Thirty-sixth session
Item 12 of the preliminary list*
REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
Assistance to the Palestinian people
Report of the Secretary-General
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 – 4 3
II. INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM ORGANS AND ORGANIZAIONS OF
THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 – 106 4
A. Economic Commission for Western Asia . . . . . . . 5 – 7 4
B. United Nations Development Programme . . . . . . . 8 – 13 4
C. United Nations Children's Fund . . . . . . . . . . 14 – 34 6
D. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 35 – 39 11
E. United Nations Industrial Development Organization 40 – 49 12
F. United Nations Environment Programme . . . . . . . 50 – 51 13
G. World Food Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 14
H. International Labour Organisation . . . . . . . . 53 – 56 15
I. Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 – 59 16
J. United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 – 70 17
K. International Civil Aviation Organization . . . . 71 19
L. World Health Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 – 83 19
M. World Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 – 85 21
N. International Monetary Board . . . . . . . . . . . 86 21
O. Universal Postal Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 – 89 22
P. International Telecommunication Union . . . . . . 90 – 94 22
Q. World Meteorological Organization . . . . . . . . 95 – 96 23
R. Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative
Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 – 98 23
S. World Intellectual Property Organization . . . . . 99 – 104 24
T. International Fund for Agricultural Development . 105 – 106 24
INTRODUCTION
1. In its resolution 2026 (LXI) of 4 August 1976, the Economic and Social Council invited the United Nations Development Programme, the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system to intensify their efforts in identifying the social and economic needs of the Palestinian people. It also requested the agencies and organizations to consult and co-operate with the Palestine Liberation Organization with a view to establishing and implementing concrete projects to ensure the improvement of the social and economic conditions of the Palestinian people.
2. The Council, in its resolution 2100 (LXIII) of 3 August 1977, reiterated its earlier resolution and requested the Secretary-General to submit annual reports to the Council on the matter.
3. The General Assembly, in its resolution 35/111 of 5 December 1980, urged the relevant agencies, organizations, organs and programmes of the United Nations system to take the necessary steps for the full implementation of Economic and Social Council resolutions 2026 (LXI) and 2100 (LXIII) and requested the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly at its thirty-sixth session, through the Economic and Social Council, on the progress made in the implementatioan of the resolution.
4. The present report contains information received from organizations on action taken by them in implementation of the above resolutions. Information received from other organizations at a later date will be issued as an addendum.
II. INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM ORGANS AND ORGANIZATIONS OF
THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM
A. Economic Commission for Western Asia
[Original: English]
5. The Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) adopted, at its seventh session, resolution 85 (VII), of 23 April 1980, in which it requested the Executive Secretary "to pursue the necessary measures for the completion of the project on the census of the Palestinian Arab people". Subsequently ECWA came to an understanding with those Arab countries undertaking censuses during 1981 that they would provide the required information in accordance with the schedules developed by the Commission. Field work has so far been completed by Jordan, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates; the Syrian Arab Repubic will undertake its census during the latter part of 1981.
6. The Commission also adopted resolution 86 (VII), of 23 April 1980, in which it requested the Executive Secretary to continue his efforts to secure the remaining necessary funds so that the study on "The economic and social situation and potential of the Palestinian Arab people" could be pursued and completed as designed. In this connexion, the Executive Secretary made the necessary arrangements to allot $US 100,000 from the ECWA Financial Contribution Account in addition to $50,000 available under the ECWA regular budget. Furthermore, the project has been subcontracted to a consultancy firm (TEAM International) and action has been initiated.
7. Regarding assistance to Palestinian women, the secretariat prepared two studies: one on the social and economic conditions of Palestinian women inside and outside the occupied territories (A/CONF.94/21) and another on special measures of assistance to Palestinian women (A/CONF.94/4). These studies, which were adopted by the Regional Preparatory Meeting held in Damascus from 10 to 13 December 1979, were submitted to the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, which was held at copenhagen from 13 to 30 July 1980. An agenda item of the Conference concerned the Palestinian woman. The delegation of ECWA to the Conference co-operated with the secretariat and with delegates of member countries of the Commission in organizing a press conference on the problems of Palestinian women inside and outside the occupied territories. In addition, technical assistance was provided to the General Union of Palestinian Women.
B. United Nations Development Programme
[Original: English]
8. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has continued to finance regional activities which have benefited the Palestinian people either directly or indirectly. For instance, the Institute of Education, currently located in Amman, which was jointly created by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has continued to receive assistance from UNDP. The preparatory assistance allocation for the years 1980-1981 amounting to approximately $200,000 has been approved for the purpose of disseminating, through extension activities, the results obtained in research on audio/visual education. It is expected that during this phase, the project will benefit all Arab States in the region. The Institute of Education has provided in-service training for teachers and key education personnel serving the UNRWA/UNESCO school programme. The schools under this joint programme are located mainly in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. To date, UNDP assistance to the Institute has mounted to $2.5 million, including the allocation for preparatory assistance mentioned above.
9. The Regional Institute for Training in Statistics and the Arab Planning Institute, which offer training opportunities to students of Arab countries, including Palestinian students, have continued to receive assistance under the UNDP regional programme for Arab States.
