UNRWA – Annual report of the Commissioner-General

REPORT

OF THE COMMISSIONER-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY

FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES

IN THE NEAR EAST

______________

1 July 1979 – 30 June 1980

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

OFFICIAL RECORDS: THIRTY-FIFTH SESSION

SUPPLEMENT No. 13 (A/35/13)

UNITED NATIONS

New York, 1980

NOTE

[Original: Arabic/English/French]

[18 September 1980]

CONTENTS

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

3 September 1980

Sir,

I have the honor to submit my annual report to the General Assembly on the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for the period 1 July 1979 to 30 June 1980 In compliance with the request in paragraph 21 of resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 and paragraph 8 of resolution 1315 (XIII) of 12 December 1958.

As has been done in recent years, in the introduction to the report I invited the General Assembly's attention to the serious financial difficulties faced by the Agency.

Chapter I of the report describes the Agency’s programmes and their development during the year which ended on 30 June 1980.

Chapter II presents the Agency's proposed budget for 1981, for consideration by the General Assembly at its forthcoming session, and the budget for 1980. These chapters are preceded by a summary.

Of the two annexes to the report, the first contains statistical data on various aspects of the Agency's work, and the second lists pertinent resolutions reports and other documents of the General, Assembly and other United Nations bodies.

The Advisory Commission of UNRWA examined this report in draft. Its views set forth in a letter dated 2 September 1980 from its Chairman, of which I enclose a copy. Your particular attention is drawn to the recommendation of the Commission made in the letter. I have had the benefit of the advice of the members of the Commission in preparing the final text but it should not be assumed that the Governments represented on the Commission necessarily subscribe to all of the views I have expressed.

Since 1967, a major part of the Agency's operations has been conducted in areas occupied by Israel. Consequently, I considered it appropriate to continue the practice of showing the report in draft to its representatives and I have taken their views and comments into account also.

Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN 0F THE ADVISORY COMMISSION

OF THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR

PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST

2 September 1980

Dear Mr. Rydbeck,

In its meeting held in Vienna on 2 September 1980, the Advisory Commission of UNRWA has  considered the draft report on the Agency’s services and activities during the period 1 July 1979-30 June 1980 which you intend to submit to the United Nations General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session.

The Commission notes that you will do your best to restore the traditional level of UNRWA services, and attempt to augment them, bearing in mind the serious consequences of reductions.  The Commission emphasizes its deep concern for the continuing deficit in UNRWA’s budget. Taking into consideration that the financing of UNRWA is the responsibility of the entire international community, the Commission calls upon all States Members of the United Nations to make a concerted effort to support the work of UNRWA and contribute in so far as possible to the effective and stable financing of the Agency until a just, permanent and comprehensive solution to the problem of Palestine is found, especially as the United Nations General Assembly is due to consider the extension of the mandate of UNRWA at its thirty-fifth session. In this regard, and in the light of your annual report to the General Assembly, the Advisory Commission recommends, through you, to the General Assembly that it calls upon the Working Group on the Financing of UNRWA to study the Agency’s financial deficit and to make specific recommendations, before the next regular meeting of the Advisory Commission, for measures to increase income and to find new sources of finance for UNRWA.

The Commission takes note with regret of the difficulties occasioned to the work of the Agency in Lebanon and the Occupied Territories by the events described in your draft report.

The Commission recalls that the major part of the UNRWA Headquarters is still outside its area of operations, and requests you to consider consolidation of the Headquarters in Beirut or elsewhere within the area of operations, in accordance with United Nations General Assembly resolution 33/112.

The Commission also notes the progress UNRWA has made in education and employment of women. In this regard it requests you to include in your next report to the General Assembly the progress you have made in this respect.

Finally, the Commission expresses its appreciation of your efforts and those of the UNRWA staff in performing your duties in spite of the difficulties.

INTRODUCTION

1. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) observed  the conclusion of 30 years of service to Palestine refugees on 30 April 1980. The current mandate of the Agency expires on 30 June 1981. It is therefore appropriate that UNRWA's functions should be reviewed in the light of present circumstances and needs for the future. The critical financial situation the Agency makes a re-examination of the terms of UNRWA's mandate all the more urgent.

2. Over the last three decades, the General Assembly has passed many resolutions relating to UNRWA (see annex II to the present report).  These have taken account of UNRWA’s changing role in the political situation in the Near East. General Assembly resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949, may be regarded as the founding charter of UNRWA. In the resolution the Assembly recognized the necessity of continued assistance for the relief of the Palestine refugees to prevent conditions of starvation and distress among them.  It also recognized that constructive measures should be undertaken at an early date with a view to the termination of international assistance for relief. In the resolution the Assembly foresaw the termination of direct relief by 31 December 1950, by which time the "works" function was to have superseded the "relief" function of the Agency. While the Assembly acknowledged the urgent need for international relief, it envisaged the early transfer to the Governments of the area of responsibility for all forms of assistance to those refugees who were not repatriated. By 1952 this was understood to mean both the education, health and welfare services which the Agency was itself mounting and the reintegration projects to be implemented by the Governments with Agency support. From 1958 the request to Governments to plan and carry out reintegration projects was omitted from Assembly resolutions, and UNRWA was asked to devise and execute programmes capable of supporting substantial numbers of refugees, particularly programmes relating to education and vocational training. These were to be undertaken alongside the relief and rehabilitation services already provided, which were to be equitably distributed and based on need. UNRWA's existence and its programmes of relief and works were (and still are) without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 11 of Assembly resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948.

3. Over the years UNRWA has become an organization dispensing services to a refugee population now numbering 1.8 million people (about half of the total number of Palestinians) living in five territories administered by four different Governments – services which would normally be provided by national governments in the spheres of education, health and social welfare. That, part of the Agency's original function which is represented by the "works" in its title, which was intended to mean projects for the resettlement of refugees as an alternative t& repatriation, was dropped over 20 years ago. The situation is today totally different from that in which UNRWA was originally established when emergency relief was the first priority. The gradual shift in priorities in UNRWA's operations has put education in the forefront, and the Agency now devotes well over half its expenditure to education and training, with over 314,000 children in its schools and 4,700 trainees in its vocational and teacher training centres. Its health services provide basic medical care as well as sanitation, drinking water and nutritional programmes for vulnerable groups. The relief and welfare services are now the third priority.

4. UNRWA has become an established institution in its area of operations and plays a central role in the lives of the Palestine refugees registered with it. Its importance as a stabilizing factor in the local scene is apparent in the social, economic and political spheres. Many thousands of Palestinians depend upon it socially and emotionally. Since UNRWA performs quasi-governmental functions in the spheres of education, health and relief, it represents to them an assurance that their existence is not overlooked by the international community. While UNRWA was established as a temporary agency to meet an emergency situation resulting from the Arab/Israeli conflict of 1948 in Palestine, it was envisaged that UNRWA would carry out its functions until a comprehensive settlement of the Palestine question was achieved and the Agency's responsibilities could be transferred in an orderly fashion to the Governments in the area. UNRWA's sudden, unplanned disappearance from the scene would cause severe problems both to the Palestine refugees and to the host Governments. The threat which hangs over UNRWA today is that inadequate income to maintain its services to the refugee community will cause it to collapse and that, instead of an orderly transfer of responsibilities, turmoil will ensue. I assume that the international community would not wish to see the demise of through financial collapse, but unless the financial prospects of the Agency improve greatly in 1981, this grim prospect may become a reality.

5. The budgetary deficits of UNRWA, i.e. the shortfall of projected income below planned expenditure, have become and are becoming larger year by year. Ever sums are required to maintain the services to the refugees at existing levels because of rising costs due to inflation and the growth in the school population. The budget for 1978 was set at $148.8 million, for 1979 $166.3 million and for 1980 $211.3 million. The figure for 1980 included $17 million for the purchase of foodstuffs in order to maintain the basic ration distributed to about 824,000 authorized recipients at the formerly established level, which included 10 kilos of flour per person monthly. This level has had to be halved over the last two years, since UNRWA now distributes only those foodstuffs in the basic ration which are given to it in kind by governments. The proposed budget for 1981 stands at $230.9 million and this sum excludes any provision for the purchase of foodstuffs in the basic ration, since it is unrealistic to include such expenditure when the Agency foresees the greatest difficulty in raising sufficient income to keep even its education and health programmes intact.

6. UNRWA entered 1980 with a budgetary deficit of $56.8 million, which had been reduced by the end of the reporting period to $47.0 million as a result of pledges of additional income. Unless income either pledged or reasonably foreseeable for 1981 exceeds income projected at the end of the reporting period for 1980, the Agency will go into 1981 with a budgetary deficit of $70.4 million, without making any provision for the purchase of flour. When the deficiency between projected income and planned expenditure is of this magnitude, I can keep expenditure within the limits of assured income only by planning severe reductions in the services provided to the refugees. Since UNRWA does not buy foodstuffs, it cannot save appreciable sums of money by reducing rations further. (There are relatively small costs involved in distributing foodstuffs given to the Agency.) This means that reduction of expenditure of the size required to bring expenditure into balance with income can only be found in the education and health programmes. In 1979 the Agency had planned to relinquish responsibility for the three-year lower secondary cycle of education in all five fields of its operations if sufficient income were not forthcoming to maintain the school system intact until the end of the year. In 1980 the Agency would have had to abandon the lower secondary cycle from May if sufficient reduction in expenditure was to be achieved. This would have provided too short a time for governments to respond to appeals for special contributions to UNRWA's income. It was decided therefore to plan to withdraw from the entire school system in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic, initially from 1 August. By the end of the reporting period additional income had been pledged to UNRWA which enabled the Agency to postpone the date of abandonment of its schools in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic to 1 October. Whereas relief operations can be conducted at any level for which funds are available and can be temporarily stopped, the institutionalized programmes of the Agency in the spheres of health and education cannot be turned off and on. Once a school system is broken up, the pupils dispersed and the teaching staff dismissed, the process is virtually irreversible In 1981, if forecasts of the budgetary position do not improve radically, the Agency will be obliged to plan even more severe cuts in its programmes and even earlier in the year.

7. Broadly speaking, there are two main methods available for reducing expenditure on services to the refugees.  The first is to cut the services to an equal extent in all the five fields of operation. Up to now, the Agency has had to reduce its services only in the relief and welfare programmes and has been able to maintain intact its health and education programmes. When it has become necessary, for instance, to reduce rations, this reduction was effected evenly between the fields. The second method is to differentiate selectively between the fields when cuts in services become inevitable. As explained above, when planning to reduce the education programme in 1980 the Agency came to the conclusion that it would be damaging to lay down financial responsibility for all its schools in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic while maintaining its schools in Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza. There are certain advantages to this second method, particularly in relation to the education programme.  If the decision were taken to mutilate the school system throughout the area of operations, this system would then be permanently damaged, or at the least would take a long time to restore. Although as a desperate measure the Agency planned in 1979 to close the lower secondary cycle of education in all its five fields, this would have caused enormous administrative disruption, because apart from any other, consideration most of UNRWA's schools work on a double shift basis whereby two schools share the same building at different times of the day. Should it prove necessary in 1981 to plan to reduce the health and education programmes, the Agency may decide to try to keep the programmes intact in certain fields while abandoning responsibility for them in others. The Agency would give priority to maintaining them in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza, where there is so far no Arab Government or administration which might be in the position to assume responsibility for the programmes.

8. The services to the Palestine refugees are provided by over 16,700 locally recruited staff members, the great majority of whom are themselves Palestine refugees. They are under the direction of international staff in 113 posts (88 UNRWA, 20 UNESCO and 5 WHO). One of the effects of a lack of adequate funds cover the Agency's budget is that it has not been possible over the last two years to make adjustments in local staff pay to meet fully the ever-rising cost of living. By the end of the reporting period, staff pay in some fields had suffered a serious decline in purchasing power (by up to nearly one quarter in one field) compared with January 1975, the base used by the Agency for the calculation of cost-of-living allowances. An agreement was reached with the staff unions in 1979 to put the determination of staff pay on a new basis by way of comparison with staff doing similar jobs outside the Agency in the public and private sectors. The International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) has given very valuable assistance to the Agency in this respect and agreed to carry out comprehensive surveys of conditions of employment in the area of operations. Priority was given to the occupied territories, where the rate of inflation has been extremely high, and a survey by a team led by an ICSC representative was being carried out in the West Bank at the end of the period under review. The new basis for the fixing of pay by comparison with outside occupations will, however, do nothing to alleviate the Agency's problem of finding the money to pay staff wages. Should the ICSC’s recommendations show that the Agency's wages should be increased, the Agency may be put in the highly unsatisfactory position of either having to underpay its staff or to dispense with large numbers of them and the programmes they conduct. The fact that they have continued without fail to perform their tasks in the service of their fellow Palestine refugees is a mark of their loyalty. I should like to pay tribute to their sense of devotion in very difficult circumstances for themselves and for their families.

9. Should the General Assembly decide that, in the absence of a comprehensive settlement  of the Palestine question, the mandate of UNRWA should be extended beyond 30 June 1981 the level of the activities of the Agency, their nature and their geographical location must depend upon the income which is made available to the Agency in the course of 1981 and during the remaining period of the renewed mandate.  Over 90 per cent of the UNRWA income is derived from voluntary contributions by governments, who by the size of their contributions will set the limits on UNRWA’s programmes in 1981 and beyond. They will decide in effect whether UNRWA can continue to operate its present 627 schools for 314,000 children in Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza; whether the Agency can go on providing medical care and public health services to one and a half million Palestine refugees throughout its area of operations; and whether the Agency can continue its modest provision of social welfare to the poorest refugees. I will, by the prudent management of the resources put at my disposal by the international community, do what I can to avoid a sudden collapse of the Agency through bankruptcy. But the international community must recognize that, unless adequate income is assured to the Agency in good time, I may be obliged to apply drastic surgery to the Agency’s programmes, either throughout the area of operations, or selectively in certain fields, or both. For Member States to vote for a resolution extending the mandate of UNRWA and then to fail to provide finance necessary to enable the Agency to go on functioning at its current level would represent a contradiction from which the first (but not the sole) sufferers would be the Palestine refugees.

SUMMARY

Education and training services

10. The education programme includes general education at elementary and lower secondary levels, vocational and teacher training and university scholarships. In 1979 expenditure on education and training amounted to $83.11 million and accounted for 52.5 per cent of the Agency's total expenditure. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) provides some directing and specialist staff including the Director of Education (see paras. 65-67).

11. In 1979/80 over 314,000 pupils were enrolled in UNRWA schools in Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, Jordan, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, served by a teaching force of almost 9,500. Double-shifting in the schools continued to be a problem. School construction, because of lack of funds, had to be limited to that necessary to prevent triple-shifting and to replace the most unsatisfactory school buildings.  All textbooks newly prescribed or revised by Governments of host countries were submitted to the Director-General of UNESCO for approval. All textbooks for use in the occupied territories were subject to import permits from the Israeli occupying authorities (see paras. 68-70).

12. In Lebanon there was some interruption of school programmes by military activity and political demonstrations. In the Syrian Arab Republic UNRWA school operated satisfactorily. In east Jordan the schools operated normally except that schools were closed on six days during the winter because of snow and later heavy rain which rendered some buildings unsafe. Two schools were handed over to the Jordanian Ministry of Education and two new UNRWA schools were opened. In the West Bank there was some disruption in the school programme through political tensions. In the Gaza Strip schools operated normally except for some interruptions during February and March as a result of demonstrations and security measures by the occupation authorities. The Israeli occupying authorities expelled on 1 July 1979 the UNESCO team supported by UNRWA which was supervising the school-leaving certificate examination. In 1980 these examinations took place without involvement of either UNESCO or UNRWA staff (see paras. 71-79).

