UNIDO and Japan help integrate women and youth economically in the Gaza Strip
- 2021-07-31 23:59:37
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After more than a year of implementing the “Khaitan Jenin” project, and based on the results of that project, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization “UNIDO” launched the “Khaitan Gaza” project a few days ago, to be also able to enhance capacity Competitiveness in the clothing and fashion industry in the Gaza Strip.
“Khaitan Gaza” .. Creative Center for Fashion Design
On the 29th of last month, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization launched the “Khaitan Gaza” project funded by the Government of Japan, which works to improve access to sustainable energy, vocational training, job opportunities and trade links The apparel and fashion industry value chain in the Gaza Strip, while the project will establish and activate a new creative center for fashion design in the Gaza Strip.
The clothing and fashion industry in the Gaza Strip has lost a large number of experienced workers, industrial facilities, and share in local and regional markets, due to restrictions imposed on the ability and freedom of access and movement of people and goods, especially those related to raw materials and exports, in addition to the instability of energy supplies and the high Electricity costs as obstacles facing this industry as well as other Palestinian industries.
The “Khaitan Gaza” project is in line with the economic response strategy to Covid 19 developed by the Ministry of National Economy, and will work to strengthen links with similar centers nationally and regionally, as well as with international centers, especially those located in the member states of the East Asian Cooperation for Development Conference The Palestinian Authority (CEAPAD) which Japan initiated to implement in Palestine.
Seeking lower energy costs and by
using clean energy, the garment industry can reduce energy costs and thrive, which encourages investment in this promising sector and enables sustainable job creation, thus supporting the inclusion of marginalized beneficiaries of youth and women in production and market access.
Through the interventions and activities provided by the “Khaitan Gaza” project, local production facilities will be able to achieve reductions in electricity costs by adopting energy efficiency measures, as well as facing the shortage of sources and means of access to energy by applying possible sustainable energy solutions to obtain more stable and less energy cost, in addition to the opportunities to reduce stress on the electricity distribution network for its beneficiaries.
Representative of Japan to Palestine: We hope that the project will enhance the economic integration of women and youth
during the announcement of the launch of the “Khaitan Gaza” project. His Excellency Ambassador Masayuki Maguchi, Representative of Japan to Palestine stated that “based on the successful intervention and support of the Khaitan project, which worked to activate all the pillars of the value chain Apparel and Textiles By enhancing the employability of women and youth in the West Bank, the Government of Japan has decided to continue supporting this participation to implement a similar project in the Gaza Strip.”
Ambassador Maguchi expressed his hope that the new project will be able to implement the necessary interventions to enhance the economic integration of women and youth in order to enable resilience and achieve social stability in the Gaza Strip, and that “the relevant industrial sectors will provide more job opportunities for marginalized youth and women in the future.” And contribute to making the Palestinian economy stronger.”
Al-Osaili: The “UNIDO” approach has proven the effectiveness of enhancing national industrial competitiveness
. Minister of National Economy Khaled Al-Aseeli, in his speech during the launch ceremony of the “Khaitan Gaza” project, confirms that “UNIDO’s approach supporting creative industries in Palestine has proven effective in enhancing competitiveness.” National Industrial.
Minister Al-Osaili stressed that “the Creative Center for Fashion Design, which was launched in Jenin in the northern governorates within the framework of the activities of the Khaitan project and in partnership with (UNIDO), has contributed significantly to raising the level of the value chain for the clothing and fashion industry, and has enabled practically to support the response to the immediate needs of protection tools. personality during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister Al-Osaili affirms that “the Ministry of National Economy is happy to renew its partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to launch (Khaitan Gaza), especially in order to enhance our heritage in the textile industry, and its connection to one of the pillars of Palestinian culture, as well as the experience of workers in this industry and its future prospects.”
Minister Al-Osaili indicated that "it is important to support the competitiveness of this promising industrial sector, which has been weakened by many challenges during the past decades, due to its vitality and ability to grow and export."
Al-Farra: The products are based on the Palestinian identity,
Ahmed Al-Farra, Head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Office in Palestine, explains during the launch of “Khaitan Gaza”, that “providing technical assistance, in addition to creating new brands and new creative groups of products that It intersects with the nature of the market demand for updated products based on the Palestinian identity. The methodology applied by UNIDO in its various activities to support the development of clusters and creative industries for local value chains, which was also adopted in Khaitan, the West Bank.”
Al-Farra indicated that "UNIDO intends to continue in the same direction, with the inclusion of new assets to support the competitiveness of the clothing and fashion industry through applications based on sustainable technology in manufacturing using appropriate materials and expertise, sustainable energy solutions and easy ways to access effective sources of financing."
Supporting value chains
The “Khaitan Gaza” project comes in the context of the “Khaitan” project in Palestine, which was launched through the application of the “UNIDO” methodology in Palestine through the support of value chains, where the principle of “industrial development centers” and the “Khaitan Palestine” project is one of the The center’s goals are to develop a Palestinian product that meets the needs of the local or foreign market, as confirmed by Ahmed Al-Farra, head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in Palestine, Ahmed Al-Farra, in an interview with Al-Quds.com.
Al-Farra pointed out that “value chains” are part of a complete industrial process integrated from the raw material of the market so that it can support the Palestinian industry by providing markets and a distinguished product with creativity in design and development, to be presented in the Palestinian or international market.
Khaitan Jenin.. The
success of the “Khaitan Jenin” project, which UNIDO started working on in the northern West Bank in 2017-2018, and implemented in 2019-2020, had a significant impact on transferring the “Khaitan Jenin” experience to the Gaza Strip. Gaza, according to Ahmed Al-Farra, head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) program in Palestine.
Al-Farra says: “UNIDO has equipped a creative fashion development center in Jenin with an area of 300 square meters with Japanese funding in cooperation with the Ministry of National Economy, and we have become creative in the entire process, whether in training, implementation, design or marketing, and we have targeted companies and individuals, young men and women.”
According to Al-Farra, “when the idea succeeded in Jenin, the experiment was transferred to the Gaza Strip, as the project includes a promising sector there, and there will be efficiency and an opportunity towards markets,” noting that (Khaitan Gaza) the focus was added and the energy issue was added due to the presence of a major problem in it. And because energy represents 40% of the cost of the industry, we worked to find solutions by saving consumption and providing alternative means such as solar energy and other means.”
According to Al-Farra, the “Khaitan Jenin” project targeted more than 150 companies and individuals, and the “Khaitan Gaza” project will benefit 120 companies and individuals.
“Khaitan” Identity and Internationality
UNIDO and its partners seek to make the “Khaitan Jenin” and “Khaitan Gaza” projects in the context of reaching global competition with a Palestinian identity, through networking between the two projects with the aim of reaching common markets.
Al-Farra asserts that the “Khaitan” project will be an alternative to foreign products and will compete in terms of quality, fashion, and prices by working on an “energy challenge” through “Khaitan Gaza” and saving energy costs in the West Bank.
Al-Farra stresses that each piece made through the “Khaitan” project will tell a Palestinian story, and the costumes will carry the Palestinian heritage in proportion to the Palestinian identity. The Palestinians are very rich.”
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