SHELTER REHABILITATION

Most of the shelters in the camps were built by the Agency in the mid-1950s to replace the original tents which housed the refugees after the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, and more were built after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Today, a large number are in a dilapidated state. While many families have been able to improve their shelters by making their own renovations and adding extra storeys, special hardship case families who do not have the income to maintain or improve their shelters often live in extremely harsh conditions which do not meet the minimum acceptable standards. The consequences are increased physical and psychological health problems, and accidents, particularly those caused by fire.

For several years the Agency has been able to renovate or repair hundreds of shelters, with the families or the local community often working alongside UNRWA staff to complete the work. In some cases the Agency provides building materials and the refugees themselves carry out the repair work. The construction of replacement shelters has also provided much-needed jobs in the refugee camps. Since 1993, special contributions from donor governments to the Agency's Peace Implementation Programme have funded the shelter rehabilitation programme. However, hundreds of refugee families are still on the waiting list for shelter rehabilitation and with funds drying up the Agency is unable to keep to its targets.