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SHUFAT REFUGEE CAMP

Shufat camp was established in 1965, more than a
decade after all the other official camps in the West Bank, on .203
sqaure kilometres just north of Jerusalem. Shufat was established after
the Mascar camp in Jerusalem’s Old City was closed because of its
unsanitary conditions. Residents in the Mascar camp that were relocated
to Shufat originally came from 55 villages in the Jerusalem, Lydd, Jaffa
and Ramleh areas. Like other West Bank campus, it was established on
land UNRWA leased from the government of Jordan.
Shu'fat camp is the only West Bank that lies within
the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem. As such, Shufat refugees are
entitled to Jerusalem identity cards, guaranteeing them residency rights
in Jerusalem and making them eligible for certain Israeli social
services, including health care. Since their movement is not restricted,
Jerusalem identity card holders have not been affected by Israeli
closures of the West Bank. Many refugees who had previously moved out of
the camp are now returning in an attempt to retain their Jerusalem
identity cards. While UNRWA's official number of registered refugees in
the camp stands at 10,936, the numbers are likely above 18,000; an
estimated 4,000 refugees have moved into the camp in the past several
years to avoid losing Jerusalem residency rights. 70% of the camp’s
residents work in the Israeli private sector.
All shelters are connected to public water and
electricity infrastructure, though not all are connected to the public
sewerage system. Overcrowding is a major problem. UNRWA's technical and
safety building regulations have been ignored increasing numbers of
refugees construct three- or four-storey shelters on foundations that
originally were constructed to hold one- or two-storey structures.
Registered Refugees
- Total: 10,936 (December 2007)
- Average family size: 4.6
- Average monthly income: NIS 4,000
- Average Age: 25.0
- Demographic Profile
| Age: |
0-14 |
15-24 |
25-60 |
Over 60 |
| Percentage of Refugees |
36 |
21.6 |
37 |
5.4 |
UNRWA Education Programme
- Schools: 2 single-sex elementary/preparatory schools; 2
additional private schools operate within the camp
- Pupils: 2786
UNRWA Relief and Social Services Programme
- UNRWA collects trash and disposes of it at the al-Eizarye
landfill
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UNRWA Health Programme
- UNRWA health centre: 1, with 2,091 active family files
- 1 physiotherapy centre
- Other health centres: 5. 3 dental clinics and 2 Israeli
institutions
Community Services
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