved. 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However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use. WHO-EM/PME/008/E Contents 1. Introduction 5 2. Main health achievements and challenges 8 2.1 Context 8 2.2 Development framework 10 2.3 Health status 12 2.4 The health system 15 2.5 Development cooperation 19 3. Review of WHO’s previous Country Cooperation Strategy cycle, 2009–2013 23 3.1 Evaluation and assessment 23 3.2 Main findings from the consultation 26 3.3 Review conclusions and recommendations 27 3.4 WHO programmatic achievements and challenges, 2009–2013 and beyond 27 4. The strategic agenda for WHO country cooperation 36 4.1 Strategic priorities and focus areas 36 4.2 Strategic priority 1: Contribute to strengthening and building resilience of the Palestinian national health system and enhance Ministry of Health leadership to progress towards universal health coverage 37 4.3 Strategic priority 2: Strengthen the country’s core capacities for International Health Regulations and the capacities of the Ministry of Health, its partners and the communities in health emergency and disaster risk management, and to support humanitarian health response capacities 39 4.4 Strategic priority 3: Strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health and its partners to prevent, manage and control noncommunicable diseases, including mental health disorders, and to reduce risk factors for violence and injuries 40 4.5 Strategic priority 4: Strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health and health partners to advocate with all legal duty-bearers to protect the right to health of the population under occupation, reduce access barriers to health services, and improve the social determinants of health 42 5. Implementing the Strategic Agenda: implications for the Secretariat 44 6. Evaluation of the Country Cooperation Strategy 46 3 1. Introduction The Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) is WHO’s medium-term strategic vision to guide its work in support of a country’s national health policies, strategies and plans and to support a country’s development efforts within the Sustainable Development Agenda.1 The CCS forms the basis for the formulation of WHO’s biennial country work plans with the Ministry of Health, and functions as a tool for harmonizing cooperation with partner United Nations (UN) organizations. The health of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory has been uniquely affected by occupation by Israel, which has been ongoing since 1967. Health concerns relate not only to the direct effects of conflict and military action but also to the impact of the occupation on human security, well-being and the wider determinants of health. Periodic escalations of violence especially affect the Gaza Strip, and geographical fragmentation and restrictive policies further compound public health risks and constrain opportunities for development. In addition to the health consequences of the occupation and frequent bouts of violence, the Palestinian people face the challenge of a rising burden of noncommunicable diseases, similar to neighbouring countries. This current CCS, covering 2017–2020, shares similarities and maintains continuity with the previous strategic agenda developed for 2009–2013. The gap between the two strategic cycles results from the urgent response to the severe humanitarian needs caused by the Gaza conflict in 2014 and the decision to harmonize the new strategy and planning cycle with those of the government and the UN. The latest WHO guidance for developing the CCS, issued in 2014, emphasizes the need for a more inclusive process at country level to ensure co-ownership by the government and the WHO Secretariat. This document focuses on strategic priorities that link to related WHO and UN strategies and planning processes (WHO biennial plans, Common Country Assessment, UN Development Assistance Framework) and align with the WHO Twelfth General Programme of Work and the regional strategic plans. The CCS also aligns with national planning strategies for Palestine, including the National Policy Agenda and the National Health Sector Strategy for 2017–2022. Since the previous CCS in 2009, the global policy debate on development and humanitarian aid has evolved from the recognition that the Millennium Development Goals did not sufficiently target the poorest and those living in fragile, conflict-torn states. Key global initiatives and events have marked progress in building on the experience of the Millennium Development Goals, such as the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan in 2011, the agreement on Sustainable Development Goals in New York in 2015 and the first World Humanitarian Summit 1 Guide for the formulation of the WHO Country Cooperation Strategy. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014 (http://www.who.int/country-cooperation/publications/ccs-formulation-guide-2014/en/, accessed 4 September 2017). 5 Country Cooperation Strategy for WHO and the occupied Palestinian territory, 2017–2020 in Istanbul in 2016. One common denominator of these initiatives has been consensus on the need for equity and for focusing aid on vulnerable, fragile countries that present a higher risk of instability and insecurity at national, regional and global levels. Within countries, there is equally a need to focus on the most disadvantaged groups, as underlined by the UN Secretary- General’s call to “leave no one behind”.2 Since 2010, most development agencies, including WHO, have been negatively affected by the global financial crisis. With fewer financial resources available, WHO’s leadership and its Member States agreed that the agency must improve its performance and efficiency in order to be responsive to challenges