R E F U G E E S

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 camp is situated in a fertile area and many residents are farm workers on Syrian-owned lands. Others are employed as wage labourers. 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 also runs five schools and a health centre in the neigbouring villages of Jillin and Muzeireeb.

The Agency is currently looking for funding to repair and expand the sewage system in the camp. The old cement pipes used for the sewage system are broken, causing water to seep under the houses, destroying numerous shelters. Improveming environmental conditions remains one of Dera'a‘s most urgent needs.

Registered Refugees:

  • Total: 13,342 (December 2008)
  • Average family size: 5.1 members
  • Camp population by age:
Age: 0-5 6-15 16-25 26-45 46-60 Over 60
Number of Refugees: 1839 2736 2475 3820 1381 1091

UNRWA Education Programme

  • Schools: 6 double-shifted schools, operating in 3 school buildings.
  • Staff: 90
  • Pupils: 2,175

UNRWA Relief and Social Services Programme

  • Food distribution centre: 1 (rented)
  • Social safety net (SSN) programme beneficiaries: 2848 individuals (797 families) receive 2570 daily rations

Microcredit Community Support Programme – Community Managed Funds:

The programme began operating in the camp in April 2009.

UNRWA Health Programme

  • Health centre : 1
  • Number of medical staff: 12
  • Number of patient consultations per month: 4025

 Major Problems:

  • Rented distribution centre, no office for the social workers
  • Shortage of water
  • Lack of a propper sewage system
  • High rate of school dropouts and child labour
  • High unemployment rate