Mrs. Violette Mubarak is the General Director of the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre (JPBC) based in East Jerusalem, which serves Palestinian children with disabilities and their families. She is responsible for the management of the JPBC, including the Child Rehabilitation Centre and the Inclusive School, with a team of 130 staff. In this blog she writes about the situation of children with autism amidst the complex challenges of Palestine.

Supporting children with autism  

When we talk about Palestinian society, we inevitably think of the political and economic crisis which continues to impact the lives and opportunities of a new generation, and on people with disabilities in particular.

The protracted conflict and occupation have led to a fragmented Palestinian society, with restricted freedom of movement which isolates towns and villages and with a lack of access to health and rehabilitation services.

Palestine, like other countries, suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, profoundly impacting its economy, including the provision of health services and the ability of people to afford them.  

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the poverty rate rose to 27.7% during the pandemic. Heightened political tensions followed and now with the outbreak of the war in October 2023, the opportunities and potential of an entire generation of Palestinian children and young people, especially in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are at risk.

Naturally, these challenges have affected the quality of life of people with disabilities, particularly children, who have long suffered from marginalisation and stigmatisation. These children face enormous barriers to education, health, inclusion, and acceptance, and despite the Palestinian Disability Law No. 4 of 1999 and international agreements, Palestinian institutions have not had the capacity to take effective measures to integrate persons with disabilities into society.

There is a severe lack of accurate data on people with disabilities in Palestine, particularly those with autism (autism spectrum disorder - ASD). The most recent general statistics date back to 2017, when the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reported 115,000 people with disabilities, representing 2.1% of the population. However, many experts believe the actual number is much higher. This discrepancy arises from varying definitions of disability and the reluctance of families—especially those with girls—to disclose their children’s disabilities due to social stigmatisation. The absence of reliable data limits the development of policies and services that could better address the needs of people with disabilities.

The gap is even more pronounced for children with autism, as no official Palestinian statistics exist on its prevalence. Estimates suggest there are around 5,000 children with autism, but these figures remain uncertain due to multiple factors. The lack of trained specialists and multidisciplinary assessment tools which makes accurate diagnosis difficult, and only a limited number of centres in Palestine specialise in autism. Additionally, the high cost of diagnostic and rehabilitation services further restricts access for many families. Addressing these challenges requires a concerted effort to improve data collection, expand specialised training for professionals, and increase affordability and accessibility of diagnostic and therapeutic services. Without these measures, children with Autism and their families will continue to face significant barriers to care and inclusion.

The Jerusalem Princess Basma Inclusive School

In 2011, our Jerusalem Princess Basma Inclusive School opened the first specialised unit for children with autism and together with the Child Rehabilitation Centre became one of the pioneering institutions in the treatment of autism in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza.

Since then, our specialism has developed and the centre now has four autism units, three for children in Kindergarten, and provides a comprehensive package of health and education services under the same roof.

One of the children is enrolled in one of our units and benefits from a holistic therapeutic and educational program tailored to their needs. Through a combination of speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy, ABA and psychological therapy, they have made remarkable progress in communication, behavior and daily skills. They are gradually transitioning into an inclusive classroom three times a week, preparing her for full integration in the future. With the dedicated support of our specialised team of professionals, they continue to gain in confidence and independence every day.

Given the complexity of ASD diagnosis, the increasing number of children diagnosed each year and the general lack of awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and intervention, the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre has taken the initiative to raise awareness of this issue across Palestine.

Dr. Waddah Malhees, The Medical Director of The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre said:

“As a national centre, we provide comprehensive rehabilitation, health and educational services for children with autism and training for our staff. It is our responsibility to transfer our knowledge and experience through our Outreach Program to the West Bank.”

In this way, as part of its Outreach Program, the Centre has supported its partner centers in the West Bank to develop their expertise and facilities to provide quality services for children with autism, with success already in the Hebron governorate.

Mr. Omar Abu Eram, Director of one of these centers, the Yatta Community Center describes,

"The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre's Outreach Program has made a significant contribution to improving the quality of service at our center. Our staff benefited from the expertise of their multidisciplinary team, who conducted site visits, shared knowledge and introduced effective strategies for working with children with autism. Today we have an active Autistic classroom and we have seen significant progress in the children we serve."

We aim to expand our efforts to other governorates to raise awareness and improve provision of services for children with autism, at the same time as increasing our services for all Palestinian children with disabilities.

Despite the ongoing wars, instability and financial constraints that can undermine hope and fragment the social fabric, Palestinian society has always valued a collective culture and sees strength in community.

The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre is also part of the Christian family, one of the many institutions of the Diocese of Jerusalem whose mission, in the words of our Archbishop Hosam, is to “bring hope to many, regardless of faith, where the light of hope is often dim.”

We hold fast to this inclusive vision with a spirit of solidarity here and with our international friends, as we together seek to foster hope in the midst of profound challenge, affirming that faith is strength and knowledge is the cornerstone of resilience and a pathway to change.