ReliefWeb

The Agency’s provision of essential legal aid and child protection services to Palestine refugees in Lebanon continues with support from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In April 2018, the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) provided a grant of US$ 500,000 to address the current severe financial crisis faced by the Agency. This contribution has enabled UNRWA to continue provision of essential legal aid and child protection services to approximately 19,000 Palestine refugees from Lebanon and Syria.

The Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Claudio Cordone is grateful for the vital contribution and said: “We are thankful to the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund for this contribution as it comes at a critical time for UNRWA. This financial support will allow us to continue helping Palestine refugees in Lebanon, in particular children and the most vulnerable members of the community.”

“Preserving the stability of Lebanon means preserving tolerance, diversity and stability in the region”, said UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Philippe Lazzarini at the launch of the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) 2017-2020 in February. “More than ever, international solidarity needs to match the hospitality of Lebanon as host country. No country in the world can – or should – carry alone the challenge that Lebanon is facing. Responsibility-sharing with Lebanon is key”, he said.

Launched in April 2018, the programme provides legal aid services including legal advice on visas, legal status, civil registries and access to advocacy. In addition, the grant enables for the provision of legal services to refugees facing gender-based violence or child protection concerns.

Some 480 Palestine refugee children will benefit from the child protection services made possible by this contribution. Children at-risk and those experiencing protection concerns will continue to be identified and referred to case management and specialized services.

Named the “Sustaining an Improved Protection Environment for Palestine refugee children, caregivers and communities from Syria and Lebanon” the new LHF contribution will fill a critical funding gap.

Background Information

UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA programme budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s programme budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5.4 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.

For more information, please contact:

Christopher Gunness
Spokesperson, Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications
Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267
c.gunness@unrwa.org

Sami Mshasha
Chief of Communications, Arabic Language Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295
Office: +972 (0)258 90724
s.mshasha@unrwa.org

Huda Samra
Communications Advisor – Lebanon (Arabic and Francophone)
Mobile: +961 81 666 134
h.samra@unrwa.org