State of Palestine: Happy Bus and RapidPro Interventions
Launched: August 2024
By Razan Nammar
As a consequence of the political situation and the protracted protection crisis, children with developmental delays and disabilities in Palestine have to deal with considerable stigma and discrimination. Though the State of Palestine has put in place a range of strategies to support children with developmental delays and disabilities, different studies have found that these children continue to be severely marginalized in their communities. While in part this is a consequence of the political situation, there is also evidence that they and their parents/caregivers struggle with stigma and discrimination from those around them. This stigma can be a significant barrier to the ability of children with developmental delays and disabilities to access services and to gain fulfilment of their human rights.
Happy Bus: developmental disabilities assessment
Over the past three months, UNICEF reached 40 children and parents with potential developmental delays and disabilities in remote and hard-to-reach communities in the south area of the West Bank, with early detection and early intervention services. The Happy Bus was able to conduct weekly visits to remote communities and conduct assessment sessions on early child development, parent education sessions on positive parenting and child health, nutrition and development, among other recreational activities.
In total, 20 young children were assessed for developmental delays and provided with early intervention services or referred to the health clinics if any additional interventions were required. About 25 parents from remote areas of the West Bank were targeted in the parent education sessions and received information on early child health, nutrition and development.
People clapping hands and wearing COVID-19 masks
Woman and child playing with a small basketball
Woman and child looking at a coloured book
RapidPro training
Over the past three months, UNICEF supported the training of programme and IT professionals in the West Bank on the use of the RapidPro platform targeting families with children with disabilities. A total of 30 staff were trained over 16 days training on 2 courses.
The preparation to launch the RapidPro platform live is underway and preparations with the partners in the field are set. The platform will serve at least 3,000 vulnerable families with children with disabilities in its first stage and it is expected to scale this further to serve 10,000 families across the West bank and the Gaza Strip.