13. The number of training places in UNRWA vocational training centres increased by 24 to 3,460. The Wadi Seer Training Centre in Jordan accepted female trainees for the first time. A gift of nearly $2.5 million from the OPFC Fund will enable UNRWA to raise the training capacity of its centres to 3,904 by 1982/83. The operation of all the centres except that in Damascus was affected by disturbances and demonstrations. The Ramallah Women's  Training Centre,  closed by  the Israeli  occupying  authorities on 13 March 1979, was reopened on 1 September 1979. Employment opportunities for graduates of the training centres remained good (see paras. 80-83).

14. The teacher-training activities aim primarily at providing qualified teach for UNRWA schools. Training is given both in pre-service and in-service training courses. Pre-service training is given to 1,240 students at four UNRWA centres one in Amman, Jordan, two in Ramallah, West Bank and one in Siblin, Lebanon. The Institute of Education continued to be the main body providing in-service training with an enrolment of 1,015 staff in Institute courses for 1979/80. Following a reorganization of the Education Department an effort was made to strengthen the integration of pre- and in-service teacher training (see paras. 84-89).

15. The UNESCO Extension Services Unit, which provided technical services to interested Arab Governments, ceased to function on 31 December 1979. The two Education Development Centres in Jordan and the Gaza Strip continued their efforts to improve the quality of education in UNRWA schools. The Department of Education organized various staff training activities and 18 senior Palestinian education staff members were awarded fellowships for overseas study. UNRWA awarded 354 scholarships to Palestine refugees in 1979/80 for study at Arab universities (see paras. 90-94).

Health services

16. Preventive and curative services were provided at 100 UNRWA health units and at 15 government and two voluntary agency clinics. Other services were subsidized by UNRWA. The delivery of curative services was disturbed from time to time by military activities in south Lebanon and disturbances in the West Bank. The Agency operated 24 dental clinics and 84 specialist clinics. Laboratory facilities were further improved (see paras. 95-98).

17. The Agency continued to operate a small hospital in Qalqiliya in the West Bank and nine camp maternity wards, mainly in Gaza. UNRWA continued to secure the necessary in-patient care through subsidies to government and private hospitals. UNRWA is negotiating with the Jordanian Government new terms of an agreement for the care of refugee patients referred to government hospitals. Claims for refund of hospital expenses in Gaza declined as many refugees joined the government insurance scheme. In Lebanon the acute shortage of hospital beds persisted (see paras. 99-102).

18. An extensive programme of immunization forms part of the maternal and child health services. Among the public health control measures, importance was laid on the improvement of environmental conditions and personal hygiene. A few case cholera were reported among refugees in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic. UNRWA operated a comprehensive tuberculosis control programme (see paras. 103-106).

19. Maternal and child health (MCH) care is provided in most UNRWA health centres, supplemented by a number of government and voluntary agency facilities. Planned parenthood activities were integrated into the MCH services in six health centres in the Gaza Strip. Pre-natal care was given to mothers. The majority of deliveries were attended at home by UNRWA-supervised midwives or carried out in UNRWA maternity centres. Child care includes the monitoring of growth, supervision of feeding practices, immunizations and the distribution of dried milk to children up to three years of age. The number of malnutrition clinics is now 28 (see paras. 107-109).

20. School health services include reinforcing immunizations and nutritional support at supplementary feeding centres. Health education was conducted in UNRWA schools. In each field a team of health education workers was active (see paras. 110-112).

21. Nursing services continue to form an integral part of UNRWA health services (see para. 113).

22. UNRWA continued to provide basic community sanitation services in the camps. It lent financial and technical support to self-help programmes such as the paving of pathways and the construction of drains and sewers. The replacement of community latrines by private ones has almost been completed. The self-help programme for private water connections to refugee shelters made progress in many camps. A scheme for providing adequate water for Agency installations in four camps in the Syrian Arab Republic was being executed. The improvement of refuse collection at various camps was under study (see paras. 114-119).

23. Promotion of the nutritional status of vulnerable groups of refugees is a feature of UNRWA health services. There is widespread iron deficiency anemia among infants and children. A supplementary feeding programme was carried out for vulnerable groups at 91 centres. Over 50,000 children took advantage of the distribution of whole and skim milk in dry form at child health clinics (see paras. 120-124).

24. Medical university scholarships were awarded and refugees enrolled in laboratory technician, public health inspection and assistant pharmacist courses in UNRWA training centres. UNRWA continued to pay a subsidy to a school of nursing in the area. Intensive in-service training of staff was carried out.  A programme sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) provided fellowships for health personnel. Specialized courses were arranged for nurses in post-basic midwifery and in ophthalmology (see paras. 125-127).

Relief services

25. UNRWA's relief services comprise the distribution of rations, the provision of assistance with housing and help to the very poor (see para. 128).

26. In Lebanon the relief programme continued to be disrupted by fighting. Many of the refugees who had returned to south Lebanon left again in the early months of 1979 for temporary accommodation in the area of Sidon. Special distributions of food were made to refugees displaced from the south (see paras. 129-131).

27. In the West Bank disturbances and security measures taken by the authorities interfered with the Agency's operations (see para. 132).

28. There were 1,844,318 refugees registered with the Agency on 30 June 1980, increase of 2.26 per cent compared with a year earlier. The Agency was unable carry out investigations of income to establish eligibility for Agency services throughout the area of operations, although in the West Bank and Gaza programme for partial rectification of the registration records were successful (see para. 133).

29. A ceiling has been maintained on the number of ration recipients in Jordan since 1953 and the other fields since 1963. The number of rations issued in December 1979 was 823,897. Only 45 per cent of registered refugees were in receipt of rations in June 1980. In Jordan UNRWA distributed rations on the Government's behalf to persons displaced in 1967 who are not registered with UNRWA as Palestine refugees. For financial reasons the basic ration cannot exceed such commodities as the Agency receives as contributions in kind. The flour component was reduced by half in 1979 and 1980 compared with the formerly established level of 10 kilos per month. The level of other commodities in the basic ration also had to be adjusted in 1979 and 1980 because of delays in the delivery of contributions in kind.  Certain categories, of welfare cases continued to receive extra rations except in the Syrian Arab Republic and in Lebanon (see paras. 134-137).

30.  The population of the 51 camps established before 1967 was 528,314 on 30 June 1980. In the 10 camps established in 1967 (six in east Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic) to house persons displaced in 1967 the population was 159,345. The proportion of registered refugees living in camps was 35.3 per cent (see para. 138).

31. In Jordan in addition to, minor repairs 10 prefabricated class-rooms were constructed and repairs made to some shelters for families too poor to bear the cost themselves. In the Syrian Arab Republic in addition to school construction and repairs to roads a feeding centre and two water towers were built by UNRWA. In Lebanon clashes in the south caused damage to Agency installations and refugee shelters. The continued fighting has prevented the reconstruction of Nabatieh camp. In the West Bank, in addition to some minor works carried out by the Agency, the refugees completed a number of self-help projects with some support from UNRWA. In the Gaza Strip the Israeli occupying authorities insisted that refugees demolish their shelters in camps as a condition of the provision of accommodation in new housing projects. The Agency carried out certain repairs and supported self-help projects carried out by the refugees (see paras. 139-155).

32. Voluntary agencies donated used clothing to UNRWA. The number of families registered as welfare cases (the very poor usually without a male breadwinner) totaled 24,298, comprising 118,472 persons, who were eligible for small-scale assistance by UNRWA. Fifty-one pre-school centres served 4,149 children. Youth activities were carried out in co-operation with the World Alliance of Young Men's' Christian Associations in 36 camps. Various other activities for young people were carried out. The Agency operated 14 centres for activities for women.  The Agency also organized training activities outside the schools and training centres to provide training in various skills for young refugees (see paras. 156-162).

Relations with other organizations of the United Nations system

33. UNESCO and WHO continued to provide on non-reimbursable loan directing staff for the education and health services. The United Nations Children's Fund and UNRWA co-operated in the procurement and transport of certain supplies (see paras. 163-165).

34. UNRWA's Vienna headquarters moved in August and September 1979 into the Vienna International Centre, where it enjoys certain common services with UNIDO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (see para. 166).

Personnel matters

35. Owing to lack of funds, the cost-of-living adjustments to the pay of locally-recruited staff were not made for the first three quarters of 1979. The Agency found it possible to make adjustments in the last quarter of 1979, and again in January 1980 for staff in the occupied territories where inflation is rampant. Since then until the end of the reporting period no further adjustments could be made. A new agreement was reached between the administration and the staff unions in October 1979 providing for remuneration to be based on surveys of prevailing conditions of service of comparable employees outside the Agency. The first survey, conducted by the International Civil Service Commission, was undertaken  in  the West Bank  and was  still in  progress on 30 June 1980 (see paras. 167-168).

36. At 30 June 1980 the Agency's financial position was such that sufficient income could not be foreseen to continue the schools in east Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic after 30 September 1980, which meant that unless additional income was forthcoming in time, about 4,900 educational staff members would have to be dismissed. There were 113 international staff posts on 30 June 1980 and 16,729 local posts (see paras. 169-170).

Legal matters

37. In the year under review 14 Agency staff members were detained in the Gaza Strip, seven in the West Bank, one in Jordan and two in the Syrian Arab Republic. The Agency continued to express its deep concern at cases of prolonged detention of its staff without charge or trial. The Jordanian Government objected to the continuation in Agency employment in Jordan of 12 locally-recruited staff who had come to Jordan from the Gaza Strip (see paras. 171-176).

38.   The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic continued to impose travel restrictions on one senior international staff member. The Israeli occupying authorities continued to impose restrictions on the duty travel of some Agency staff members to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The interrogation of staff members in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continued (see paras. 177-179).

39. Security measures imposed by the Israeli occupying authorities in the occupied territories affected UNRWA services. The Agency had to face difficulties affecting its schools and other installations in the West Bank in the year under review. On 9 April 1980 Israeli military forces entered the Men's Teacher Training Centre in Ramallah and beat some of the trainees. Demolition of refugee shelters on punitive grounds took place on two occasions in the West Bank and two in the Gaza Strip (see paras. 180-182).

40. The Agency pursued claims to exemptions from certain taxes and duties. It also pursued claims against Governments for losses arising from hostilities in 1967, 1975, 1976 and 1978 (see paras. 183-184).

Financial operations

41. This section presents UNRWA's actual financial operations in 1979 and its budgeted operations in 1980. In 1979 total income received was $152.2 million and total actual expenditure was $158.9 million, leaving a deficit of $6.7 million. Working capital, which stood at $14.6 million at 1 January 1979, had to be drawn down to cover the deficit, which was incurred despite the reduction of certain services to refugees, the postponement of some construction projects and the denial to local staff of some adjustments to cost-of-living allowances. Working capital was reduced to $7.9 million at year end (see paras. 185-188).

42. The Agency should have working capital equal to the cost of three months’ budgeted cash, operations, about $40 million, to permit the smooth operation of its activities. This would lessen the risk of the Agency having to suspend operations abruptly and thus having to increase its liability for termination indemnities to local staff members by some $15 million (see para. 189).

43. Cash in hand at the end of 1978 and again at the end of 1979 was only adequate for about two months.  At the end of 1979 unpaid pledges for 1979 or previous years totaled &19.3 million. Inventories of supplies and advances to suppliers stood at $12.9 million at the end of 1979 and accounts payable at 5.6 million (see paras. 190-191),

44. Provision for local staff separation costs had to be increased in 1979 from $17.3 million to $31.2 million. Budget commitments carried forward from 1979 to 1980 totaled $9.4 million (see paras. 192-193).

45. Concerning operations in 1980, the Agency estimated at the beginning of the year that its deficit was $56.8 million. Increases in estimated income, partly offset by budgeted  increases  in  expenditure, reduced the estimated deficit by the end of the 30 June 1980 to $46.9 million. At the end of the reporting period foreseeable income in 1980 was estimated at $164.4 million and budgeted expenditure at $211.3 million. Budgeted expenditure in 1980 on recurrent, operations is $53.1 million in excess of actual expenditure in 1979. The increase represents principally provision for improvements in staff remuneration and the continuing increase in the cost of non-staff items (see paras. 194-196).

46. The Agency clearly does not have sufficient working capital to cover its estimated deficit for 1980. Substantial portions of the current budget for 1980 will not be implemented unless additional income is received well before the end of the year (see para. 197).

Proposed budget for 1981 and budget for 1980

47. The 1980 budget is $211.3 million. The proposed budget for 1981 is set at $230.9 million. The 1980 budget shows a net increase of $26.1 million over the original estimates, mainly due to rising staff costs (see paras. 199-200).

48. In the budget for 1981 recurrent costs are set at $213.0 million, an increase of $20.7 million over the budget for 1980. Non-recurrent costs in 1981 are estimated at $17.9 million, a decrease of $1.1 million below the budget for 1980 (see paras. 201-203).

49. Staff costs constitute the principal type of expenditure in the Agency's budget (69 per cent in 1981). Inflation in staff costs therefore has an important effect on the total budget. Apart from increases in unit staff costs largely due to inflation, increased numbers of staff will be required in the education services (see paras. 204-205).

50. In education services the expected increase in costs in 1981 is mainly due to increased provision for pay and for the growth of pupil population, about 7,100 more than in 1980. In 1981 education will account for about 60 per cent of the total budget, compared with 20 per cent for relief services, 16 per cent for health services and 4 per cent for other costs (see para. 206).

51. In health services provision has been made to meet the basic needs of a slightly larger population in 1981 but with only a minimal increase in the number of staff. Provision is included under environmental sanitation for camp improvement schemes of a self-help kind (see para. 207).

52. In relief services provision has been made for continuation of services in 1981 at the level delivered in 1980 (see para. 208).

53. The budget for 1981 may have made an under-provision for termination indemnities for loss of employment. In the event of an abrupt suspension of the Agency's operations all local staff would probably become entitled to receive a termination indemnity, involving an increase in costs of over $15 million, for which no provision has yet been made (see para. 210).

54. The budget estimates for 1981 are shown in summary in three tables: A – recurrent costs; B – non-recurrent costs; and C – total costs (see para. 21l).

55. The cost of general education in 1981 is estimated at $111.0 million compared with $87.7 million in 1980. The increase of $21.7 million for recurrent costs reflects in part the continuing growth in the school population and increased staff costs. The provision of $6.2 million for non-recurrent costs includes the cost of construction of additional class-rooms to avoid triple-shifting, of new schools in a few locations, of multi-purpose activity rooms, libraries and science laboratories (see paras. 212-214).

56. The 198l budget for vocational and professional training is $13.6 million compared with $13.3 million in 1980. The estimates assume a total enrolment of 4,700 trainees during 1981. The amount provided for university scholarships is $250,000. Only $0.5 million is provided for non-recurrent costs compared with $2.4 million in 1980, since no provision has been made for any construction of training facilities in 1981 (see paras. 215-219).

57. $15.2 million is provided for medical services in 1981 compared with $13.1 million in 1980. With the rapid increase in costs, the Agency finds it difficult to prevent the level of health services for refugees falling below that provided by host Governments (see paras. 220-222).

58. Supplementary feeding will cost $8.2 million in 1981 compared with $7.5 million in 1980. For several years the Agency received a special contribution for the programme, but since 1979 the contribution has fallen short of the amount required to cover the full cost (see paras. 223-225).

59. Environmental sanitation will cost $62 million in 1981 compared with $5.1 million in 1980. The Agency is unable to raise existing minimum standards of sanitation because of rising costs. $0.5 million is provided for capital improvements to be constructed with refugee participation in self-help projects (see paras. 226-228).

60. $31.5 million is provided for basic rations in 1981 compared with $345.0 million in 1980. The costs under this heading include both the value and the final distribution of basic rations, but transport and warehousing of rations are charged to "supply and transport services". The budget for 1981 makes no provision for the purchase of commodities to make up the level to that formerly established, whereas the 1980 budget included $16 million for the purchase of flour for this purpose. The sum provided in the 1981 budget includes $0.9 million for extra flour distributions to special hardship cases (see paras. 229-231).

61. $1.0 million is provided in 1981 for shelter compared with $1.2 million in 1980. Of this, $0.4 million represents rental value of camp sites, most of which is covered by contributions in kind by governments. A further $0.4 million is provided for replacement and repair of sub-standard shelters (see paras. 232-233).

