DERA'A REFUGEE CAMP

Palestine refugees came to the Dera’a area in two waves in 1948 and in 1967. The older part of the camp, which is adjacent to the town of Dera'a near the Jordanian border, was established in 1950-51 for refugees from the northern and eastern parts of Palestine following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. The camp was set up on an area of 39,000 square metres.

Next to the older camp is the newer part, which was set up in 1967 for some 4,200 Palestine refugees who were forced to leave the Quneitra Governorate in the Golan following the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict.

The two camps are situated in a fertile area and many residents are farm workers on Syrian-owned lands. Others are employed as wage labourers.

The sewerage system in the two camps needs to be expanded and upgraded to cope with the increasing refugee population. An improvement in the environmental conditions remains one of the most urgent needs of Dera'a. In 2000, the Agency was able to build a community rehabilitation centre by MOVIMONDO Molisv (Italian non-governmental organization) with funds from the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO).

In 2001, the Agency was also able to construct the learning resource centre with a contribution from the Swedish Government and a health centre in Muzeireeb village, some 20 kilometres away from Dera’a, with funds from the Governmnet of the USA.

More than 10,573 Palestine refugees live in neighbouring Syrian villages and many of them work as pastoralists or as farmers on Syrian-owned lands. UNRWA runs two schools in Jillin and Muzeireeb villages. The Agency's income-generating activities are very successful among these refugees.

FACTS AND FIGURES

  • On 30 June 2002, there were 5,916 registered refugees in Dera'a camp, and 5,536 in Dera'a Emergency camp.
  • UNRWA runs six schools in the camp: four elementary (ages 6-12) - two for boys (750 pupils) and two for girls (721 pupils); and two preparatory (ages 13-15) - one for boys (380 pupils) and one for girls (353 pupils).
  • Between January-June 2002, there were 14,487 patient consultations at the UNRWA health centre in Dera'a.
  • 303 families (1,031 refugees) are registered as special hardship cases (SHCs).
  • Over the past four years, UNRWA has assisted 21 of the poorest refugee families with the rehabilitation of their shelters.

 

Figures as of 30 June 2002