I.C.S.P.R: THE PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT’S DECISION TO REVOKE ALL HEALTH INSURANCE, RAISE DOUBTS ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT’S OBLIGATIONS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF VULNERABLE GROUPS

385 thousand unemployed with no health protection

I.C.S.P.R: the Palestinian Government’s decision to revoke all health insurance, raise doubts about the Government’s obligations to protect the rights of vulnerable groups

International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (I.C.S.P.R) Consider the seriousness of the of the Government policies and the guidance of the national reconciliation government towards dealing with marginalized groups, which lack decent living opportunities especially unemployed workers, this clearly demonstrated which revealed on Wednesday 15 (February) 2017 about Palestinian Cabinet authentication meeting on 24 January 2017 resolution (3/136/17/M.O/R.h) in 2017, included an amendment to the former Government’s decision, saying “cancel all health insurance for the unemployed from the date 1/3/2017.”

It should be noted that the Cabinet had taken a decision on 27 December 2016 (04/132/17/m.o /r.h) for 2016 article 1 (cancel health insurance for the unemployed) in the second article (the Ministry of labor update the unemployed data).

This, before these resolutions, Palestinian Cabinet authentication at its meeting on 30 August 2016 decision (06/17/17/m .o/r. h) for 2016,to establish a technical Committee to prepare a draft resolution with a health insurance Act, which included members of both Ministry of finance and planning, Ministry of health, Ministry of labour, Ministry of Justice, the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, military medical services.

As published on Website, Press Release, yesterday, by Dr. Jawad Awad, Minister of health, explained that the final decision about health insurance for the unemployed is to update the data through the development of new mechanisms to issue health insurance for workers and unemployed and not to be canceled.

International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (I.C.S.P.R) regard this repeated governmental decisions concerning the issue of health insurance, and health insurance for the unemployed and in front of rejection the majority of Palestinians of the recent decision of the Cabinet, International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (I.C.S.P.R) calls for the following:

Lend its voice to others that advocate Palestinian Government need to show clear and participatory policies to ensure that fragile and vulnerable groups on socio-economic and health protection guaranteeing them their right to decent and generous living.
I.C.S.P.R consider that the final decision, and drafted, is clear violation of economic, social and cultural rights, particularly in the area of health insurance provided in the Palestinian basic law and in the General Health Act, and raises doubts about the Palestinian Government’s desire to meet its international obligations in the field of the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on economic, social and cultural rights and ILO conventions.
The Government’s austerity procedures, as well as various regulatory actions should not affect by any means weaker social groups, but must ensure the unemployed and other categories of society rights enshrined in the basic law.
Lacking in the decision the requirements of the public interest, as well as wise, as raises pressure and violations of economic, social and cultural rights of the unemployed and the estimated 385 000 unemployed, distributed by 218 thousand in Gaza Strip and 166.9 thousand in West Bank, a obviously the people in Gaza Strip are the most affected by the decision, especially because its unemployment rate stood at 43.2% in Gaza, compared to 19.6% in the West.
Remember that the unemployed exempt from health insurance fees under the late President Abu Ammar after the 2000 uprising, apart from resolution (500) shekels for every unemployed via the General Federation of labor unions.
Demands the Cabinet to cancel its decision of the health insurance for the unemployed.
Demand the Palestinian Government to work hard towards guaranteeing the protection of economic, social and cultural rights of the unemployed, through integration into the social protection fund, and to develop plans to ensure jobs for them.