62. Special hardship assistance is set at $3.5 million in the 1981 budget compared with $1.9 million in the i980 budget. This item provides for additional relief to refugees who suffer from special hardship, but because of the financial position of the Agency only the most urgent cases can be considered (see paras. 234-236).

63. Common costs in 1981 are estimated at $31.5 million compared with $26.8 million in 1980, the increase being due mainly to rises in staff costs. Supply and transport services are shown as $11.4 million, other internal services as $14.5 million and general administration as $5.6 million. Other costs in 1981 are estimated at $9.3 million compared with $9.6 million in 1980. The 1981 estimates are to cover adjustment of the provision for local staff separation costs (see paras. 237-247).

64. Estimated income in 1981 is given as $160.5 million compared with $164.4 million in 1980 and the estimated deficit for 1981 is $70.4 million (see paras. 248-249).

CHAPTER I

REPORT ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE AGENCY FROM

1 JULY 1979 TO 30 JUNE 1980

A.  Education and training services

65. Under an agreement between UNRWA and UNESCO, the latter is responsible for the professional aspects of the UNRWA/UNESCO education programme, fulfilling its responsibility in part by the non-reimbursable loan to UNRWA of directing and specialist staff, including the Director of Education. At the end of the period under review these staff members numbered 13. The UNRWA/UNESCO education programme in 1979/1980 included general education at elementary and preparatory (lower secondary) levels in Agency schools, vocational and teacher training at Agency centres, the work of the Institute of Education and a university scholarship programme. Many refugee children continued their education at the upper secondary level in government schools of the host countries or in private schools. In Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic, book allowances were paid and, where no government secondary school was available, cash grants were made to refugee pupils attending private schools. In 1979, expenditure on education and training amounted to $83.4 million and accounted for 52.5 per cent of the Agency's total expenditure.

66. In addition, the Agency provides some pre-school education activity (para. 158), youth activities (paras. 159 and 160), adult training in crafts (paras. 161 and 162), and medical and paramedical education and training (paras. 125 and 126).

67. The crisis facing the education programme in 1980, when forecasts of income were insufficient to cover the entire school system to the end of 1980, has been described (paras. 6 and 7).

1.  General education

68. In 1979/1980, as in previous years, the largest single Agency activity was general education, and a total of 314,164 pupils (3,080 more than in 1978/1970) were enrolled in the 627 Agency elementary and preparatory schools in Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, east Jordan, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, served by a teaching force of 9,479. A further 87,641 refugee pupils were known to be enrolled in government and private elementary, preparatory and secondary schools in the same areas and approximately 41,460 non-eligible children were in Agency schools (see foot-note a/ to table 9 of annex I). The education staff in each field is headed by a Field Education Officer, an UNRWA local staff member, working under the professional guidance of the Director of Education and of the specialist staff of the Department of Education at headquarters.

69. Double-shifting of schools continued to be a problem and, because of the steady natural growth in the school population and the Agency's lack of funds for school construction on the scale required, was necessary in 464 schools (74 per cent of the total) during 1979/1980. In elementary schools in east Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic, double-shifting affected 94.2 and 87.9 per cent of the pupils respectively. It was possible to avoid turning children away from school only through double-shifting and the construction of some additional classrooms. Lack of funds for capital expenditure generally limited school construction to the minimum necessary to prevent triple-shifting and to replace the most unsatisfactory school premises. During 1979/1980, over all fields, 13 prefabricated class rooms, 77 standard class and administration rooms and eight specialized rooms were completed, while 28 standard class and administration rooms and four specialized rooms were under construction.

70. As in the years since 1989, all textbooks newly prescribed or revised by Governments of host countries were submitted to the Director-General of UNESCO for approval before they were procured for Agency schools. In the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, where Jordanian, and Egyptian books respectively are used, books approved by the Director-General are subject to the further requirement of a special import permit from the Israeli authorities. The situation is described in greater detail, field by field, in paragraphs 72, 73, 75, 77 and 78 below.

71. In Lebanon, most Agency schools opened on the scheduled date of 17 September 1979 for the 1979/1980 school year, but schools in the Saida area were able to open only on 24 September 1979, after evacuation of them by refugee families who had occupied them after fleeing from the Tyre area following Israeli attacks during the previous months. The schools in the Tyre area began accepting pupils from 17 September 1979 and attendance built up gradually as the refugees returned. There was, however, a slower return of refugees to the village of Damour, south of Beirut, and the four schools there reported barely five per cent attendance during the latter part of September 1979. Refugees did not return to Nabatiyeh, south Lebanon, in sufficient numbers to justify reopening the one Agency school there until October 1979, and then with only about one third of its previous enrolment. The remaining two thirds of the Nabatiyeh school pupils were expected to be accommodated in a newly-rented school in the village of Shihim, near Saida, but this school had not become available by the end of the school year and the pupils were distributed among the Saida schools. The schools operated relatively smoothly throughout the period 1 October 1979 to 27 January 1980, interrupted only by two days of strikes it November 1979, and a one-day strike in January 1980, as a result of political events of significance to the Palestinians. An increase in civil unrest and external attacks, beginning on 28 January 1980 with artillery shelling of the Tyre area, interrupted the operation of schools. Saida schools were closed for  two days  and Tyre schools for eight days from 28 January to 31 March 1080 because of artillery shelling on these areas. In April 1980, schools in Beirut aid not operate on four days and schools in north Lebanon did not operate on three days because of armed clashes between opposing factions, while the spring vacation was extended by three days for schools in Saida and Tyre and for six days for the schools in Damour because of fears of reprisals for a Palestinian attack in Israel. In addition, bad weather, interrupted the operation of four schools in the Beqa’a valley for one to six day's in March 1980, and of the schools in north Lebanon for one day in April 1980. Israeli attacks and continued civil unrest led to further disruptions and the loss of up to seven more days of school time during May and

June 1980.

72. Enrolment in Agency schools in Lebanon totaled 33,093 refugee pupils, 23,955 of whom were in the elementary and 9,138 in the preparatory schools. Of the 84 schools, comprising 728 elementary and 297 preparatory class sections with a total of 1,260 teachers, 47 schools with 482 class sections operated a double shift. Prescribed textbooks for Agency schools in Lebanon totaled 193, all of which have been approved by UNESCO.

73. In the Syrian Arab Republic, Agency schools started the year on 15 September 1979 and operated satisfactorily during the year. A total of 43,792 pupils attended the 66 elementary and 44 preparatory schools, comprising 1,159 class sections served by 1,376 teachers. Ninety-one of these schools, involving 1,000 class sections and 38,480 pupils, operated a double shift.  During the school year, 13 textbooks were newly prescribed, one of which has not yet been published; of the 12 published, 3 were approved by UNESCO. Of the 113 textbooks in all currently prescribed, 78 have been approved by UNESCO.

74. In east Jordan, the 198 Agency schools commenced the year on 27 August 1979 and operated normally throughout the year, except that schools were closed on six days during the winter months because heavy snowfalls disrupted transport and communications. Heavy rain also during winter rendered some school premises unsafe, necessitating the temporary transfer of students of 10 schools to other premises, mostly to nearby government schools, where the Agency schools operated a double shift. Two UNRWA school premises were handed over to the Jordan Ministry of Education because they were in an area where the numbers of refugee pupils had decreased and non-refugee pupils had increased. At the same time, two new UNRWA schools were opened in a neighboring area where the number of refugee pupils had increased. The total enrolment was 127,920 in the elementary and preparatory cycles comprising 3,171 class sections served by 3,586 teachers. Double-shifting occurred in 185 schools, involving 2,971 class sections and 120,435 pupils.

75. Under the Jordan Government’s new education plan of 1978, 16 textbooks were newly prescribed in 1979/80 by the Ministry of Education; four have not yet been published, but of the 12 published seven were approved by UNESCO for use in Agency schools. The total number of textbooks prescribed in Jordan was, 126, of which 95 have been approved by UNESCO.

76. In the West Bank, Agency schools started the school year on 19 August 1979: and operated satisfactorily except that the increase in tension and disturbances resulting from the effects of occupation created general unrest which was not conducive to effective teaching and learning. Incidents such as the threatened deportation of the Mayor of Nablus by the occupation authorities in November 1979 the establishment of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Israel in February 1980, the events in Hebron in April and May 1980 and the attempts on the lives of three mayors also in May 1980 had their repercussions in unrest and disruption in the school programme: 39 schools lost from one to 14 days instruction time which was compensated for by special programmes of intensive work and additional periods.

77. Enrolment in the 99 Agency schools in the West Bank totaled 37,133 pupils in 736 elementary and 303 preparatory class sections, served by 1,201 teachers. Fifty-six schools, with 520 class sections and 19,823 pupils, operated a double shift. Of the 126 textbooks prescribed for Jordan, UNESCO approved 95, of which the Israeli occupying authorities refused import permits for 13.

78. In the Gaza Strip the Agency school started on 2 September 1979 and operated normally throughout the year, except for some interruptions during February and March 1980. A curfew imposed by the Israeli authorities following a bombing incident in Gaza town led to an interruption of all schools in Gaza town, Gaza Beach and Jabalia on three days in February 1980. The loss of another three days later in the same month occurred as a result of demonstrations against the establishment of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Israel. Schools in  Jabalia and Khan Yunis also lost two days of school time in March 1980 as a result of demonstrations in protest against Israeli actions in the occupied areas. Enrolment totaled 72,226 pupils in 136 schools, comprising 1,190 elementary and 466 preparatory class sections with a teaching force of 2,056.  Double-shifting occurred in 85 schools, involving 994 class sections with 44,118 pupils. Textbooks from Egypt for use in Agency schools in Gaza continued to be transported to Gaza by land under the same arrangements as agreed with the Governments concerned in previous years. The total number of textbooks prescribed by the Egyptian Ministry of Education was 106, six which have not yet been published. Of the 100 published, 69 have been approved by UNESCO, and of these the occupying authorities have permitted the importation of 50, have disallowed the importation of 15 and have four under consideration.

79. The organization by UNESCO of the 1979 secondary school-leaving certificate examination for pupils in the Gaza Strip, with logistical support from the UNRWA field office in Gaza, was interrupted by the Israeli authorities' decision to expel all members of the UNESCO supervising team from the Gaza Strip on 1 July 1979. The examinations were therefore not completed under the supervision of UNESCO. In 1980 these examinations took place without involvement of either UNESCO or UNRWA staff.

2.  Vocational and technical education

80. A further small increase was registered in the number of training places available to Palestine refugees in the vocational and technical courses conducted in UNRWA training centres, bringing the training capacity to 3,460. The increase, a net total of 24 places, was achieved by extending the double-shift system at the Wadi Seer Training Centre (Jordan) and Gaza Vocational Training Centre to include additional class sections in existing courses (Auto body Repairer at Wadi Seer and Builder/Shutterer at Gaza), and by allowing the Refrigeration and Air conditioning course at Siblin to build up to full capacity with the addition of one class section. It may be noted here that Wadi Seer Training Centre accepted female trainees for the first time this school year.  At present six girls are enrolled in the Laboratory Technician course, another Seven in the Architectural Draughtsman course and four more in the Quantity Surveyor course (total 17). It is hoped to extend this arrangement to other centres (Damascus Vocational Training Centre introduced it several years ago) and to other courses. Details of the training places available in the Agency training centres in 1979/80 by course, centre and year of study are given in table 13 of annex I. In addition, the Agency sponsored the vocational training of 51 refugees in private institutions.

81. Thanks to a generous contribution of $2,470,900 from the OPEC Fund specifically for vocational and technical education, the Agency can continue to expand the programme, and this contribution, coupled with decisions taken by UNRWA during the year, will raise the training capacity to 3,904 by 1982/83, an increase of 444 over the present level. The OPEC Fund contribution has also made it possible for the Agency to implement plans for the establishment of an Instructor Training Unit at the Wadi Seer Training Centre.  This will enable the Agency to intensify the in-service training of vocational and technical instructors, and bring about a significant improvement in the qualitative aspects of the training programme.

82. As in previous years, the operation of all centres, except the Damascus Vocational Training Centre has been affected to some extent by disturbances such as protest demonstrations and strikes.  However, there has been be considerable improvement at the Siblin Training Centre in Lebanon. Several factors, including a change in the administration of the Centre have contributed to this. Although some courses carried over large losses in training time from last year and the start of the current school year for the new intake was delayed by several weeks because of the security situation, the calmer atmosphere at the Centre has enabled compensation plans to be implemented and the courses should be on schedule by the end of the present school year (August). The Amman and Wadi Seer Training Centres (Jordan) lost nine training days during the year, six when the centres were closed because of heavy snowfalls during winter, and three when the centres were again closed as a precaution on the occasion of "Land Day" (29-31 March). The three centres in the occupied territories, namely the Gaza Vocational Training Centre, Kalandia Vocational Training Centre and Ramallah Women's Training Centre, have all been seriously affected by the prevailing civil unrest and demonstrations, including protests and strikes over such events as those described in paragraph 76 above and proposals to establish more Israeli settlements on Arab land especially in Hebron. Consequently, during the year the Gaza centre lost nine days’ instruction time, Kalandia 42 and the Ramallah Women’s Centre 30 days. On a number of other days the West Bank centres suffered from partial attendance of the trainees. The Ramallah Women's Training Centre reopened on 1 September 1979 after its enforced closure on 13 March 1979 by the Israeli authorities. 1/ In order to compensate for the lost training time courses which should have been completed by the end of July 19791 were extended until the beginning of November 1979. This delayed enrolment of the now students until 5 November 1979, so that, even before the previously mentioned interruptions occurred, the centre faced the task of compensating for at least nine weeks of instruction.

83. Work-opportunities for graduates of the Agency’s vocational and technical education training centres continued to be excellent. The demand for training places from Palestine refugees eligible for this form of assistance rises each year and less than 20 per cent (approximately 1,900) of those applying can be accepted because of the limited capacity. Clearly there is ample justification for a large-scale expansion of the programme, but only limited expansion is possible given the Agency's present financial resources.

3.  Teacher training

84. The teacher-training activities aim primarily at providing qualified teachers for Agency schools. Teachers are needed continuously to meet the increase in the number of pupils and to make up for teachers who leave the Agency's service through retirement, death or resignation. The teacher-training sections of the Agency training centres accept Palestine refugee candidates who have successfully completed 12 years of general schooling, and provide, them with a two-year professional training programme which qualifies them to teach at the elementary school level. Graduates of these centres are given priority for Agency appointments.  If further elementary school teachers are needed, the Agency then resorts to university or high school graduates. As these candidates usually lack professional qualifications, the Agency arranges basic in-service teacher-training courses for them through the UNRWA/UNESCO Institute of Education, which forms part of the Department's Teacher and Higher Education Division. For the preparatory level where teachers specialize in individual, subjects, the Agency either recruits university graduates who, if without professional training, are enrolled in a professional one-year in-service training course organized by the Institute of Education or upgrades qualified elementary school, teachers and enrolls them in a two-year in-service subject specialization courses.

85. During 1979/1980, pre-service teacher training continued to be provided at four Agency centres – one in Amman, Jordan, two in Ramallah, West Bank, and one in Siblin, Lebanon.  Enrolment  totaled l,240, made up of 590 males and 650 females (see table 18 of annex I for details). Operations at the Amman and Siblin centres were satisfactory, with the former losing only nine days’ instruction throughout the year and the latter only four, which, for Siblin, represented a significant improvement over the situation of previous years, although the enrolment of the new intake of teacher trainees was delayed until 19 November 1979 because of the need to set special entrance tests. As described in paragraph 82 above for vocational training, teacher training at the West Bank centres suffered serious interruptions as a result of the strikes and demonstrations over events which were of political significance to the Palestinian community. Thus, the Ramallah Men's Teacher Training Centre lost 47 days' instruction and the Ramallah Women's Training Centre 30 days. This created a serious situation for the Women's Centre, which had enrolled its new students on 5 November 1979 after the graduation of the previous second-year trainees whose training had been extended to November 1979 following the enforced closure of the centre by the Israeli authorities from 13 March to 31 August 1979.

