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ZARQA REFUGEE CAMP

Zarqa camp is the oldest Palestine refugee camp in
Jordan, and was one of the four camps established after l948 to
accommodate the refugees who left Palestine as a result of the 1948
Arab-Israeli war.
The camp was set up by the International Committee of
the Red Cross in 1949 for 8,000 refugees in an area of 180,000 square
metres near the town of Zarqa. UNRWA later replaced the original tents
with concrete shelters and over the years the refugees have made
improvements and added more rooms. The camp now resembles other urban
quarters in Zarqa.
UNRWA provides education, health and relief and
social services through 14 installations operated by 255 Agency staff
including 49 staff members at Zarqa Area Office.
FACTS AND FIGURES
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There are 18,528 registered refugees;
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UNRWA runs 6 schools for 3,120 pupils in 2006/2007,
with a teaching staff of 102;
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The Agency’s two health centres are run by 10
doctors, 2 dentists, 24 nurses and assistants, 7 assistant
pharmacists, 4 laboratory technicians and 8 clerks for about 1,145
patients daily. A specialist clinic is run by an ophthalmologist and
an intern on a part-time contractual basis.
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165 families receive assistance through the
Agency's special hardship assistance programme;
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There is one women's programme centre in the camp
run by local women's committees with financial and technical support
from UNRWA. Some 1,500 refugee women and 1,200 youth benefit from the
activities of the centre every year;
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UNRWA supports the work of the community
rehabilitation centre which provides facilities for 104 refugees with
disabilities.
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13 sanitation labourers and one foreman provide
environmental health services.
Figures as of 31 March 2007
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