R E F U G E E S

DHEISHEH REFUGEE CAMP

Dheisheh camp was established in 1949 within the municipal boundaries of Bethlehem on .309 square kilometres. The camp’s original refugees ccame from 45 villages in the western Jerusalem and western Hebron areas. Like other West Bank campus, it was established on land UNRWA leased from the government of Jordan.

While all shelters are connected to public water and electricity infrastructure, 15% of the camp shelters are not connected to the public sewerage system, instead using latrines connected to percolation pits. The camp was heavily affected by the second intifada.

Registered Refugees

  • Total: 12,954 (December 2007)
  • Average family size: 5.0
  • Poverty rate: 31.5%; 18.2% in absolute poverty
  • Unemployment rate: 33.3%; affected by inaccessibility of the Israeli labor market. Unemployed people often open small businesses, such as roadside stands.
  • Average monthly income: NIS 949
  • Average Age: 23.5
  • Demographic Profile
Age: 0-14 15-24 25-60 Over 60
Percentage of Refugees 39.1 20.3 35.9 4.7

UNRWA Education Programme

  • Schools: 2 elementary/preparatory schools, one co-educational and one for girls.
  • Pupils: 2,529
  • In 2003, the girls’ school was expanded to a new library, a multipurpose room, a computer lab and extra classrooms.

UNRWA Relief and Social Services Programme

  • Food distribution centre: 1
  • Social Safety Net (SSN) Programme beneficiaries: 281 families
  • UNRWA collects trash, but residents of nearby areas (e.g. el-Doha) without trash collection services often also use UNRWA receptacles, thus creating an additional labour burden for sanitation workers
  • 25 of 26 shelters damaged by IDF incursions during the second intifada repaired.

UNRWA Health Programme

  • UNRWA health centre: 1, with 2,665 active family files
  • Other health centres: 2, run by local committees

UNRWA Microfinance Programme

  • Loan beneficiaries: 80 residents
  • Total value: $96,186

UNRWA Emergency Programme

  • 780 families receiving emergency food and cash assistance

Community Services

  • 1 Community based Rehabilitation Centre

  • 1 youth activity centre

  • 1 children’s center

  • 6 kindergartens

  • 1 women’s programme center

  • 3 mosques

  • 3 libraries

  • 8 local NGOs provide a wide variety of services in the camp. Their programming includes cultural exchanges, women’s empowerment, childhood development, computer training, food assistance, sports and workers’ rights.