86. The Jordan Government introduced a new study plan for its teacher-training institutions in 1979/1980, and the Agency’s centres in Amman and Ramallah introduced what new subject content could be included within existing time allotments and staff manning tables, pending a comprehensive study of the new plan. A conference of Agency field education officers, teacher-training centre principals, chief instructors and the headquarters staff members concerned was held to examine all aspects of the new study plan and other proposals to improve the quality of teacher training in Agency centres. As a result of the conference's recommendations, the Agency decided to adopt the major part of the Jordan Government's plan for its teacher-training centres in Jordan, including the West Bank, as from 1980/198l.

87. At the end of 1978/1979 training year, 590 teacher trainees (287 men and, 303 women) graduated from the pre-service training centres. By 30 June 1980, 329 of them were employed in Agency schools (155 in east Jordan, 63 in West Bank, 101 in Gaza, and 10 in Lebanon), and 84 were known to have found employment outside the Agency, making a total of 68.3 per cent of the 1979 graduates known to be employed. Ninety-one male graduates were undergoing compulsory military training in Jordan, 46 were known to be without employment and the employment status of 50 graduates was unknown.

88. The UNRWA/UNESCO Institute of Education continued to be the main body within the Agency to provide in-service training of education staff. Enrolment of such staff in Institute courses increased by 30.8 per cent over 1978/79, reaching 1,015 in 1979/1980: 46 in the two-year basic course for unqualified elementary school teachers, 165 in specialized preparatory teacher training courses, 546 in special courses to meet curricular changes, 75 in courses for key education personnel and 183 in refresher and ad hoc courses. Of the cumulative total of 4,560 teachers who have participated so far in the Institute's basic in-service professional courses for elementary teachers, 3,650 successfully completed their training and were recognized by the Agency as qualified elementary teachers and were graded accordingly. At the same time, 2,510 preparatory teachers, out of a cumulative total of 3,368 participants, successfully, completed specialized preparatory-level in-service courses and were recognized as qualified preparatory teachers and also graded accordingly.

89. Following the establishment of the Teacher and Higher Education Division responsible for both pre-service and in-service training, a concerted effort was made to strengthen the integration of the two aspects of teacher-training. Among the joint ventures carried out were a seminar on selected innovations in teacher education for teacher-training instructors, school and subject supervisors, and field tutors in Jordan, an in-service course for teacher-training instructors in the Siblin Training Centre (Lebanon) the preparation of instructional material to serve both, and the publication of a journal entitled Student/Teacher.

90. The UNESCO Extension Services Unit, which provided technical services to interested Arab in-service teacher-training projects in the region, ceases to function on 31 December 1979, following a decision by UNDP, to establish a regional centre for the development of in-service teacher training in the Arab States; the proposed regional centre would take over the services previously provided by the Extension Services Unit. During the reporting period, the Unit's main activity was a second workshop for writers of instructional materials for in-service teacher-training courses. Representatives from four Arab States attended the workshop which was held from 22 July to 16 August 1979 in Amman. Other activities included assistance to the Syrian Department of Continuous Training and the United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Education in planning and implementing in-service training activities, and utilization of the services of a short-term consultant to develop procedures and tools for the identification of the training needs of teachers in Agency service.

91. The two Education Development Centres, established in Jordan and the Gaza Strip in 1974, continued their efforts to improve the quality of education provided by UNRWA schools in their respective fields. In co-ordination with the Teacher and Higher Education Division, the centres conducted in-service training courses for various categories of educational personnel. In addition, they carried out supervision of teachers in elementary and preparatory schools and promoted educational development projects aimed at, achieving more effective teaching and learning in schools through the preparation of curriculum enrichment materials, the production of audio-visual aids and evaluation tools, and the provision of library and documentation services.

92. In addition to these in-service training courses, the Department of Education organized various staff training activities which took the form of conferences workshops, seminars and short courses for teachers, teacher-training instructors and school and subject supervisors.  During 1979/1980, 38 such activities were organized involving 1,900 education staff in all fields. Furthermore, 18 senior Palestinian education staff members were awarded fellowships for overseas study aimed at improving their professional competence; of these 14 were awarded by UNESCO and by UNRWA.

4.  University scholarships

93. During the academic year 1979/1980, UNRWA awarded 354 scholarships to Palestine refugees for study at Arab universities, of which 287 were continuing scholarships and 67 were hew awards (see table 14 of annex I). The UNRWA scholarships, partly funded from special contributions, are awarded for one year, but are renewable from year to year for the duration of the course of study, provided the student passes the end-of-year university examinations and is promoted to the next stage of his course.

94. By its resolution 311/52 C of 23 November 1979, the General Assembly, appealed, inter alia, to all Member States and United Nations agencies to make special allocations, scholarships and grants to Palestine refugees and requested UNRWA to receive hold in trust and award then. The Secretary-General's report to the Assembly will describe the response in detail.

B.  Health services

95. Preventive and curative services were provided to eligible Palestine refugees at the 100 UNRWA health units and by special arrangement at 15 government and two voluntary agency clinics. Other medical services to eligible refugees were subsidized at government, university and private health institutes. The extent of utilization of these services is influenced by the accessibility of the units to the intended beneficiaries and by the availability of alternative government and other services at little or no cost.

1.  Medical care

96. Curative services, both in- and out-patient, were extended at about the same level as in previous years, except that their delivery was interrupted from time to time by military activities in south Lebanon and disturbances in the West Bank of Jordan. Statistical data in respect of the out-patient care directly provided by the Agency are shown in table 5 of annex I.

97. The Agency operates 24 dental clinics and continues to strengthen its specialist clinics where patients with degenerative and chronic diseases are seen by appointment and proper follow-up is ensured. There are now 84 such clinics: 28 for malnutrition, 20 for diabetes, 12 for tuberculosis, 11 for eye diseases, 7 for rheumatic diseases, 3 for ear, nose and throat, 2 for cardio-vascular conditions and 1 for dermatology.

98. Laboratory facilities were further improved. In addition to operating the three central UNRWA laboratories in Gaza, Amman and Jerusalem, the Agency has 23 clinical laboratories where simple on-the-spot tests are carried out. Fifteen of these laboratories are now equipped to carry out common biochemical examinations thus reducing referrals to the central laboratories.  In Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic subsidized private laboratories provide the services normally performed by the central UNRWA laboratories in the other fields.

99. The Agency continued to operate a small hospital of 36 beds in Qalqiliya (West Bank) and nine camp maternity wards, the majority in the Gaza Strip.  It also administers, jointly with the Public Health Department in Gaza, a tuberculosis hospital at Bureij where the bed complement was reduced to the actual need of 70 beds. UNRWA continued to secure the necessary in-patient care facilities through subsidies to government and private hospitals. As set forth in detail in table 6 of annex I, the daily average number of hospital beds made available to refugee patients during the year was 1,446. The rising cost of medical care entailed substantial increases in almost all subsidy rates paid by UNRWA.  In addition to the subsidized facilities, an undetermined number of refugee patients directly sought admission to government hospitals at nominal cost, particularly in the Syrian Arab Republic. In Jordan the Ministry of Health suspended, with effect from January 1980, the collection of fees from refugee patients referred to its hospitals by Agency medical officers. The collection of fees from refugee patients was reinstated in June. The Agency is negotiating with the Government new terms of agreement covering this service.

100. In Gaza, the Agency maintained its refund scheme for refugee patients hospitalized in government institutions in Gaza or Israel. The number of claims for financial help substantially decreased as many refugees joined the Government National Health Insurance Plan.

101. In Lebanon an acute shortage of hospital beds persists, since many of the hospitals became inaccessible to Palestine refugees. However, in Beirut most of the difficult cases continue to be referred to the Medical Centre of the American University of Beirut and a good number of refugees requiring emergency or surgical attention directly seek admission to institutions operated by the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

102. The Agency provides, to a limited extent, for medical rehabilitation of crippled children in specialized institutions, as well as for orthopedic devices. Contributions from voluntary agencies usually help to meet the cost of appliances.

2.  Control of communicable diseases

103. Prevention and control of communicable diseases are among the main concerns of the Agency's Department of Health. An expanded programme of immunization forms an integral part of the Agency's maternal and child health (MCH) services. Small children attending the clinics are thus protected against tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, enteric fevers, measles and smallpox. Following the recent declaration by WHO of the global eradication of smallpox, immunization against this disease was discontinued early in 1980. Reinforcing doses of vaccines are given to children on admission to school.

104. Among the control measures of public health importance are the improvement of environmental conditions, the emphasis on personal hygiene through health education activities, particularly in schools and in health centres, and the administration of specific chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis. The incidence of communicable diseases among the refugee population has been kept under surveillance since the very beginning of the Agency's operations. In disease surveillance and control close co-operation is maintained with the government health authorities.

105. This year a few cases of cholera were report among refugees in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic and all were cured. Two imported cases of malaria were reported. A substantial drop was observed in the number of reported cases of poliomyelitis, infectious hepatitis, whooping cough, measles and mumps. There was little change in the incidence of enteric fevers, trachoma, conjunctivitis and other communicable diseases.

106. The Agency operates a comprehensive tuberculosis control programme, including case detection, hospital and domiciliary treatment and follow-up of cases and their contacts. The incidence of respiratory tuberculosis has for several years been about one case per 10,000 population eligible for health services.  A number of non-respiratory tuberculosis cases was reported from Jordan and Gaza and specific treatment was given.

3.  Maternal and child health

107. Maternal and child health care is provided in most UNRWA health centres, supported by specialist and hospital referral services. A number of government and voluntary agencies supplemented Agency services, especially in Amman, Damascus and Jerusalem. In Gaza, the Swedish Save the Children Federation continued to support the MCH and planned parenthood programme. To strengthen this programme, planned parenthood activities were integrated into the MCH services in six health centres in the Gaza Strip. Data on maternal and child health services are presented in table 7, of annex I.

108. Prenatal care, including regular health supervision and the issue of extra rations and iron-folate tablets, was extended to 30,654 women. Assistance was provided for 31,869 deliveries, the majority of which were attended at home by Agency-supervised dayahs (traditional midwives) or carried out in UNRWA maternity centres; hospital deliveries were reserved mainly for women at risk of a complicated delivery.

109. On the average, 99,500 children up to three years of age were registered for child care. Health supervision in MCH clinics included continuous monitoring of growth and feeding practices. Primary and reinforcing immunizations were given against the eight important diseases listed in paragraph 103 above. Nutrition of children was promoted through educational activities in UNRWA MCH clinics and through the provision of hot meals at UNRWA feeding centres. The programme of dry milk distribution now includes all children up to three years of age (see para. 123). About 1,730 children suffering from diarrhoeal diseases, with or without malnutrition, were treated in the Agency's 21 rehydration/nutrition centres.  The number of malnutrition clinics is now 28: 5 in east Jordan, 14 in the West Bank, 6 in the Syrian Arab Republic, and 3 in Gaza.

110. The health centres and the school health teams (three in the Jordan field and one in each of the four other fields) provided school health services for children in Agency elementary and preparatory schools (see annex I, table 7 C). Medical examinations were performed at school entry and, where necessary treatment was provided to school entrants and other pupils. Reinforcing immunizations were given against tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus in all fields and smallpox and typhoid in some. Nutritional support was provided in the form of a daily hot meal at the supplementary feeding centres. In all Agency schools, health education was conducted and sanitary facilities were under constant surveillance. Important activities in the school health programme include detection and care of vision and hearing defects, early preventive and restorative dental care and mass treatment of certain parasitic infestations.

111. In each field, a team of health education workers promoted the health education programme with the participation of health education and welfare staff. Their activities in health centres, schools, welfare centres and camp communities were supported by damp and school health committees and included camp sanitation drives and disease prevention campaigns. Activities in relation to the International Year of the Child continued throughout the year. The Health Calendar for 1980, used primarily in Agency schools but also in other Agency installations, had as its theme the handicapped child, with special stress on prevention of diseases and accidents causing disability and physical handicaps.

112. In Gaza a course on "Health and Family Life" was conducted in Agency preparatory schools. Classes in mother and child care were included in the sewing courses for young women in all fields. World Health Day was celebrated Agency-wide on the theme "Smoking or health – the choice is yours".

4.  Nursing services

113. The nursing services in each of the five fields continue to form an integral part of the Agency's health services, both curative and preventive. Auxiliary nursing staff members were extensively employed in all the activities related to the health programme. Dayahs continue to carry out a large proportion of the post-natal care as well as the home deliveries. In-service training and continuing education of the different categories of nursing staff, essential to good standards of care, were carried out in different areas. In addition, post basic education was made available to some staff members, sponsored by voluntary agencies.

5.  Environmental health

114. The Agency continued to provide basic community sanitation services in the, camps, comprising mainly the provision of potable water, sanitary disposal of waste, drainage of storm water, latrine facilities and control of insect and rodent vectors of disease. More than 682,000 camp inhabitants in 61 locations have benefited from these services. In spite of the formidable financial difficulties faced by the Agency, sanitary conditions in the refugee camps continued to improve.

115. The Agency lent financial and technical support to self-help programmes such as the paving of pathways and the construction of surface drains and sewers in various camps. During the period under review such schemes, which are executed with substantial community participation, benefited 10 camps in Lebanon, 4 in the Syrian Arab Republic, 2 in east Jordan, 14 in the West Bank and 7 in the Gaza Strip. A significant achievement of the programme has been reached at Mieh Mieh Camp in Lebanon, where the refugee community has recently completed a sewerage scheme initiated in 1972. The camp now has adequate sewerage facilities, an independent water supply system with indoor tapping, a power-generating set for pumping plant, paved pathways and storm water drains. All the facilities were provided by the refugees themselves, supported by very modest subsidies and technical guidance from the Agency.

116. The programme of replacement of communal latrines by private ones is almost complete. However, the Agency continued to provide financial assistance selectively to a limited number of additional refugee families resulting from normal population growth. The municipal sewerage schemes at Amman New and Jabal el-Hussein camps in Jordan and Shu’fat Camp in the West Bank are progressing steadily. Agency-subsidized self-help sewerage schemes have been initiated at Ein el-Hilweh and Burj el-Barajneh camps in Lebanon where the refugees are eager to have this facility.

117. The self-help programme for private water connections to refugee shelters made progress in 15 camps in the West Bank, 2 in the Gaza Strip, 2 in the Syrian Arab Republic, 5 in east Jordan and 1 in Lebanon.  About 52 per cent of the camp population are currently served by indoor tap-water.  A scheme involving drilling of a deep well, installation of a pumping station, construction of a water tower and provision of indoor taps to all shelters has recently been completed by the refugees at Wavel Camp in Lebanon with assistance from the Agency. The Government of Jordan is executing a water augmentation scheme at Suf Camp, which is likely to provide indoor taps in due course. A similar scheme financed by the Government is planned for Jalazone Camp in the West Bank.

118. In the Syrian Arab Republic, a programme for providing adequate water for Agency installations in four camps is being financed and executed by the Agency. Schemes for Jaramana and Khan Eshieh camps, where schools, clinics and supplementary feeding centres were suffering from water shortages, have been completed, while similar schemes, involving drilling of deep wells, are being implemented in the Sbeineh and Khan Danoun camps.

119. A programme for further improvement of refuse collection and removal facilities in various camps in the fields is under study; its gradual implementation will depend on the availability of funds.

6.  Nutrition, including supplementary feeding

120. Constant supervision protection and promotion of the nutritional status of the refugees is an important feature of the Agency's health services directed particularly at the most vulnerable groups of refugees: infants, pre-school and school children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, non-hospitalized tuberculosis patients and some others. Growth development of children attending the child health clinics through regular weight measurements is closely observed. The data collected during the year show a satisfactory general nutritional state in most refugee children, comparable with that of the residents of the host countries, although a sizable percentage of refugee children suffer from mild or moderate degrees of malnutrition, also similar to those in host countries. A relatively high proportion of infants and children, as well as pregnant women and nursing mothers, with moderate-to-low levels of hemoglobin suggests the presence of widely-spread iron-deficiency anemia.

