Humanitarian response impeded by underfunding

Only 20% of requested funding received during the first quarter of 2016

The Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) is part of the 2016 Global Humanitarian Overview, which is requesting a record US$20.1 billion to fund humanitarian operations around the world this year. The oPt HRP was launched locally in February and plans to support one in three Palestinians with some form of humanitarian assistance in 2016. It includes 206 projects worth $571 million, 19 per cent less than the sum requested in 2015. Seventy-nine organizations are participating: 12 UN agencies, 36 international NGOs and 31 national NGOs. Approximately one third of funds requested are designated as “top priority” to help guide where limited resources should be allocated first. Although the oPt HRP shares many of the features of other operations around the world, the context of the oPt is unique - a protracted protection crisis that stems from the impact of a military occupation approaching its 50th anniversary. Gender has been mainstreamed throughout all HRP objectives and all cluster strategies to ensure the protection of all members of the affected population and to guarantee effective and equitable delivery of humanitarian assistance.

By the end of March, the 2016 HRP was 20.5 per cent funded compared to 36 per cent in the equivalent period in 2015. Only 11 per cent of the funds requested for “top priority” projects have been received while “other priority” projects have 19 per cent funding coverage, even though the requested amount for the projects in the first category are is significantly lower than for the second.

Funding for the respective clusters has been relatively consistent. The Food Security Sector has received the most funds in absolute terms ($58 million); however, $264.5 million is still needed to implement partner activities in this sector for the rest of the year. Health and Nutrition remains significantly underfunded, having received just $2.1 million, 8 per cent of the funding requested, which has impeded the Cluster’s ability to implement some of its key activities. Gaza projects have received more funding than projects targeting the West Bank ($53.4 million vs. $30.2 million). Around 87 per cent of funds received have gone to UN agencies, with INGOs and NGOs remaining considerably underfunded.