Spain steps up for disabled women and children in the West Bank

Spain has contributed nearly €1 million to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to expand protection, rehabilitation, and healthcare services for women and children with disabilities in the occupied West Bank, according to a press release published by the agency. The funding comes at a critical time, as ongoing violence, displacement, and movement restrictions have sharply limited access to essential services for some of the most vulnerable people in the territory. The contribution aims to close dangerous gaps in care and protection for those who need it most.

The occupied West Bank has faced mounting humanitarian pressure, with communities already strained by years of conflict and restricted movement now confronting intensified crises. For women and children living with disabilities, these conditions have translated into higher exposure to gender-based violence and severely reduced access to health and rehabilitation services.

Spain’s funding will allow UNRWA to deliver targeted assistance, including cash support, medical care, assistive devices, and rehabilitation services. Roland Friedrich, UNRWA’s Director of Affairs in the occupied West Bank, noted that the contribution “will allow UNRWA to reach the individuals most at risk with specialised services, helping women and children access care in dignity when they need it most.” Mobile service units will also be deployed to reach people in areas where infrastructure damage or movement restrictions make fixed facilities inaccessible.

Local community organizations will benefit too, receiving training on safeguarding, inclusive emergency response, and risk-mapping. Technical support will flow to community-based rehabilitation centers, strengthening the broader network of care beyond UNRWA’s direct services.

Spain’s Minister of Social Rights Pablo Bustinduy described the contribution as a reflection of the country’s ongoing partnership with UNRWA and its commitment to Palestinian refugee women and children with disabilities. As a longstanding UNRWA partner, Spain’s latest pledge reinforces a practical, people-centered approach to humanitarian assistance in one of the region’s most complex emergencies.