121. The Agency’s supplementary feeding programme provides hot midday meals, milk and extra rations for vulnerable groups. As in previous years, the cost of this programme was almost entirely met by a contribution from the European Economic Community.

122. At the 87 UNRWA supplementary feeding centres and four voluntary agency centres nutritionally balanced, hot midday meals are served six days a week to refugee children up to the age of eight and, on medical grounds, to older children and adults also. A special high-protein high-calorie diet is also available daily to infants and children suffering from diarrhea or malnutrition. Vitamin A and D capsules are issued with the hot meals.

123. Whole and skim milk are distributed in dry form to non-breast-fed infants, up to six months and to all children from six to 36 months attending the child health clinics. Over 50,000 children take advantage of this programme.

124. In Jordan, as in previous years, the Agency continued to provide, on behalf of the Government and on a reimbursable basis, milk and hot meals for displaced persons (other than UNRWA-registered refugees) living in the camps established in 1967.

7.  Medical and paramedical education and training

125. In the 1979/1980 scholastic year, 164 refugee students held UNRWA medical university scholarships (see annex I, table 14), and 151 refugee trainees were enrolled in laboratory technician, public health inspector and assistant pharmacist courses in Agency training centres. Of these, 29 university students and 73 trainees either successfully completed their courses of study or were expected to pass their qualifying examinations.

126. The Agency continued to pay a subsidy to one school of nursing in the area. Financial assistance was provided to a number of student nurses from contributions received for this purpose. Six sponsored student nurses enrolled in basic nursing training graduated during the year under review, and 10 are pursuing their training.

127. Intensive in-service training of doctors, nurses, midwives, sanitation and supplementary feeding staff was carried out. Within the framework of a WHO-sponsored training and fellowship programme for health personnel, four medical officers were granted fellowships by the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office for public health training in the academic year 1979/80, and two WHO fellows completed their public, health training in August 1979.  Three medical officers were granted special study-leave of six, 10 and 12 months' duration for specialization in pediatrics, surgery and ear, nose and throat respectively. WHO-sponsored seminars were held in the West Bank and Gaza in December for the benefit of UNRWA medical officers, and two WHO consultants lectured on breast -feeding and oral rehydration therapy. A five-day seminar was held in August for 30 science teachers in Gaza participating in the school health programme for the third grade in boy's preparatory schools. Two senior-staff nurses from Jordan completed a one-year post-basic midwifery training course in Amman and three are undergoing the same training there. A number of practical nurses from West Bank and Gaza attended a three-month in-service training course in ophthalmology at the St. John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem.

C.  Relief services

123. The Agency's relief services comprise the distribution of basic rations, the provision of or assistance with shelter in individual cases of special hardship or in such special circumstances as the displacement of refugees or large-scale destruction or damage of shelters, and hardship and welfare assistance. The services are provided to registered and certain other eligible categories of Palestine refugees and some to displaced persons.

129. In Lebanon the Agency’s relief programme continued to be disrupted by fighting involving the Lebanese Army, the Arab Deterrent Force, Lebanese and Palestinian irregular militias and the Israeli military forces. The intermittent closure of Beirut port resulted in the routing of nearly all the supplies for Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan through Syrian and Jordanian ports. Staff have been re-deployed to cope with the new arrangements, which have caused delays and additional expenditure although it is planned to continue with them until the situation in Lebanon returns to normal. Supplying Lebanon from Syrian ports has been complicated by the frequent closure of the most direct  routes because of the security situation.

130. The frequent operations by Israeli land, sea and air forces and shelling from the enclave in south Lebanon controlled by Lebanese irregular militia have curtailed the Agency's operations in south Lebanon. The refugees residing there, who had fled north in March 1978 as a result of the Israeli military action at that time and returned in June 1978, left again in the early months of 1979 and, mostly remained in temporary accommodation in the town of Sidon and the surrounding area, which is still subject to intermittent shelling from the enclave.

131. An appeal for funds to enable the Agency to provide assistance to these refugees received a favorable response from the Governments of Austria, Denmark the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland and the Middle East Council of Churches. The Agency was thus able to give 10 kg of flour and 500 grams of skimmed milk to each of 48,452 refugees in the Tyre area and Damour during May-July 1979, at an approximate cost of $125,000; 10 kg of flour, 375 grams of cooking oil, 600 grams of sugar and 500 grams of rice to each of 151,011 refugees in the Tyre area, Nabatieh and Damour during August-December 1979, at an approximate cost of $255,000; and 5 kg of flour to each of 30,992 refugees in the Tyre area during April and May 1980, at an approximate cost of $52,000. In addition the Agency is making small cash grants to refugee families in Rashidieh, Burj Shamali and el Buss camps to assist them in purchasing materials to repair their shelters damaged in the fighting.

132. In the West Bank, curfews, road blocks and other actions by the Israeli military occupation authorities and demonstrations, strikes and disturbances by the local inhabitants and refugees interfered with the Agency's operations by causing delays and interruptions to programmes.

1.  Eligibility and registration

l33. The number of refugees registered with the Agency on 30 June 1980 was 1,844,318 compared with 1,803,564 on 30 June 1979, an increase of 2.26 per cent. The Agency registration records are computerized and the eligibility of refugees for Agency services is continually revised and kept up to date. However, except for its own employees and their dependants (estimated to total 80,000 refugees), the Agency is unable, without the agreement and co-operation of the authorities throughout its area of operations, to investigate income to establish eligibility for Agency services or to carry out full investigations to determine employment status. In the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, programmes for partial. rectification of the registration records for income, deaths or  absence from the area are successful and updating of the registration records is an ongoing process. Tables 1 to 4 of annex I give statistics of registered refugees, the categories of services to which they are entitled and changes in the composition and entitlement of refugee families as recorded by the Agency.

2.  Rations

134. Because of difficulties encountered in the continuing process of rectification of ration rolls and their financial implications, a limit or ceiling has been maintained on the number of ration recipients in Jordan since 1953, and in the other fields since 1963, new beneficiaries being added only when deletions are  made. As a result, with the natural increase in the refugee population, the percentage of registered refugees receiving rations has fallen, and the number of potentially eligible children of refugees aged 1 year and over (some of whom are now adults) for whom no ration is permanently available within the ceiling continues to grow. By June 1980, this category totaled 587,797: 319,588 in east Jordan, of whom 37,329 are eligible to receive government rations (see para. 135 below); 92,066 in the West Bank; 54,399 in Lebanon; 76,630 in the Syrian Arab Republic; and 45,114 in the Gaza Strip, of whom 1,517 were members of Gaza families receiving rations in the West Bank. The number of rations issued by the Agency in December 1979 was 823,897, including issues made on an emergency basis, compared with 829,071 in December 1978. Deletion's on grounds of false and duplicate registration, death, absence, employment or graduation, from UNRWA training centres were largely offset by the addition of eligible children not previously receiving rations because of ration ceilings.  Only 45 per cent of registered refugees were in receipt of rations in June 1980 and lists of those eligible refugees who are authorized to receive rations are brought up to date each month by computer print-out. It should be kept in mind that any ration denied to a refugee presently receiving it is transferred to an eligible needy refugee child previously excluded from receiving it because of the ration ceiling.

135. In Jordan the Agency, as requested by the Government in 1967, has continued to distribute rations on the Government's behalf to displaced persons who are not registered with the Agency as Palestine refugees. In June 1980, the number of such persons issued with rations was 193,607, as compared with 193,784 in June 1979. In addition, 37,208 children of displaced West Bank refugee families in east Jordan, the majority of whom live outside camps, were also issued with rations provided by the Government. The Agency co-operates with the Jordanian Government in these tasks, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 2252 (ES-V) of 4 July 1967 (and subsequent resolutions) requesting the Agency to provide humanitarian assistance, as far as practicable, to persons other than refugees, who were displaced in 1967. The cost of rations and 50 per cent of the distribution and transport costs are borne by the Government of Jordan. Displaced persons residing in the post-1967 camps (known also as "emergency camps") benefit also from medical, sanitation and other Agency camp services. Many of their children attend Agency schools and benefit from the supplementary feeding and milk against programme reimbursement of the cost of supplies by the Government.

136. For financial reasons and problems arising from the late arrival of donated food commodities, it became necessary in early 1978 to reduce the flour component of the basic ration from 10 kg per month to the equivalent of 6.7 kg per month. At the end of 1978, once again for financial reasons, it became clear that the basic ration could not exceed such commodities as the Agency received as contributions in kind; all Agency funds were needed for greater priority items and could no longer be used to purchase additional quantities of food-stuffs. Thus the flour component of the basic ration was reduced to an average of 4.7 kg per month in 1979 and 5.0 kg per month in 1980. The level of other commodities in the basic ration also had to be adjusted in 1970 because of delays in the delivery of contributions in kind. The policy adopted by the Agency is to distribute available basic commodities between the five operational fields to ensure, as far as practicable, that every refugee who is entitled to draw basic' rations receives the same quantity of each commodity in the course of a calendar year. Certain categories of welfare cases, however, continue to receive extra rations as described in paragraph 137. In 1979 the quantities issued to each basic ration recipient by field were as follows:

137. The programme for making up the flour component of the basic ration to 10 kg per month for certain categories of welfare cases, which commenced in east Jordan, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1978, was extended to the other components of the basic ration in 1979; when supplies permitted, the refugees in this category received 500 grams of rice, 600 grams of sugar and 375 grams of cooking oil per month. In the Syrian Arab Republic and in Lebanon the Agency would only be able to implement a similar programme for welfare cases if it obtained full co-operation from the Syrian Government and the Palestine Liberation Organization respectively.

3.  Camps and shelters 2/

138. The population of the 51 camps established before 1967 increased from 519,724 to 528,314. In the 10 post-1967 camps (six in east Jordan and four in the Syrian Arab Republic) accommodating refugees and other persons displaced as a result of the 1967 hostilities, the population also showed an increase from 153,699 last year to 159,345 at present. The number of registered refugees living in camps represented 35.3 per cent of the registered refugee population, varying from 55.5 per cent in the Gaza Strip and 51.5 per cent in Lebanon to only 25.9 per cent in the West Bank because of the continuing presence in east Jordan of many former West Bank refugees, who fled the West Bank in 1967 and have been prevented by the Government of Israel from returning. Table 1 of annex I provides detailed statistics on the distribution of the refugee population.

139. In Jordan minor repairs to camp roads were carried out at the cost of $18,620. Ten prefabricated classrooms were constructed at the cost of approximately $50,000. Boundary walls were also constructed around the new girls school in the Baqa's camp at the cost of $9,760. Four prefabricated units used as a health centre at Jarash camp were renovated at the cost of $8,420. In the camps with prefabricated shelters, the Agency repaired (at a total cost of $7,510) 127 shelters occupied by refugees so poor that they could not afford the repair. Twenty self-help projects were completed at a total cost of $119,600, of which $12,200 were contributed by the Agency and the remainder by the refugee community, the Government of Jordan or other local sources.

140. In the Syrian Arab Republic the Agency constructed or repaired roads in camps in the Damascus area at a cost of approximately $28,000. Thirty-two classrooms, four science laboratories, two multi-purpose rooms and three school administration rooms were constructed at a cost of approximately $416,000. A feeding centre in Khan Dannoun Camp (approximate cost $43,000) and water towers in Jaramanah and Sbeineh Camps (approximate cost $20,000) were also constructed. The Government constructed 15 classrooms and five administration rooms for use by the Agency. Refugees built shelters on government-donated sites in Homs City, Hama and Khan Eshieh camps. The Government repaired roads in various camps at an approximate cost of $4,200. Pathways and drains were constructed in Sbeineh, Qabr Essit and Nairab camps on a self-help basis at a total approximate cost of $75,000, of which approximately $27,000 were contributed by the Agency and the remainder by the refugee community.

141. In Lebanon the Agency's operation was handicapped by clashes in the southern part of the country which continued throughout the year under report and by intermittent outbreaks of fighting elsewhere, mainly in the Beirut area.  The clashes in south Lebanon caused damage to Agency, installations and refugee shelters. Some 2,000 shelters were damaged or destroyed and a self-help programme of reconstruction and repair is underway towards which the Agency is providing cash grants totaling approximately $180,000. The schools in Burj Shamali and Rashidieh camps and the rehydration centre in Rashidieh camp were damaged by shellfire and have been or are still being repaired. The clinic and the milk/feeding centre in Nahr el-Bared camp in north Lebanon were badly damaged by shellfire from Israeli gunboats and temporary repairs have been made to keep these units operating pending final repairs.

142. The Agency repaired roads in Nahr el-Bared and Ein el-Hilweh camps at a cost of approximately $19,000 and constructed drains and sewers in Ein el-Hilweh camp at an approximate cost of $5,000.  Twelve classrooms two administration rooms and a multi-purpose room were built in Nahr el-Bared camp at an approximate cost of $122,000. Milk and feeding centres in Shatila and Ein el-Hilweh camps were renovated at a cost of approximately $19,000.

143. The continued shelling by artillery has prevented progress on the reconstruction of Nabatieh camp, which was destroyed by Israeli military action in 1974.

144. Slow progress has been made towards the new camp planned to be established on government land near Bayssarieh for some 8,500 refugees. 3/ The project is presently estimated to cost $13.5 million, of which only $1,669,783 have so far been received.

145. In the West Bank there are 19 camps, of which two in the Jericho area are only partly inhabited; another camp in that area remains wholly depopulated as its former residents are in east Jordan and unable or unwilling (largely because families would be divided) to return to Israeli-occupied territory. Two Agency-built rooms and 16 privately-built rooms in the camps were demolished by the authorities as punitive measures.

146. The Agency constructed two additional rooms at the Jenin camp health centre, surface drains in Nablus and Hebron camps; latrine units and incinerators in several camps; repaired school compound walls; and made improvements to distribution centres – at an approximate total cost of $58,000. The Agency repaired or reconstructed, at an approximate cost of $9,500, 15 shelters occupied by refugees so poor that they could not afford to pay for work themselves. The Government of Jordan has given the refugee representatives in Jalazone camp $82,500 towards the cost of a water supply network in the camp.

147. Thirty-five self-help projects were completed at a total approximate cost of $40,500 to which the Agency contributed $15,500 and the refugee community the balance. In addition, the refugees laid pathways and constructed surface water drains on a self-help basis at an approximate cost of $82,000, of which some $29,000 were contributed by the Agency.  The refugees carried out several other projects at a total approximate cost of $34,000 without Agency support.

148. In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupying authorities continue to insist that refugees demolish their shelters as a condition for the provision of new housing. Shelters vacated by refugees moving to new housing were demolished by the occupants and none was made available to other refugee families except in two cases where two families in Rafah camp were allowed to purchase houses and were instructed by the authorities not to demolish their rooms which were privately built. These shelters were then used by the authorities to re-house two other families, one of which was not a refugee family. Seven hundred and twenty-four, shelter rooms (398 Agency-built rooms, 29 built with Agency assistance and 297 private rooms) were demolished in Rafah, Khan Yunis, Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah, Beach and Jabalia camps on instructions from the authorities. Six Agency-built rooms and two privately-built rooms were demolished as punitive measures.

149. Regarding the housing situation reported in paragraph 120 of last year's report, the Israeli occupation authorities have informed the Agency that they cannot provide houses for those 94 families whose conditions have worsened since the first survey in 1972. However, two families of the l46 whose condition had not improved since 1972 purchased houses during the year in government housing projects.

150. During the reporting period, a further 285 families, mainly from Khan Yunis camp, moved into houses in the nearby El Amal housing project, bringing the total number of families who have moved into El Amal and Shukeiri government housing projects to 989. This and the three immediately following paragraphs reflect statistical data which may not tally with data published by the occupying authorities; discrepancies are largely attributable to the fact that UNRWA figures are exclusively based on actual completed moves into new housing by registered refugees only.

