Every year AICS allocates humanitarian funds, through calls for proposals open to Civil Society Organizations, for projects targeting the most vulnerable communities in East Jerusalem, Area C of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including those at risk of displacement and forcible transfer. In particular, AICS Humanitarian Programmes focus on the Protection of refugees and IDPs with an integrated approach, combining the provision of essential services with community empowerment and risk mitigation measures.
With an overall contribution of 1.3 million euro since 2014, AICS also participates in the oPt Humanitarian Fund managed by UN|OCHA to respond to unforeseen emergencies as well as to provide funding for high priority humanitarian projects. Moreover, since 2014 Italy has contributed over US$ 650,000 to UNMAS (United Nations Mine Action Service) as part of a multi-donor action in Gaza. This has allowed for the continued implementation of a comprehensive ERW risk mitigation process.
Italy also supports the humanitarian activities of the West Bank Protection Consortium, established in January 2015 to prevent the forcible transfer of Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Together with the European Union (DG-ECHO) and eight Member States (Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and the UK), Italy pooled resources into this basket fund in order to upscale the humanitarian assistance to at risk communities and individuals. The Consortium is comprised of five International NGO members who collectively implement an integrated approach to protection in their humanitarian responses, predicated on fundamental principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
