West Bank Protection Consortium - Resilience Program West Bank Protection Consortium - Resilience Program The West Bank Protection Consortium was established in 2015 and is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and 10 bilateral donors, including Sweden. Furthermore, the Consortium brings together five international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) as the lead agency and administrative host of WBPC.

The WBPC addresses the protection and development needs of persons and communities through activities aimed at reducing vulnerabilities, building capacities and responding to threats. The Consortium program is structured into three result areas: (1) Emergency Relief; (2) Resilience Building (Community-Based Protection; Basic and Social Infrastructure; Legal Aid); and (3) Advocacy. The proposed contribution will provide funding to expand programming under WBPC result area (2) Resilience Building and (3) Advocacy. 

The objective of the proposed program is to address the fundamental resilience needs of vulnerable Palestinian persons and communities subjected to recurrent rights violations related to policies of forcible transfer through a protection-centered resilience program. The work will focus on community-based protection, basic and social infrastructure, livelihoods and advocacy. In order to ensure development effectiveness and alignment with overall WBPC programming and strategic planning, the program will be fully aligned with result area 2 and 3. Work plans and budgets are subject to Sida’s approval. 

It is further proposed that the contribution also includes earmarked funding for the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA). AIDA supports coordination between its 80 INGO members and the wider humanitarian-development-peace structures in Palestine to facilitate NGOs’ safe, effective and impactful delivery of assistance and protection for Palestinians and their communities. AIDA will also engage proactively with emerging coordination mechanisms and policy development, including on the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. 
The geographical focus of the contribution will be Area C, Hebron and East Jerusalem. 

A three-year contribution, covering the period 2021-2023, and amounting to a total of SEK 39 million, is proposed. NRC, as the administrative host and lead agency of the WBPC, will be Sida’s agreement partner. West Bank Protection Consortium (WBPC) grundades 2015 och finansieras av European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) och 10 bilaterala givare, inklusive Sverige. Dessutom samlar konsortiet fem internationella icke-statliga organisationer (INGO): norska flyktingrådet (NRC), Action Against Hunger (AAH), ACTED, WW-GVC och Première Urgence Internationale (PUI). WBPC är administrativt inhyst i NRC. 

WBPC arbetar med skydd och utvecklingsbehov hos personer och samhällen genom aktiviteter som syftar till att minska sårbarheter, bygga upp kapacitet och bemöta hot.  WBPC-programmet är uppbyggt i tre resultatområden: (1) humanitärt bistånd; (2) byggande av motståndskraft; och (3) påverkansarbete. Den föreslagna insatsen avser bidra med finansiering för att utvidga verksamheten inom resultatområdet (2) byggande av motståndskraft; och (3) påverkansarbete. 

Målet med den föreslagna insatsen är att förstärka motståndskraften hos sårbara palestinier och palestinska samhällen som utsätts för återkommande rättsliga övergrepp relaterade till tvångsförflyttningar. Arbetet kommer att fokusera på samhällsbaserat skydd, grundläggande- och social infrastruktur, försörjningsmöjligheter och påverkansarbete. För att säkerställa utvecklingseffektivitet och anpassning till övergripande WBPC-programmering och strategisk planering kommer programmet att vara helt anpassat till resultatområde 2 och 3. Arbetsplaner och budgetar ska godkännas av Sida.

Det föreslås vidare att bidraget även omfattar öronmärkta medel till Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA). AIDA stöder samordning mellan sina 80 INGO-medlemmar och de bredare strukturerna för humanitär utveckling-fred i Palestina för att underlätta icke-statliga organisationers säkra och effektiva stöd till skydd för palestinier och deras samhällen. AIDA kommer också att vara verksamt i utvecklingen av samordningsmekanismer och policyutveckling inom det s.k. trippel-nexus (kopplingar mellan humanitärt bistånd, långsiktigt utvecklingssamarbete och fredsbyggande) 

Insatsens geografiska fokus kommer att vara område C, H2 i Hebron och östra Jerusalem. Ett treårigt bidrag för perioden 2021–2023 om totalt 39 miljoner kronor föreslås. NRC kommer att vara Sidas avtalspartner. The purpose of the program is to strengthen vulnerable communities' and populations' resilience in order to prevent the forcible transfer of Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, through the provision of multisector support and evidence-based advocacy. The coercive environment that affects the safety and well-being of the most vulnerable Palestinian households manifests itself through the demolition of homes and properties, confiscation of lands and assets, the lack of basic services and job opportunities, the threat of Israeli forces and settlers’ attacks, among other elements. In order to respond to these threats, the WBPC:
* provides emergency response to Palestinian communities to mitigate the impact of demolition or settler violence incidents;
* strengthens the resilience of communities to enhance their capacity to live dignified lives despite the occupation; and,
* advocates towards duty bearers and third party to increase respect for international law and accountability for violations.
The above approach is structured in three result areas, as explained in chapter 1 of this appraisal, “Introduction and Agreement Structure”.
The WBPC has developed its program based on the following assumptions that are informed by assessments, studies, and evaluations of its action:
If households targeted by demolition or settler violence receive adequate and timely assistance, they remain in their home or area or residency because they have the means to bounce back and an increased feeling of protection.
If vulnerable communities have access to adequate services, legal assistance and income generating activities, they are able to remain on their lands and prosper because they have the means to develop and greater hope for the future.
If the Consortium appeals to the Palestinian authorities and third parties for them to fulfill their obligations to protect the Palestinian population, the Palestinian people will live in greater safety and dignity because Israeli authorities will stop, suspend or reduce the acts of violence against the occupied population.
These assumptions will be further refined and spelled out based on the outcomes of a nexus research and a series of strategic and technical workshops that will take place during the first year of the program, 2021.
The program’s theory of change is based on a needs analysis and a corresponding response analysis. The outcome objective of the proposed program is to address the fundamental resilience needs of vulnerable Palestinian persons and communities subjected to recurrent rights violations related to policies of forcible transfer through a protection-centred resilience program.
To achieve the outcome objective, the program is structured into four outputs, which also form the four major workstreams under which activities are grouped:
* Community Protection
* Resilience Building - Material Assistance
* Resilience Building- Livelihoods
* Advocacy
In addition, the AIDA component has two objectives:
* AIDA advances the humanitarian, development and human rights objectives of the NGO community in Palestine in support of the full realisation of human rights for Palestinians.
* AIDA members are effectively informed, supported, engaged, and represented in key external coordination systems; work strategically as a collective; and have access to relevant capacity development opportunities.
The program will further be informed, and possibly adjusted, based on the outcomes and recommendations of a nexus research to be completed during the first quarter of 2021.