As part of its ongoing work with local government units (LGUs) to promote a sustainable development approach, the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) organized an expanded workshop to discuss the development of environmental and social policies for LGUs. The workshop brought together 51 representatives from 25 LGUs, in addition to representatives from the policy units of the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) and Environment Quality Authority (EQA). The event was held in the context of the Empowering the Palestinian Community to Harness Sustainable Development Opportunities project, funded by the Belgian Agency for International Development (Enabel).
This workshop builds on a cumulative process of work that APLA has carried out with LGUs throughout the current year. The process unveiled a clear need to develop consolidated references and procedures for governing how environmental and social dimensions are addressed within local policies. This output will standardize concepts, establish practical tools for risk management, and enhance social impact.
In her remarks, Eng. Uhoud Enayah, Director of APLA Programs and Policies, stated that “municipal work is no longer measured by the volume of implemented projects, but by institutional ability to build sustainable policies that preserve both the human being and the place.” Enayah stressed that the next stage required LGUs to view the environment and society as integral components of their management and decision-making processes. This should improve the role of LGUs as active drivers of sustainable development, capable of achieving long-term institutional change based on environmental and social justice.
The workshop addressed several practical themes focused on strengthening the development of environmental and social policies within LGUs. It included a presentation of the methodology and main components of the Environmental and Social Policy Manual, which is structured around three principal pillars, namely, infrastructure, socio-economic dimension, and governance. Participants also reviewed the policy matrix, implementation models, and monitoring indicators. This was followed by a group exercise on drafting practical policies based on the presented matrix.
