The Association of Palestinian of Local Authorities (APLA) held a consultative workshop that brought together representatives of 10 local government units (LGUs), who are also members of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Taskforce. The workshop explored effective mechanisms for strengthening community engagement and developing local environmental policies. Rooted in development priorities and responsive to the municipal context, these policies offer practical tools and exchange field-based experiences.
During the workshop, APLA presented its comprehensive Community Engagement Guide, developed to enhance public involvement in sustainable development efforts and bridge the gap between citizens and LGUs in decision-making processes. The guide is built on more than 70 practical activities covering awareness-raising, education, capacity-building, policymaking, advocacy, inclusiveness, community participation, institutional relations, and sustainable change. The discussion allowed room for participants to suggest additional activities based on their local experiences and plans, contributing to the development of actionable interventions with tangible impact across diverse municipal settings.
In relation to environmental policy, Dr. Huthayfa al-Ashqar, an environmental expert, presented a summary of the first phase of developing the national guidelines for local environmental policies, which he is currently compiling as part of APLA’s ongoing efforts. This includes a review of relevant reference materials, alignment with the SDGs, and identification of environmental mandates assigned to LGUs. The presentation served as a springboard for in-depth discussions on priority environmental policies and strategies for operationalizing them through procedural tools such as checklists and community engagement mechanisms, supported by applied examples drawn from the Palestinian municipal reality.
This intervention is part of APLA’s efforts to implement the SDG Localization Plan, which aims to support LGUs in aligning their policies and plans with the 2030 Agenda. These activities were carried out under the Empowering Palestinian Society to Grab Sustainable Development Opportunities project with support from the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel).
