Palestinian Maintenance Fund Holds National Workshop to Strengthen Institutional Partnerships in Supporting Women’s Access to Justice and Legal Services

calendar_today2026-02-04

Wednesday, 4 February 2026 – As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen national partnerships and develop a more integrated protection system, the Palestinian Maintenance Fund, in partnership with the Nablus Governorate and with the support of the Sawasiya Joint Programme implemented through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organized a participatory national workshop entitled: “Exploring Avenues of Cooperation between the Palestinian Maintenance Fund and Partner Institutions to Enhance Women’s Access to Justice and Legal Services.” The workshop brought together more than fifty representatives from governmental and civil society institutions from across the country.

Participants included representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Labour, Social Development, Education, Jerusalem Affairs, Interior, Finance, and Transport and Communications, in addition to the Judicial Police, Sharia Courts, the General Union of Palestinian Women, the Land Authority, and the Nablus Governorate. The workshop also welcomed a number of civil society organizations, women’s rights organizations, and community-based associations, alongside other relevant stakeholders.

The workshop aimed to broaden the scope of coordination and partnership between the Palestinian Maintenance Fund and institutions working in the fields of justice, social protection, and psychosocial support. These efforts seek to strengthen institutional responses to maintenance-related cases and enhance the capacity of institutions to effectively respond to the needs of women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities who are entitled to maintenance.

Discussions focused on the current landscape of services available to entitled groups and the key barriers that hinder women’s access to their rights. Participants also reviewed the role and services of the Palestinian Maintenance Fund, particularly its legal aid programme, highlighting the importance of expanding awareness of these services and strengthening early referral mechanisms among partner institutions.

The workshop concluded with a strong emphasis on the need to enhance practical coordination among relevant stakeholders, develop clear and unified referral pathways, and intensify joint efforts to raise awareness about the Fund’s services. These measures aim to facilitate more equitable and effective access to legal and social services for women and the most vulnerable groups.

This workshop is part of the Palestinian Maintenance Fund’s broader vision to build an integrated protection system that reinforces family justice and promotes the principles of the rule of law through effective national partnerships that respond to the needs of maintenance-entitled groups across all governorates.