JERUSALEM, Tuesday, December 10, 2019 (WAFA) - The European Union contributed €10 million to support the Palestinian Authority payment of social allowances to vulnerable families in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, said an EU press release issued on Tuesday.

The EU supports the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Social Development Cash Transfer Programme responsible for the provision of basic social protection to the most vulnerable families in the West Bank and Gaza. The social allowances are paid on a quarterly basis to around 105,000 vulnerable families.

For this third payment in 2019, the contribution of the EU (€10 million) will cover the social allowances of 68,743 families of which 78% live in the Gaza Strip.

"This payment coincides with International Human Rights Day. This reminds us once again that poverty remains one of the most serious challenges facing human rights worldwide. It is a complex challenge as it is both a cause and a product of human rights violations. Therefore combating poverty is not a matter of charity but a common objective that we should all stand for,” said the Acting EU Representative Tomas Niklasson.

“In Palestine, we are proud of our long partnership with the Ministry of Social Development. We have been working hand in hand for many years to combat poverty and support those in need. This is in line with our shared values putting human rights first and leaving no-one behind,” he added.

T.R.