151. Construction of houses in the Sheikh Radwan project near Gaza town continues and 18 families, mainly from Beach camp, moved into government-built houses there. An additional 22 families, mainly from Beach camp, purchased land in the same project, built their own houses and moved in.  Two hundred and sixty-eight families have purchased land during the reporting period and 188 houses are under construction. This brings the total number of families who have moved to houses in Sheikh Radwan to 936, of whom 759 are in government-built houses and 177 in houses privately built on purchased land. The total number of families who have purchased land but not moved in is 305.

152. An additional eight families from Rafah camp moved into houses in the Sinai housing project near Rafah. Thirty-nine families, also from Rafah camp, purchased land and constructed houses in the "Brazilian" housing project near Rafah. A new housing project is being developed at Tel Sultan near Rafah and 237 families have purchased land there. Ninety-four houses are now under construction, 18 houses have been constructed and 26 refugee families have moved into them. The total number of families who have moved to government housing projects in the Rafah area is 1,034.

153. One hundred and seventy-four parcels of land were purchased by refugees in the Beit Lahia housing project near Jabalia camp and 65 families have moved into 37 houses which they have constructed there, bringing the total to 81 families and 48 houses. Apart from a few early cases, those refugees who have purchased houses in projects developed by the occupying authorities or have purchased land and built their own houses now have accommodation superior to the shelters they formerly occupied.

154. The Agency constructed roads in camps at an approximate cost of $18,500. Construction and repairs of warehouses were carried out at an approximate cost of $25, 000. The shelters of 11 families too poor to carry out the repairs themselves were repaired by the Agency at an approximate cost of $900.

155. The laying of pathways and drains in camps on a self-help basis continued and work was carried-out of an approximate value of $48,000, of which approximately $25,000 was contributed by the Agency and the balance by the refugee community. Twenty-other, self-help projects were carried out of an approximate value of $23,000, of which approximately $10,000 was contributed by the Agency.

4.  Welfare

156. Voluntary agencies donated 104 tons of used clothing, including 15,464 blankets to UNRWA for distribution to refugee welfare cases.  The American Friends Service Committee (USA), Mennonite Central Committee (USA), Church World Service (USA), Lutheran World Federation (Sweden), Lutheran World Relief Inc. (USA) and the Swedish battalion of the United Nations Emergency Forces, Sinai, contributed to this programme.

157. The number of families registered with UNRWA as welfare cases totaled 24,298, comprising about 118,472 persons. Small cash grants were given to 117,914 persons, while assistance in other forms was given to 120,506 persons. Welfare workers helped solve individual and family problems through counseling and guidance. Prosthetic devices were issued to 891 persons while 612 destitute aged persons and 1,019 orphans were placed in institutions, mainly free of charge.

158. Activities for pre-school children are directed to the particular needs of the three-to-six year-olds, aimed at developing their potential through play periods supervised by trained and qualified teachers. Of the 51 centres serving 4,149 children, the American Friends Service Committee financed and operated 13 centres on behalf of the Agency in the Gaza Strip,  and the Holy Land Mission financed and operated six in the West Bank. The remaining centres were financed either by local groups or other voluntary agencies.

159. Youth activities were carried out in co-operation with the World Alliance of Young Men's Christian Associations in 36 refugee camps and 6,107 young refugees participated. There were 1,250 boys under 16 years of age who participated in self-help projects and recreational programmes. Twenty projects, including the casting of concrete playgrounds and the connection of electricity to centres and to centres and playgrounds, were completed on a self-help basis by the members of youth activities centres. Cash, labor and materials were contributed by members of the centres and the refugee community. Youth services to the community included special programmes for orphans, informal classes for illiterates, tutoring for pupils, assistance in cleanliness, campaigns, and home visits to sick and elderly camp residents.

160. Training courses in summer camping, scouting, sports and health education and youth leaders seminars, were attended by 1,08 young refugees from the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and east Jordan. In addition, 94 young men received leadership training. In 1979, summer camps were assisted or organized in east, Jordan, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and were attended by 612 refugee boys and girls; 106 counselors volunteered to work in these camps.

161. Activities for women are carried on during the afternoons in 14 centres operated by the Agency and funded mainly by the Council of Organizations for Relief, Rehabilitation and Development (CORSO) and the UNESCO Centrum Netherlands and in two centres operated by voluntary agencies. The object of this programme is to give refugee girls and women living in camps a chance to develop skills which will help them to raise their standard of living. Lectures in health education and instruction in cookery, first-aid and other household skills are given in the centres as well as classes in a variety of arts and crafts including embroidery, crocheting, knitting, bead and straw work and painting on pottery and glass. Classes to teach a small number of illiterates to read and write are also part of the programme.

162. The Agency also organizes training activities outside schools to equip with basic skills young refugees who would hot otherwise receive, vocational training or education. In the 33 sewing centres financed and operated by the Agency, 843 of 863 refugee women and girls undergoing training successfully completed the 11-month part-time course during the period under review. In the West Bank, UNRWA also finances and operates three carpentry centres where 42 young refugees attended a one-year course. The majority of the young men, who completed this course find employment locally. Special training was provided for 184 disabled refugee children to integrate them into the life of their community; 55 of them were trained at the Centre for the Blind in Gaza, which is operated for refugees by the Agency and financed by the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, and the others in similar specialized institutions in the area.

D.  Relations with other organs of the United Nations system

163. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) continued to assure professional competence in the conduct of UNRWA education and health programmes. UNESCO staff members made available to the Agency without reimbursement numbered 14 at the beginning and 13 at the end of the reporting period. WHO provided five staff members on the same basis throughout the period.

164. By the end of 1979 the UNESCO Extension Services Unit of the UNRWA/UNESCO -Institute of Education ceased to function (see para. 90 above), but the Institute continued to make available to Arab states in the region, on request, its experience in in-service teacher training.

165. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UNRWA continued the mutual assistance of certain procurement services and supply of competitively priced pharmaceuticals, on the one hand and the transport of supplies in the area of operations, on the other.

166. The move of that part of the Agency's headquarters which is based in Vienna from temporary office accommodation to the Vienna International Centre during late August and early September 1979 accomplished with the minimum interruption to the Agency's operation, thanks partly to the assistance and ready co-operation given to the Agency by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The integration of certain services has enabled the Agency to make some economies in staffing as well as on various items of expenditure. The Agency pays no rent for the office space it occupies but it shares in the operating costs of the Centre with other units housed there.

E.  Personnel matters

1.  Staff relations

167. The Administration continued to hold periodic meetings with union representatives of the locally-recruited staff, with lengthy discussions centred on the Agency's procedure for establishing terms and conditions of employment. The present system provides for adjustments in remuneration based on (a) appropriate comparability with employers in the public sector, particularly in respect of minimum wages, (b) quarterly changes in the relevant cost-of-living indices, and (c) availability of funds. Owing to lack of funds the cost-of-living adjustments for the first three quarters of 1979 were not implemented. In September/October the Agency was able to find sufficient funds to raise the remuneration levels for its local staff members in the area of operations to 95 per cent of parity as reflected in increases in the cost of living in each field as compared with the base level of remuneration established on 1 January 1975. The Agency also made exceptional remuneration adjustments in January 1980 in the occupied territories, which continue to experience run-away inflation. Since then no further remuneration adjustments have been made owing to lack of funds.

168. Meetings between the Administration and union representatives of the locally- recruited staff, in the presence of a representative of the Secretary-General, were held from 17 June 1979 to 28 June 1979 and again from 17 October 1979 to 24 October 1979.  These meetings culminated  in a third  Memorandum of  Understanding  signed on 24 October 1979 by the Chairman of the Inter-Staff Union Conference on behalf of all locally-recruited staff, and signed on 9 November 1979 by the Commissioner-General on behalf of the Agency. This Memorandum of Understanding provides for a new system of remuneration based on comprehensive surveys of total conditions of service of comparable employees in both the public and private sectors in each of the Agency's five fields. (The present system for adjustment in remuneration will continue until the new system has been implemented.) These surveys (the first of which commenced in the West Bank on 8 April) are being conducted by the International Civil Service Commission, with participation by the Administration and the staff. Additional surveys are scheduled for the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon later in the year. The Memorandum of Understanding provides that the Commissioner-General "shall normally accept the ICSC recommendations and the staff shall respect the decision of the Commissioner-General". Under the new system establishing pay and other conditions of service, it is the Agency's intention to grant staff any future improvements in conditions of service to which they would be entitled based on the prevailing local labor market, wage costs being treated as integral unit costs of each programme. If the Agency is short of funds, programmes must be curtailed, including the number of staff members who run them. On the one hand, there may be redundancies, but, on the other hand, the staff who remain will be fairly paid by local standards.

2.  Possible termination of teachers owing to financial situation

169. In 1980, lack of funds threatens to oblige the Agency to withdraw financial support from its schools in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic. At 30 June the financial position of UNRWA was such that, failing a major improvement in income, the Agency would be forced to issue notices terminating the services of about 4,900 educational staff members in the schools in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic from 30 September 1980.

3.  Changes in the manning table

170. The manning table of the international staff of UNRWA showed 113 posts at the beginning and end of the period under review, but there was an increase of 150 Posts in the local staff manning table, almost entirely as a result of the increase in teachers to meet the growth of the school population, bringing the total number of local posts to 16,729.

F.  Legal matters

1.  Agency staff

171. Fourteen Agency staff members were arrested and detained in the Gaza Strip for various periods not exceeding three months in any case. They were all released without being charged or brought to trial.

172. In the West Bank seven staff members were arrested and detained; one of them was held in administrative detention for four months and the others were released, without trial, after detention for various periods not exceeding three months. Of the two staff members mentioned in last year's report 4/ as being in detention in the West Bank on 30 June 1979, one was brought to  trial and convicted in the present reporting period, while the other staff member was released without trial.

173. In east Jordan one staff member was detained for a period of less than a month; he was released without being brought to trial.

174. In the Syrian Arab Republic two staff members were arrested and detained; one was released within a period of less than a month and the other, who is still detained, had spent two months in detention at the end of this reporting period.

175. The Agency continues to face difficulties in obtaining adequate and timely information on the reasons for the arrest and detention of members of its staff. It has continued to express its deep concern to the authorities respectively concerned at the prolonged detention of its staff members without charge or trial. In the absence of sufficient information, the Agency is unable to ascertain whether the staff member's official functions are involved, bearing in mind the rights and duties of the staff member flowing from the Charter of the United Nations, the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946, and the pertinent Staff Regulations and Rules.

176. The Jordan Government has objected to the continuation in Agency employment in Jordan of 12 locally-recruited staff members and in four of these cases has taken action requiring the staff members to leave the country. In all these cases the persons concerned, though locally-recruited by the Agency in, east Jordan, had come there from the Gaza Strip, some recently and some more than a dozen years ago. The Agency has taken the matter up with the Government, drawing attention to the position of Agency staff under the Charter and General Assembly resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 and also to the Commissioner-General’s freedom to select and appoint staff. There is difficulty in securing some first arrival privileges for expatriate area staff assigned to Jordan.

177. Last year's report mentioned 5/ the Agency's continuing difficulties over the restrictions imposed by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic on the duty travel of two senior members of its staff. The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic now dropped the restrictions on one of these staff members. The case of the other is still being pursued.

178. The Israeli occupying authorities continue to impose restrictions on the travel of some Agency staff members to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 6/ The Agency does not accept that restrictions can properly be imposed in this way and pursuing the matter. The United Nations Legal Counsel has also taken the issue up with the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations.

179. The interrogation of Agency staff members in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip has continued. The Agency takes up with these authorities, as necessary, the circumstances and scope of the interrogations.

2.  Agency services

180. The general situation in the West Bank has been very tense, particularly in the first six months of 1980. Measures collectively imposed by the Israeli military authorities have affected the refugee population. The Agency's services to refugees in areas under curfew, in particular in Hebron which was placed under curfew on 2 May (lifted partially on 18 May and completely on 29 May), were also affected and Agency staff members living in or near such areas found it difficult to travel to and from their place of work. The Israeli military authorities have recently agreed to provide curfew passes for certain essential Agency staff.

3.  Agency premises

181. Last year's report 7/ referred to the closure of the Agency's Ramallah Women Training Centre in the West Bank at the insistence of the Israeli military authorities. The Israeli authorities eventually agreed to the reopening of the Centre and this was done on 1 September 1979 (see para. 13 above). However, the, Agency has had to face other difficulties affecting its schools and other installations in the year under review. On 27 November 1979 the preparatory girls’ school in the Jalazone camp was entered by six armed Israeli civilians who extensively damaged Agency property. Fortunately the staff and pupils escaped injuries. On 11 January 1980, five armed men entered the Agency's boys, school at Jalazone camp, in the early hours of the morning, extensively damaged Agency property and severely beat the watchman. The Agency has protested against these developments and asked for the incidents to be investigated and for the offenders to be brought to trial. The Israeli military authorities have said that they are investigating the matter and expressed their willingness to compensate the Agency for damage caused in the first incident. The Agency is pursuing the matter. On 9 April 1980, Israeli military authorities entered the Agency's Men's Teacher Training Centre in the West Bank, exploded tear gas grenades in the building and severely beat some of the trainees. Some trainees were subsequently tried before a military court; a number of them were acquitted, others were given the option of paying fines in lieu of imprisonment and a few were sentenced to imprisonment. The Israeli authorities have sought to place their action in the context of their efforts to maintain law and order. The Agency does not accept this in the circumstances of the case and has lodged a protest with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The youth activities centre at the Jalazone camp (West Bank) has remained closed since 6 April 1980, the insistence of the Israeli military authorities, who have invoked the exigencies of security and public order. The Agency has protested against this closure and asked that the Centre be allowed to reopen. The matter is being followed up with the military authorities.

4. Refugee shelters

182. In the West Bank, demolition of refugee shelters on punitive grounds took place on two occasions, affecting four families, two Agency-built rooms and sixteen privately-built rooms. There were also two occasions of demolition on punitive grounds in the Gaza Strip, affecting four families, six Agency-built and two privately-built rooms.

5.  Exemption from taxation

183. Last year's report referred to the Agency's difficulties in securing exemption from certain taxes and duties levied by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic. 8/ These difficulties  continue despite the Agency's efforts to obtain a satisfactory solution.

6.  Claims against Governments

184. As indicated in last year's report, 9/ the Agency is actively seeking to pursue its claims against Governments, including claims relating to the losses and damage suffered by the Agency in the June 1967 hostilities. In the year under review, the Agency lodged a claim with the Government of Lebanon in respect of the loss and damage suffered by the Agency resulting from the events which took place in that country in 1975 and 1976. A claim is also being formulated against the Government of Israel with regard to the loss and damage suffered by the Agency consequent upon he entry into south Lebanon by Israel's armed forces in March 1978. In view of its financial position the Agency wishes to try to reach a satisfactory settlement of claims as early as possible.

G.  Financial operations

185. The financial accounts of UNRWA are published separately, together with the related report of the Board of Auditors. 10/ This section therefore presents in summary form only the Agency's actual financial operations in 1979 and its budge operations in 1980.

186. The following table summarizes the Agency’s actual financial operations in 1979:

a/ For various reasons the European Economic Community was unable to confirm its pledges of cash and commodities for the Agency's supplementary feeding programme and of sugar for the basic rations programme for 1979 before the accounts for 1979 were closed. These pledges, amounting in all to $6,044,000, have since been made. Although for purely accounting and audit purposes these late contributions for 1979 must be included in the 1980 accounts, they have exceptionally been included in the 1979 figures shown here to avoid distortion in the comparison of 1979 and 1980 figures.

b/ "Other costs" mainly comprise costs due to the conflict in Lebanon, the cost of increasing the provision for local staff separation costs as a result of the incorporation of part of their cost-of-living allowances into salaries and of the introduction of retirement and early voluntary retirement benefits for local staff members and certain other costs not readily allocable to programme.

