NGO #15809
Stars of Hope Society (SHS) is a leading Palestinian organization founded and led by women with disabilities, dedicated to advancing the rights, dignity, and empowerment of women and girls with disabilities across the West Bank and Gaza Strip. SHS operates through a rights-based, feminist, and inclusive framework and has long been recognized for its grassroots reach, national policy influence, and unwavering commitment to social justice.
SHS is more than an organization, it is a movement of women with disabilities reclaiming their rights, rewriting narratives, and reimagining what’s possible. For over a decade, SHS has worked to dismantle structural barriers, combat stigma, and ensure that the voices of women with disabilities are not only heard but positioned at the center of social, political, and economic transformation efforts in Palestine.
With a steadfast belief in the power of community-led change, SHS operates through a rights-based and inclusive lens, anchoring its work in justice, equality, and hope. Its unique model of grassroots focal points -trained women with disabilities embedded in local communities-embodies its commitment to inclusion from the inside out.
SHS has produced a substantial body of research and knowledge products that support evidence-based planning and advocacy. These include situational analyses, analytical reports, and shadow reports under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), covering key areas such as protection, sexual and reproductive health, education, and employment. The organization has conducted multiple disability audits and needs assessments, and it regularly gathers data on community perceptions and service accessibility to inform inclusive programming. This knowledge production is central to SHS’s mission, serving both as an internal learning tool and as a foundation for national advocacy.
At the policy and advocacy level, SHS has led several impactful initiatives. It played a key role in advancing the enforcement of the 5% employment quota for persons with disabilities and contributed to amending the national GBV referral system to include disability-specific considerations and collaborated with the Ministry of Justice and partners to systematize sign language interpretation within the justice sector. The organization has also led wide-reaching awareness campaigns on disability rights using radio, social media, and grassroots mobilization. SHS continues to be a driving force in lobbying for disability inclusion in national protection and development frameworks, promoting local ownership, accountability, and the leadership of women with disabilities at all levels.
In the humanitarian and disaster context, SHS has played a critical role in ensuring that women and persons with disabilities are not left behind. The organization has conducted rapid needs assessments and specialized studies on the impact of conflict, displacement, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic on persons with disabilities-particularly women. These findings have been used to influence humanitarian planning and cluster coordination. SHS has implemented inclusive emergency interventions, including the distribution of assistive devices, emergency cash support, psychosocial services, and the development of accessible communication materials. It has also advocated disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction policies and contributed to the design of early warning tools tailored to the needs of persons with disabilities. Through these efforts, SHS continues to position disability inclusion as a core element of humanitarian response and crisis recovery in Palestine.
to integration; and claiming their rights through implementing and rights-based development
programs and projects; and advocating for the implementing, monitoring and evaluating laws,
by-laws and policies
1-Empower women and girls with disabilities to defend their rights and enhance their participation in public life.
2-Promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in public policies, legal frameworks and services.
3-Promote public understanding and acceptance of disability and gender issues to combat stigma and discrimination
The Hemaya Program is dedicated to protecting women and girls with disabilities from violence. It does so through building the capacity of service providers, conducting awareness-raising initiatives, and offering case management, referral pathways, and intermediate support services. The program also implements targeted interventions aimed at enhancing access to justice for women with disabilities.
• Economic Empowerment Program:
This program addresses the root causes behind the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the labor market. It provides tailored capacity-building activities, including vocational training, employability skills, project management, and interpersonal development. The program also supports access to financial resources for launching micro and small enterprises, facilitates job placements and internships, and works to raise awareness among community members and employers to foster a more inclusive labor market.
• Inclusion, Advocacy, and Knowledge Production Program:
This program centers on generating evidence and research aligned with SHS’s strategic priorities. It undertakes studies on policy gaps, service accessibility, and the perceptions of persons with disabilities, their families, and the wider community. The findings feed directly into advocacy efforts and inform recommendations for inclusive policy and service reform. A key element of this program is the disability audit process, which utilizes SHS-developed tools and trained staff to evaluate accessibility and inclusion across institutions and services.