Rural Development Project in the Jordan Valley - Area C

Zone C is an occupied territory, representing 60% of the area of the West Bank and placed under the civil and military control of Israel, after the Accords of Oslo. It is a contrasting rural space characterized by the underdevelopment of the Palestinian communities and the presence of relatively modern Jewish settlements.

This project targets 6 communities in the West Bank and a population of about 10,000 people in a situation of high social vulnerability (very low access to basic infrastructure and services) and economic (limited access to the means of production ). The lives of these communities are also disrupted by the tensions and violence associated with occupation and colonization, with consequences for the psychosocial status of individuals. The balance between men and women is particularly disadvantageous in a patriarchal cultural context, exacerbated by stress and violence, which is reflected in their low participation in decision-making, low access to employment and an exacerbated prevalence of domestic violence.

This project is part of the strategy of the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) to support the development of the communities in Zone C. It will seek to improve the resilience of the targeted populations, caused by the uncertainties and the clashes generated by the occupation and the colonization. It will also seek to strengthen the capacity of local levels of territorial governance, levels of the villages and inter-villages (Village Councils and Joint Services Councils), in order to contribute in the legitimization of these actors. The specific objectives are:

• To improve the capacity of communities to identify and respond to their own needs ;
• To improve access to basic services, social and economic development;
• To strengthen MoLG in its capacity to support communities in Area C.
• This assistance is strongly coordinnated with the EU framework of intervention in Area C.

• Sociability and reduction in social imbalances
• Economic development
• Gender equality
• Project sustainability and governance framework