PNGO Workshop Highlights the Needs and Challenges of Youth Organisations in Gaza

As part of efforts to strengthen the role of Palestinian youth and youth-led organisations in responding to community needs, the Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) organised a workshop under the Youth Lead project to present the findings of a survey examining the situation of youth organisations operating in Gaza. The study also assessed the needs of youth-led and youth-responsive civil society organisations, identifying the challenges they face and opportunities to strengthen their capacities and long-term sustainability.

During the workshop, Dr. Rajab Al-Sarraj, who led the design and preparation of the study, presented its objectives, methodology and key findings. He outlined the current situation of youth organisations in Gaza, the challenges affecting their ability to sustain their activities and respond to young people's needs, and opportunities to strengthen their institutional capacities.

The findings revealed significant gaps in the organisational and institutional capacities of the surveyed organisations, particularly in governance and the technical and administrative skills of their staff. The study highlighted the need for targeted capacity-building programmes that address these gaps, improve organisational performance and support the long-term sustainability of youth organisations.

The study also emphasised the importance of localisation, particularly in enabling local and youth-led organisations to take a greater role in designing and implementing interventions and identifying community priorities. Strengthening their involvement would create more opportunities for young people to help shape and lead humanitarian responses, rather than limiting their role to delivering activities and programmes.

The workshop brought together representatives of organisations that had participated in the study for an interactive discussion of its findings and recommendations. Participants explored ways to address the identified needs, strengthen organisational capacities and expand opportunities for youth-led organisations to contribute to humanitarian and community-based initiatives.

The recommendations highlighted the need for greater investment in institutional governance and capacity building, stronger partnerships with youth-led organisations, and improved coordination and networking among relevant stakeholders. These measures are intended to help youth organisations sustain their work, strengthen their influence and play a more active role in recovery efforts and in addressing the needs of communities across Gaza.