SHATILA REFUGEE CAMP

Shatila camp is situated in southern Beirut and was established by the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1949 to accommodate the hundreds of refugees who poured into the area from the Galilee in northern Palestine after 1948.

The camp was devastated during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and was the scene of a major massacre in September of that year. During the years of conflict the camp was frequently targeted, which resulted in the destruction of property, displacement of refugees and a siege.

Environmental health conditions are extremely bad with damp, overcrowded shelters and open drains. The sewerage system needs considerable expansion while the camp's residents drink unreliable potable water supplied through a poor distribution network provided by Beirut Municipality.

Most of the men work as labourers or run grocery stores and many of the women are able to find work as cleaners.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• There are 12, 235 registered Palestine refugees in Shatila camp;
• 293 families of 1068 persons are registered as S.H.Cs.
• One UNRWA health centre with an average of 79 patients per day;
• Two UNRWA elementary school for 1,056 enrolled pupils in 2003/2004;

In addition, a number of NGOs are active in Shatila, including Al-Najda, Beit Atfal Al-Soumoud, Norwegian Peoples' Aid and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Children and Youth Centre. The services they provide include health clinics, cash assistance, summer activities, kindergartens and rehabilitation centres.

The inhabitants of the camp have access to the RSSD loan and soft loan schemes and to skill training and services provided by Sabra WPC.