187. The foregoing summary distinguishes between expenditure on "recurrent operations" (salaries, supplies, rents, subsidies and other costs incurred regularly) and expenditure on "non-recurrent operations" (such as construction of schoolrooms, replacement of worn-out equipment and other essentially non-repetitive costs). The distinction is significant because (a) the cost of recurrent operations is a measure of the minimum cost of maintaining the three programmes of education, health and relief services, which the Agency regards itself as obliged to maintain under its mandate to the extent that its financial resources permit (these programmes are not a series of finite projects, but indefinitely continuing  basic  services  for which a degree of financial stability is required), and (b) non-recurrent operations are sometimes financed by special contributions which cannot be used for recurrent operations.

188. The Agency completed the year 1979 with a deficit of $6.7 million despite having temporarily reduced certain services, postponed a number of highly desirable construction projects and only partially adjusted local staff remuneration for- increases in the cost of living (these three groups of budgetary reductions together totaling some $26 million) because of its inadequate financial resources. As a consequence, the Agency's working capital (that is, excess of assets over liabilities) was reduced to only $7.9 million at year-end.

189. As the experience of recent years has clearly shown, working capital of only $7.9 million is far from adequate. The Agency should have working-capital equal to approximately the cost of three months' budgeted cash operations (currently some $40 million) to permit proper stockpiling of supplies and to ensure that the Agency will be able to operate during the early months of the year when contributions are often late in arriving. This level of working capital would also ensure that the Agency could continue operations normally during the last quarter of a year even if contributions for the year failed to match budgeted expenditures. This would largely obviate the possibility of the Agency's having to suspend operations abruptly and thus having to increase its liability for termination indemnities to local staff members by some $15 million. (An orderly liquidation of the Agency would, it is believed, permit the Agency to find continued employment with other organizations for nearly half of those staff members not entitled to retirement or early voluntary retirement benefits.  Such staff members would therefore not qualify for termination indemnities, and the Agency's provision for staff separation benefits reflects this assumption. An unplanned, forced liquidation would probably make this impossible, so that virtually all staff members not entitled to retirement or early voluntary retirement benefits would qualify for termination indemnities, nearly doubling the Agency's presently recognized liability.)

190. The cash balance of some $23.6 million at the end of 1978 was sufficient to cover requirements for just over the first two months of 1979, and only the unusually early receipt of certain large contributions enabled the Agency to avoid suspension of operations early in 1979. For the remainder of the year, the cash position was fairly good and, at the close of the year, was even slightly improved ($24.2 million) over that at the close of 1978, although total assets were $0.7 million less. Cash in hand at 31 December 1979 was again inadequate to cover requirements for more that the first two months of 1980, but fortunately certain large contributions were again exceptionally received in those months.

191. At the end of 1979, unpaid pledges for 1979 or previous years totaling $19.3 million (note: this figure includes $6.04 million from the European Economic Community; see also foot-note a/ to table in para. 186), compared with 15.1 million unpaid, at the end of 1978. Of the pledges unpaid at the end of 1979, $14.0 million were payable in cash and 5.3 million in supplies of various kinds. Inventories of supplies and advances to suppliers (the Agency's supply "pipeline") were at $12.9 million, somewhat higher than at the close of 1978 ($12.1 million). On the other hand, accounts payable were substantially less at the end of 1979 ($5.6 million) than at the end of 1978 ($9.6 million). The value of food commodities borrowed from local governments because of delays in receipt of contributions, in order to avoid disruption of UNRWA's ration programme, was rather higher ($2.2 million) at the end of 1979 than at the end of 1978 ($1.4 million).

192. The Agency’s provision for local staff separation costs had to be substantially increased in 1979, from $17.3 million to $31.2 million. The principal cause was the establishment and extension of a system of retirement and early voluntary retirement benefits for the Agency’s local staff members to supplement the Agency’s provident fund (it has no pension fund for its local staff members). In addition, a substantial part of the cost-of-living allowance was incorporated into salaries, and this considerably increased the Agency's probable liability for termination indemnities for local staff members not entitled to retirement or early voluntary retirement benefits.

193. Unliquidated budget commitments carried forward from 1979 (or prior years) to 1980 totaled $9.4 million compared with only $7.2 million at the close of 19788. During 1979, savings on the liquidation of budget commitments and liabilities from prior years totaled approximately $0.4 million, which was credited to working capital. In 1980 it has already been decided to (cancel some $0.7 million of budget commitments from years prior to 1980, which will improve the working capital position in that amount.

194. Prior to the beginning of 1980, the Agency had projected its deficit for the year at $56.8 million. Increases in estimated income only partly offset by budget increases, had somewhat reduced the deficit to an estimated $46.9 million by the end of the reporting period. The following table summarizes the Agency's budgeted financial operations for 1980 as at 30 June 1980:

_____________

a/ "Other costs" comprise the cost of increasing the provision for local staff separation costs as a result of the incorporation of part of cost-of-living allowance into salaries and of the increase in total remuneration, the costs of local disturbances in Lebanon and other costs not readily allocable to programmes.

195. In 1980 budgeted expenditure on recurrent operations is some $53.1 million in excess of actual expenditure in 1979. About one third of this figure represents adjustment of local staff remuneration to match increases in the cost of living in 1979. This has again been budgeted in 1980 together with provision for normal operational increases, such as the annual increase in the Agency's school population. The remainder of the increase over 1979 represents principally provision for annual staff salary increments, improvements in staff remuneration to keep reasonable pace with the further rise in the cost of living expected in 1980 and the continuing increase in cost of non-staff items.

196. Non-recurrent expenditure budgeted for 1980 is some $0.7 million less than actual expenditure in 1979. The net increase in total budgeted expenditure in 1980 over total actual expenditure in 1979 is therefore $52.4 million, while the presently estimated increase in income up to 30 June 1980 is $18.3 million. Consequently the deficit for 1980 is estimated at $46.9 million, an increase of $34.6 million over the actual deficit of 1979.

197. The agency clearly does not have sufficient working capital to cover its presently estimated deficit for 1980, even if one assumes that all non-cash assets can either be utilized before year-end or be converted into cash to pay liabilities. Even if working capital were sufficient to cover the presently foreseen deficit, the Agency would be left with totally inadequate resources to operate during the early months of 1981, when contributions can be expected to be late in arriving, or to operate during any temporary shortfall of contributions during 1981. It is therefore clear that substantial portions of the current budget for 1980 cannot be implemented unless additional income is received well before the end of the year. As a result the Agency has already had to defer implementation of a substantial part of its 1980 budget. The deferred items include adjustments to staff remuneration and certain construction and maintenance programmes. Unless further income is received further items will not be implemented, one of which may be support for general education in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic.

CHAPTER II

PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 1981 AND BUDGET FOR 1980

A.  Introduction

198. This chapter of the report presents both the proposed budget for i981 and the budget for 1980. The original budget estimates for 1980 were submitted in last year's report. 11/

199. The budget proposed for 1981 is $230,925,000, compared with a budget of $211,289,000 for 1980. The budget for 1980 shows a net increase of $26,100,000 over the original estimates.

200. The major causes of the increase are the following: higher ration commodity prices ($12.7 million net); further provisions in the staff costs for cost-of-living increases ($3.8 million); a related increase in the provision for staff separation costs ($4.0 million); an adjustment for possible under-provision for termination indemnities ($3.0 million); and provision for expansion and upgrading of vocational training facilities ($2.0 million, funded by contributions from OPEC). Other miscellaneous increases and decreases account for the remaining net $0.6 million increase.

201. In the proposed budget for 1981, recurrent costs 12/ are estimated to be $20.7 million over the budget for recurrent costs in 1980, as explained in paragraph 202 below. There is, however, a decrease of $1.1 million in non-recurrent costs (see para. 203 below), resulting in a net increase of $19.6 million in total costs over the budget for 1980.

202. The budget proposed for recurrent costs in 1981 is $213,035,000 compared with $192,340,000 for 1980, an increase of approximately $20.7 million. This increase provides principally for the following: normal programme increases ($1.9 million, mainly for education services as a result of the natural growth in school population); normal salary increments ($2.9 million); higher staff costs to cope with continued inflation ($24.3 million); staff cost increases due to an adverse change in exchange rates against the Jordan dinar ($1.3 million); services, principally education and special hardship assistance ($2.7 million); adjustments in basic commodity prices ($2.2 million); continued inflation in non-staff costs ($1.5 million); and other miscellaneous cost increases ($0.2 million). Against these is a reduction in the basic ration ($16.3 million), due to a change in policy forced on the Agency by its continually poor financial position.

203. The budget proposed for non-recurrent costs in 1981 is $17,890,000, compared with a provision of $18,949,000 in the budget for 1980, a decrease of approximately $1.1 million. The estimate for 1981 includes $1.2 million for the replacement of unserviceable vehicles and equipment; $0.8 million for classrooms for additional pupils; $6.6 million for urgently needed capital additions or improvements (particularly in education, shelter, medical, and environmental sanitation- facilities); a $6.1 million adjustment in the provision for local staff separation costs necessitated by increases in remuneration; a $3.0 million adjustment for possible under-provision for termination indemnities in the event of closure of the Agency; and $0.2 million for the eventual repatriation of area staff transferred from Beirut to Vienna and Amman.

204. The provision for increased staff costs calls for a word of explanation. The bulk of the Agency's assistance to the refugees takes the form of personal services, particularly those provided by teachers and health personnel. Staff costs therefore constitute by far the principal item of expenditure in the Agency's budget (some 66 per cent in 1980 and 69 per cent in 1981). Consequently, the effects of heavy inflation on staff costs, and hence on the total budget, are relatively much greater than the increases in non-staff costs.

205. Apart from increases in unit staff costs due largely to inflation, the Agency foresees a rise in the number of staff members, mainly to provide the additional teachers and supervisors required by the increased enrolment in Agency schools (about 7,100 more pupils than in 1980).

206. In 1981 education services will account for approximately 60 per cent of the total budget, compared with 16 per cent for health services, 20 per cent for relief services and 4 per cent for other costs. (Comparable figures for the 1980 budget are 53 per cent for education services, 15 per cent for health services, 27 per cent for relief services and 5 per cent for other costs.)

207. In health services, the proposed budget includes provision for the basic needs of a slightly larger population in 1981. Staff and other costs are also expected to be greater than in 1980, essentially due to inflation as there will be only a minimal increase in the number of staff members required. Provision is also made for essential replacement of buildings and equipment in medical and camp sanitation installations, and limited but highly desirable improvements in facilities. Camp sanitation improvement schemes include self-help projects, in which the refugee beneficiaries participate substantially alongside the Agency.

208. In relief services, provision has been made for the continuation of services in 1981 at the same level as in 1980. Recurrent costs are expected to be some $10.2 million less than in the previous year, mainly attributable to a change in Agency policy and the treatment of the flour ration in the proposed 1981 budget. Cost-of-living allowances and related remuneration of staff and improvements in the special hardship assistance programme will increase in 1981 by $3.3 million. The estimates for non-recurrent costs provide mainly for improvements in shelter facilities.

209. In other costs, a reduction of approximately $0.4 million is expected principally related to adjustments in the provision for local staff separation costs.

210. Attention must be drawn to a possible material under-provision in the budget. The Agency assumes that, in the event of an orderly turnover of its responsibilities to governments or other organizations, nearly half of its local staff of some 16,800 will be offered suitable continued employment. In this case, in accordance with the Agency's staff rules, only the remaining 50 per cent or so would be entitled to receive a termination indemnity for loss of employment, and provision has been made in the Agency's accrued liabilities for only this number. However, in the event of an abrupt suspension of the Agency's operations, for lack of income or any other cause, all local staff would probably become entitled to receive a termination indemnity, thereby increasing costs by over $15 million for which there is as yet no provision. Because the possibility of this happening appears to the Agency to have increased, the estimates for the 1980 budget and for the proposed 1981 budget both include $3 million under "other costs", in implementation of the Agency's plan to establish this additional provision in five annual installments.

B.  Budget estimates

211. The following tables present in summary the budget estimates for 1981, together with comparative data for the budget for 1980; table A shows the estimates for recurrent costs, table B the estimates for non-recurrent costs and table C the estimates for total costs. The estimates for 1981 are described briefly in the paragraphs following the tables.

Table A

Recurrent costs

(In thousands of United States dollars)

Table B

Non-recurrent costs

(In thousands of United States dollars)

Table C

Total costs

(In thousands of United States dollars)

1.  Education services

General education

212. For a description of the Agency’s general education programme see paragraphs 68 to 79 above and tables 9 to 12 of annex I. Youth activities conducted outside the UNRWA schools are also included under this heading (para. 159). These and similar minor activities are considered part of the Agency's general education programme, but they are wholly or largely supported by special contributions received for the purpose. The Agency has also budgeted in 1981 for a programme of pre-school activities in Gaza, for which it will assume responsibility at a cost of $400,000 in 1981, to be entirely met by a special contribution.

213. Of the increase of $21,667,000 in the proposed 1981 budget for recurrent costs, $1,600,000 reflect the continuing growth in the school population, estimated at a average of 7,100 additional pupils in the financial year 1981.  Other components of the increase in recurrent costs include the following: an increase in cost-of-living remuneration of staff ($15,944,000); normal salary increments ($1,664,000); staff cost increases due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($993,000); essential improvements in services provided by the Agency (706,000); the assumption by the Agency of a programme of pre-school training activities in Gaza ($400,000 – see para. 212 above); and inflation in non-staff costs ($360,000).

214. The proposed 1981 budget of $6,156,000 for non-recurrent costs includes provision for the following: construction of additional classrooms to avoid triple-shifting and replace unsatisfactory premises ($3,087,000); construction and equipment of additional multi-purpose activity rooms, school libraries and science laboratories ($2,478,000); improvement of existing science laboratories ($150,000); extraordinary maintenance and structural repairs to older schools and pre-school training centres ($236,000); library books and teaching aids and replacement of unserviceable school equipment ($126,000); minor capital improvements and Agency participation in self-help projects ($79,000).

Vocational and professional training

215. Details of these programmes are given in paragraphs 80 to 83 above and table 13 of annex I. The budget under this heading provides for the costs of vocational, technical and teacher training courses conducted in Agency centres. The estimates assume an average total enrolment of 4,700 trainees during the 1981 fiscal year. No provision has been made for any further construction of training facilities, but a larger number of trainees will be accommodated in existing facilities than in the 1979/80 academic year, made possible by a special contribution pledged for the years 1979-1982.

216. Also included is the cost of scholarships awarded at universities in or near the Agency's area of operations (described in paras. 93 and 94 and in table 14 of annex I), the amount of the scholarship being related to the candidate's economic circumstances. In 1981, some $50,000 of the total scholarship budget of $250,000 is expected to be funded by a special contribution.

217. This heading also includes certain minor categories such as adult craft training (partly funded by special. contributions), the training of physically handicapped children and some vocational training outside UNRWA centres.

218. The increase of $2,239,000 in the budget for recurrent costs is to provide for the following: additional trainees in the 1980/81 and 1981/82 academic years ($300,000); essential improvements in certain training courses ($67,000); increase in cost-of-living remuneration for staff ($1,429,000); normal salary increments for staff ($200,000); an increase in staff costs due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($99,000); and inflation in non-staff costs ($144,000).

219. The budget of $461,000 for non-recurrent costs provides only for the replacement of unserviceable essential equipment ($220,000) and vehicles ($86,000), and for essential capital improvements ($155,000).

2.  Health services

Medical services

220. The UNRWA programme of preventive and curative medical services is described in paragraphs 96 to 113 above and in tables 5 to 7 of annex I. The objective has always been that the Agency's health services should not fall below the level of those provided by the Governments of the host countries for their own citizens. With the rapid increase in hospital costs and in the cost of supplies, utilities and staff required for the Agency's own health centres, the Agency continues to find it extremely difficult to achieve this objective.

221. The increase of $2,281,000 in the 1981 budget for recurrent costs is to provide for the following: increased cost-of-living remuneration for staff ($1,667,000); normal salary increments ($182,000); an increase in staff costs due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($84,000); increases in hospital subsidies ($300,000); normal programme increases ($28,000); and inflation in other miscellaneous non-staff costs ($20,000).

