The Issue
According to OCHA’s 2025 Occupied Palestinian Territory Flash Appeal and a rapid needs assessment by DCA/NCA’s local partner in Palestine, the Gaza Strip faces critical protection challenges, particularly for newborns, women, and ex-detainees, due to gaps in civil documentation, legal barriers, and the lack of specialised services.
The 2024 war, widespread destruction, and displacement have worsened the humanitarian situation, leaving thousands without essential legal documents, which prevents access to healthcare, education, and humanitarian aid.
An estimated 15,000 newborns remain unregistered, with many born outside medical facilities. Women and survivors of gender-based violence face difficulties obtaining marriage, divorce, and guardianship documents, limiting their ability to claim assets or seek legal protection. Additionally, high Sharia Court fees and bureaucratic barriers further exacerbate their vulnerabilities.
Ex-detainees also struggle to reinstate lost identity documents, affecting their reintegration and access to aid. Both women and ex-detainees experience severe psychosocial distress, compounded by limited awareness of available mental health and psychosocial support services.
Unaccompanied and separated children are at heightened risk due to the absence of guardianship documents. Previous DCA/NCA-supported interventions helped over 2,300 individuals, highlighting the ongoing urgent need for comprehensive protection services to remove legal and institutional barriers for the most vulnerable.
The Project
To address the urgent protection needs, DCA/NCA Palestine and it’s local partner are implementing a comprehensive intervention that strengthens the link between gender-based violence protection services and civil documentation. The project will provide targeted legal assistance to women and ex-detainees, focusing on securing essential civil documents such as birth certificates, marriage and divorce records, and identity papers.
It will also deliver awareness sessions for displaced communities, covering protection topics, legal rights, gender-based violence, child protection, and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
Additionally, the intervention will facilitate mental health and psychosocial support services and specialised referral pathways, particularly for survivors of gender-based violence and ex-detainees. These efforts will help vulnerable individuals overcome legal and institutional barriers, ensuring they can access humanitarian aid, claim their rights, and receive appropriate protection services.
By leveraging legal expertise and strong local networks through DCA/NCA’s local partner, while ensuring coordination and compliance with humanitarian standards through DCA/NCA’s technical support, the project aims to deliver high-quality, sustainable protection services.
The Change
The project aims to ensure not only immediate relief but also long-term empowerment, enabling affected individuals to reclaim their rights and rebuild their lives with dignity.
The project will ensure improved access to civil documentation for women, survivors of gender-based violence, and former detainees. By helping them obtain essential legal documents – such as birth certificates, marriage or divorce records, and ID cards – they will be better able to access critical services, including healthcare, education, humanitarian aid, and legal protection. This support will strengthen their ability to reclaim their rights and rebuild their lives with dignity and security.
Expected Results
- Increased community awareness: Displaced communities will gain knowledge of their rights, protection mechanisms, and available services through targeted awareness sessions.
- Enhanced psychosocial well-being: Survivors of gender-based violence and ex-detainees will receive mental health and psychosocial support services and referrals, addressing severe distress and promoting reintegration.
- Strengthened legal and protection pathways: A structured referral system will link civil documentation services with gender-based violence protection services, ensuring comprehensive support.
- Expanded reach and impact: At least 2,500 individuals are expected to benefit from legal aid, awareness-raising sessions, and mental health and psychosocial support services services.
- Improved coordination and service quality: DCA/NCA in colaboration with its local partner will ensure strong coordination with humanitarian actors, adherence to protection standards, and quality assurance.
About the Project
Full title: Specialised Protection Response in the Gaza Strip
Timeline: 28 March 2025 – 27 September 2025
Amount of funding: 250,000 USD
DCA Goal: Saving Lives
Expected number of people ro be reached: 1050
Donor: OCHA