222. The proposed 1981 budget of $l81,000 for non-recurrent costs is for the following: essential improvements and additions to existing premises and equipment ($55,000); replacement of unserviceable ambulances and other equipment ($47,000); in-service staff training ($70,000); and Agency participation in self-help projects ($9,000).

Supplementary feeding

223. This programme is described in paragraphs 120 to 124 above and in table 8 of annex I. In this activity as with basic rations (paras. 133 to 137 above), the costs of transport and warehousing within the UNRWA area of operations are charged to "supply and transport services".

224. The increase of $669,000 in the proposed budget for 1981 recurrent costs is mainly, attributable to provision for the following: increase in cost-of-living remuneration of staff ($505,000); normal salary increments ($55,000); an increase in staff costs due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($29,000); and inflation in non-staff costs ($80,000). The Agency has for several years received a special contribution for the supplementary feeding programme, but since 1979 the contribution has fallen short of the full cost.

225. The proposed 1981 budget of $50,000 for non-recurrent costs consists of provision for the following: essential improvements to existing facilities ($21,000); the replacement of unserviceable essential furniture and equipment ($20,000); and the Agency's contribution towards self-help projects ($9,000).

Environmental sanitation

226. The programmes under this heading are described in paragraphs 114 to 119 above. The 1981 estimate provides only for the minimum requirements considered necessary to maintain essential community sanitation and water supply services at reasonably safe levels in camps inhabited by refugees. Once again, the Agency is unable to raise existing standards of sanitation to more desirable levels because of rising costs over which it has no control.

227. The increase of $1039,000 in recurrent costs proposed for 1981 is to provide for the following: increased cost-of-living remuneration for staff ($860,000); increase in staff costs due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($49,000); annual salary increments ($88,000); and inflation in non-staff costs ($42,000).

228. The proposed 1981 budget of $534,000 for non-recurrent costs provides for essential capital improvements to services (including surface water drainage, sewage and refuse disposal and water supply systems)($482,000) and for the replacement of unserviceable equipment ($52,000). A large portion of the capital improvements provided for would be constructed with refugee participation in "self-help" projects.

3.  Relief services

Basic rations

229. The costs included under this heading cover both the value and the final distribution of basic rations, but transport and warehousing of rations within the UNRWA area of operations are charged to "supply and transport services" (paras. 237 to 239 below). The proposed budget for 1981 provides for the issue of rations throughout the year to an average of 826,500 beneficiaries (the same number as in 1980), taking into account the limitation of the ration to contributions in kind.

230. There is a decrease of $13,562,000 in the proposed 1981 budget for recurrent costs. This is attributable mainly to a change in policy forced on the Agency by the lack of funds. No provision is made to enable the flour ration to be made up to 120 kg ($16,280,000). In 1981 the flour ration will be restricted to contributions in kind, with no allowance for the purchase of flour. This decrease is offset partially by increases in the price of basic commodities and distribution costs ($2,718,000).

231. The provision of $7,000 in the proposed 1981 budget for non-recurrent costs is for minor improvements to distribution facilities.

Shelter

232. This programme is described in paragraphs 138 to 155 above and in table 4 of annex I. The proposed 1981 budget for recurrent costs includes approximately $432,000 for the rental value of camp sites, most of which represents contributions in kind by Governments. The increase in recurrent costs ($32,000) is for inflation in non-staff costs.

233. The proposed 1981 budget of $406,000 for non-recurrent costs is for replacement and repair of substandard shelters ($375,000) and miscellaneous minor improvements ($31,000).

Special hardship assistance

234. This budget provides for additional relief assistance to refugees who suffer from special hardship (as distinct from the basic relief services delivered to needy refugees generally). This assistance is limited to welfare case-work, small cash grants, blankets, used clothing and the issue of skim milk, and supplementary flour and sugar rations. Unfortunately, in its present financial position, the Agency cannot provide further for the special needs of the aged, widows with minor children and the chronically ill. Only the most urgent cases can be assisted.

235. The net increase of $1,592,000 in the proposed 1981 budget for recurrent costs provides for the following: special hardship rations of milk and extra sugar ($975,000); an expansion of the cash grants programme ($370,000); an increase in the number of welfare staff ($43,000); increased cost-of-living remuneration for staff ($144,000); normal salary increments ($13,000); staff cost increases due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($7,000); and for inflation in non-staff costs ($40,000).

236. The provision of $23,000 in the proposed 1981 budget for non-recurrent costs is for the Agency's contribution towards self-help projects ($15,000) and training courses for welfare staff ($8,000).

4.  Common costs

Supply and transport services

237. The services provided under this budget heading cover the procurement, control and warehousing of supplies and equipment, port operations and passenger and freight transport within the Agency's area of operations.

238. The increase of $1,659,000 in the recurrent costs budget proposed for 1981 is to provide for the following: increases in cost-of-living remuneration for staff (1,108,000); normal salary increments ($140,000); an increase in staff costs due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($41,000); and inflation in non-staff costs ($370,000).

239. The provision of $645,000 for non-recurrent costs proposed for 1981 is required for replacement of passenger and freight vehicles which have reached the end of their economic life ($557,000), for replacement of equipment ($78,000) and for a number of minor capital improvements to facilities ($10,000).

Other internal services

240. The budget under this, heading provides for the following costs: investigation and determination of eligibility of refugees for Agency assistance; personnel and administrative services; translation, legal, financial and data processing services; internal and external audit services; technical (architectural and engineering), services; and protective services.

241. The increase of $2,282,000 in recurrent costs for 1981 is for the following: increase in cost-of-living remuneration for staff ($1,756,000); normal salary increments for staff ($318,000); an increase in staff costs due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($46,000); necessary increases in the Agency's architectural staff ($72,000); inflation in non-staff costs ($50,000); and other unavoidable cost increases ($40,000).

242. The provision of $159,000 for non-recurrent costs in 1981 is for the replacement of unserviceable essential equipment ($139,000) and other minor improvements ($20,000).

General administration

243. This budget heading includes-general administration services at Agency headquarters and the five field offices (including subordinate area and camp services offices), the liaison offices in New York and Cairo, and public information services.

244. The increase of $755,000 in the recurrent costs budget proposed for 1981 is to provide for: increased cost-of-living remuneration for staff ($527,000); normal salary increments ($181,000); an increase in staff costs due to adverse changes in exchange rates ($23,000); inflation in non-staff costs ($22,000); and minor improvements in translation services ($2,000).

245. The provision of $8,000 for non-recurrent costs in 1981 is for the replacement of unserviceable office equipment ($6,000) and minor improvements ($2,000).

Allocation of common costs

246. The summary tables following paragraph 211 above reflect the allocation of common costs to the three main categories of Agency services – education, and relief. Any such allocation is to some extent a matter of judgement, but the percentages applied have been, evolved and re-tested periodically on the basis of a detailed study of all Agency operations in all offices and extracted as weighted averages.

5.  Other costs

247. The following estimate of $9,260,000 for 1981 is to cover the following: adjustment in the provision for local staff separation costs necessitated by increased remuneration due to inflation ($6,060.000, comprising increased cost-of-living allowances ($3,286,000), cost of incorporation of a part of cost-of-living allowances into salaries ($2,267,000), and cost of application of cost-of-living allowances to salary increments ($507,000)); adjustment for possible under-provision for termination indemnities for local staff in the event of closure of the Agency ($3,000,000); and adjustment for possible under-provision for eventual repatriation of local staff transferred to Vienna and Amman from Beirut ($200,000).

C.  Financing the budget – 1980 and 1981

248. The chronic problems facing the Agency in financing the budget for 1980 an the proposed budget for 1581 will be appreciated from the summary below:

249. At the time this budget was prepared, pledges for 1981 had not yet been made by Governments and other contributors.  The  estimate of income for 1981 is little more than an extrapolation of contributions for 1980, excluding special contributions limited expressly or by implication to that year. It should be noted, however, that even if income in 1981 were estimated at the same level presently estimated for 1980, the projected deficit would still be of the order of $66.5 million.

D.  Provision for separation costs

250. During 1979 the Agency increased its provision for contingent liabilities for Area staff separations by $13 million to a total of $31,173,176. The United Nations Board of Auditors suggested that this provision was excessive. Considering the fact that the Agency is by definition a temporary one, the Agency believes that it is only prudent for it to provide fully-for termination entitlements.

Annex I

Tables

 1. Total registered population according to category of registration

 2. Recapitulation of changes in families registered for rations

 3. Recapitulation of changes in composition of total registered refugee population

 4. Distribution of changes in composition of total registered refugee population and of camp population

 5. Number of patient-visits to UNRWA clinics and UNRWA-subsidized clinics

 6. Number of hospital beds available to UNRWA patients

 7. Maternal and child health

 8. Supplementary feeding programme

 9. Number of elementary and preparatory pupils in UNRWA schools

10. Number of refugee pupils attending government and private schools

11. Number of pupils in UNRWA schools

12. Distribution of refugee pupils receiving education

13. Number of training places in UNRWA training centres

14. University scholarship holders by course and country of study

15. Summary of statement of income, expenditure and working capital

16. Detailed statement of income to UNRWA (1 May 1950-31 December 1980)

17. Statement of income from non-governmental sources for the year ended 31 December 1979

18. Direct assistance to Palestine refugees

19. Voluntary agencies which have operational programmes for direct assistance to UNRWA-registered refugees

20. UNRWA manning table posts as at 30 June 1979 and 30 June 1980

Table 1

Total registered refugee population according to category of registration  a/

_____________

a/ These statistics are based on the Agency's registration records, which do not necessarily reflect the actual refugee population owing to factors such as unreported deaths and births, false and duplicate registrations and unreported absences from the area of UNRWA operations.  The Agency presumes that the refugee population present in the area of UNRWA operations is less than the registered population.

b/ The "R" category (columns 1 to 4) comprises registered families with some or all members eligible for all Agency assistance, including basic rations.

c/ The "S" category (column 5) comprises refugees whose income is above that of "R" category refugees, but below that of "N" category refugees, and who are eligible for general education, health services and some other UNRWA assistance, but not for basic rations. In Gaza, however, there is no "S"  category and "N" category refugees enjoy some of the services given to "S" category.

d/ "N" category (column 6) comprises the following, subject to what is said about Gaza refugees in foot-note c/ above and foot-note a/ to table 9:

However, there are refugees in "N" category who continue to receive general education and health services for various reasons, e.g. as UNRWA employees or to alleviate conditions of hardships.

e/ Before 1954, half rations were issued to bedouins and infants, as well as to frontier villagers in Jordan. Since then, bedouins have been regarded as eligible to receive full rations and infants have also been eligible for full rations after their first anniversary if the ration ceiling permits. Half rations are issued only to frontier villagers on the West Bank (9,191). Frontier villagers displaced to east Jordan as a result of the hostilities of June 1967 (3,323) are issued with full rations under the normal programme and are therefore included in the figure of full ration recipients (column 1). Also included in column 1 are Gaza Poor (837) and Jerusalem Poor (1,322).

f/ This grand total included refugees receiving relief in Israel who were the responsibility of UNRWA through 30 June 1952.

g/ The total 603,650 comprises:

Table 2

Recapitulation of changes in families registered for rations a/

__________

a/ This table recapitulates changes over 30 years affecting the number of ration recipients, their babies and children registered for services. Births, new registrations, deaths, false registrations and duplications result in additions to or deletions from the registration records. Self-support and absence reflect transfers to or from the lower categories of registration (shown in table 1, columns 4, 5 and 6).

Transfers within or between areas, as well as the issue of rations (when available) to children registered for services, are not shown in this table.

b/ Includes changes effected during the 1950-1951 census operations.

c/ Self-support: included under this heading are those persons who, because income derived from employment or other sources, have become self-supporting an those who have, through vocational or university training or other UNRWA programmes, received assistance to enable them to become self-supporting.

d/ Miscellaneous changes include, up to June 1953, a number of additions to or deletions from the registration records, as well as certain changes in category of registration. The deletion of refugees in Israel from the Agency's records (40,930 persons over the period from July 1950 to June 1953) is included under this heading.

Table 3

Recapitulation of changes in composition of total registered refugee population a/

___________

a/ This table recapitulates changes affecting the total number of registered population (table 1, column 7) over 29 years.

Transfers within or between areas are not shown herein.

In comparing the figures in this table with those in table 2, it should be borne in mind that deletions from the ration rolls do not necessarily entail deletions from the total registered population. Persons ceasing to draw rations because of absence or self-support continue to be registered within the total population. On the other hand, some deaths and false and duplicate registrations are reported among persons registered but not receiving rations, and this accounts for the minor differences under those headings in the two tables. In the early years of the Agency's history, the distinction between ration recipients and registered population was incompletely recorded.

b/ Nature of changes reported under miscellaneous was not specified during the census operation. Figures reflect those amendments which resulted in addition or deletion in the total registered population, removal of refugees in Israel from UNRWA registration records and correction of deletions previously made by error which were included in the figures of new registration in the reports of previous years.

Table 4

Distribution by place of registration of total registered refugee population

and of camp population

____________

a/  Persons officially registered in these camps are refugees registered with UNRWA who, having been provided shelter by UNRWA, are shown in UNRWA records as living in camps, irrespective of their category of registration (R or S or N), although some may have moved to places outside the UNRWA area of operations or to villages, towns or cities in other parts of the country and may not have reported their removal to the Agency. The figures do not refugees in camps who have not been given shelter by UNRWA but benefited from sanitation services.

b/  Of the 528,314 persons recorded on camp records, 520,672 are UNRWA-registered refugees. The balance of 7,642 are not registered refugees and are not eligible for UNRWA assistance.

c/  Persons recorded on camp records comprise 121,114 UNRWA-registered refugees and 38,231 other persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 hostilities or subsequent fighting in the Jordan Valley in early 1968.

Table 5

Number of patient-visits (first visits and revisits combined)

to UNRWA clinics and UNRWA-subsidized clinics

(1 July 1979 – 30 June 1980)

Table 6

Number of hospital beds available to UNRWA patients

(as at 30 June 1980)

Table 7

Maternal and child health

(1 July 1979 – 30 June 1980)

a/ These figures reflect average monthly number in Agency registers.

b/ Attendance figures represent average monthly (0-1 category), bimonthly (1-2 category) and quarterly (2-3 category) numbers, respectively.

Table 8

Supplementary feeding programme

(1 July 1979-30 June 1980)

a/ Includes 1,347 displaced persons in emergency camps included at the request of the Government of Jordan and on reimbursable basis.

b/ Includes 1,145 displaced persons in emergency camps, included at the request of the Government of Jordan and on reimbursable basis.

Table 9

Number of elementary and preparatory pupils in UNRWA schools

a/ Including non-eligible children attending UNRWA schools, who now number 41,460 of whom 10,608 are registered children in the Gaza Strip, where all refugee children have always been regarded in practice as eligible for education services. Non-eligible may mean either non-eligible refugee children or non-refugee children; It is relevant that in Jordan non-refugee children in Agency schools are offset against refugee pupils attending government schools, free of charge, including secondary schools; that in the Syrian Arab Republic some refugee pupils attend government elementary and preparatory schools and those who proceed to secondary education attend government schools, in both cases free of charge; that in Gaza some teachers are provided by the Gaza Education Department for Agency schools, and refugee children who proceed to secondary education attend government schools, free of charge; and that in Lebanon it has not proved feasible to collect fees from the small number of non-eligible refugee children and no arrangements have been made with the Government for offsetting the small number of non-refugee children in Agency schools.

b/ Figure for east Jordan only.

Table 10

Number of refugee pupils attending government and private schools

Table 11

Number of pupils a/ in UNRWA schools

(by grade, as at 31 May 1980)

Elementary

Preparatory

a/ See table 9, foot-note a.

Table 12

Distribution of refugee pupils receiving education

a/ See table 9, foot-note a.

Table 13

Number of training places in UNRWA training centres