10. During the period under review, UNDP also gave special emphasis to the task of implementing the provisions of General Assembly resolution 33/147 of 20 December 1978, entitled "Assistance to the Palestinian people". Acting on the basis of that resolution, as well as Governing Council decision 79/18, of 26 June 1979, which the Economic and Social Council took note of at its second regular session of 1979 and by the Assembly at its thirty-fourth session (resolution 34/133 of 14 December 1979), the Administrator proceeded to prepare actual design and implementation plans for the concrete projects called for by resolution 33/147. Eighteen specific projects have been approved by the Governing Council, following review by the Administrator in consultation with agencies and organizations specified in resolution 33/147, based on proposals emanating from the work of an interagency task force. The Governing Council, in approving for implementation these projects proposed by the Administrator, authorized the Administrator to draw up to $3.5 million from the Programme Reserve for their financing.
11. As preparations for implementation proceeded during the course of 1980, the Administrator concluded that the extensive programme and managerial requirements of the activity necessitated the appointment of a Co-ordinator with direct responsibility for detailed implementation of the projects, under the personal supervision of the Administrator. Accordingly, in September 1980, he designated the senior adviser to the Administrator for this purpose, in agreement with the parties directly concerned.
12. The 18 projects approved for implementation by the Governing Council on the recommendation of the Administrator are, with the single exception of a project located in the Syrian Arab Republic, to be carried out in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. There has, therefore, been primary concentration on these 17 projects, the project for the Syrian Arab Republic to be designed and implemented as soon as operations have commenced satisfactorily in the area of principal concentration.
13. For all projects, regardless of location, the Administrator and the Co-ordinator have been in continuous contact with the Governments concerned and with representatives of the Palestinian people and have received indispensable advice and support from them. These consultations, which have been lengthy, but fruitful, resulted in agreement in September 1980 to proceed as quickly as possible with the implementation of 10 of the 17 projects, through direct implementation by UNDP itself. Since that date, detailed proposals for implementation of 6 of the 10 projects have been prepared, with the assistance of international consultants, and cleared with all parties concerned. Operations are expected to commence prior to mid-1981. Plans for the remaining approved projects will be fully developed shortly thereafter.
C. United Nations Children's Fund
[Original: English]
1. West Bank and Gaza
14. The Executive Board of UNICEF, at its 1980 session, approved a commitment of $495,000 from general resources in support of these activities during the period 1980-1982. The Board further approved an amount of $700,000, subject to availability of specific-purpose contributions to permit the full implementation of this proposal during the period 1980-1982.
15. The proposed co-operation aims at the upgrading and development of health, education and social welfare services. In the field of health, 21 maternal and child health centres in the Gaza Strip and 50 centres in the West Bank will be upgraded through the provision of supplies and equipment, including drugs and training of midwives. In non-formal education, upgrading of the El Ala'iya School for Blind Children in the West Bank and equipping of the new Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for the Handicapped in Gaza, through the provision of
required supplies and equipment for vocational training activities, will be undertaken. In addition, support is proposed for the upgrading, expansion and operation of the El Bir Vocational School for Boys in the West Bank, which benefits 100 boys annually, and the youth vocational rehabilitation centres in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In social welfare, support will be extended for the upgrading of 150 kindergartens in the West Bank and 30 in the Gaza Strip through the provision of teaching supplies and equipment and furniture. Additionally, in-service training of 275 kindergarten teachers (200 in the West Bank and 75 in the Gaza Strip) will be supported.
16. Up to the present time, 60 kindergarten teachers have undergone training and arrangements are being made to procure supplies.
2. United Nations Children's Fund assistance to Palestinians in Lebanon
17. A three-year proposal (1980-1983), which was approved by the 1980 Executive Board of UNICEF ($600,000 from general resources and $900,000 "noted"), aims at the upgrading and development of health, education and social welfare services, as well as the improvement of water supply and environmental sanitation activities. Although health services of the Palestinian refugees is the primary responsibility of UNRWA, UNICEF will support the Agency's preventive health measures for women and children in the camps. For this purpose, UNICEF would provide supplies and equipment for 20 maternal and child health centres, oral rehydration salts and vaccines to an estimated value of $90,000 (included in the above commitment) during the project period 1980-1983.
18. During the first half of 1980, UNICEF staff time was concentrated on planning and negotiations with counterparts to lay the basis for implementing the three-year project. The achievements during the six-month implementation period, which followed the preparatory phase, are set forth below.
(a) Health services
19. Two new maternal and child health centres (one in the Beqaa and the second in Myeh Myeh Camp) were established and 10 existing ones upgraded with UNICEF basic and complementary equipment. The upgrading is intended to expand activities to include more primary health care, strengthening health education, nutrition and environmental sanitation in the camps. For this purpose, UNICEF is providing transport for a health mobile team and audio-visual aids for promotional and supervisory activities. As regards manpower training, two in-service training courses, of two weeks' duration each, were carried out for 24 maternal and child health staff and 19 public health inspectors. The programme included, among other essential subjects, training in the use and maintenance of UNICEF-provided equipment. A UNICEF delegation, headed by the Regional Director attended a session of these courses and was greatly impressed by the methodology adopted for practical
training. Furthermore, three groups of 20 health volunteers each, who were selected from among the camp population, underwent an intensive training programme. Their training was sponsored by the General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW) and UNICEF and co-sponsored by the Lebanese Family Planning Association and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. The inputs of UNICEF included training grants for the above activities.
(b) Emergency programme – 1980
20. The attacks on Palestinian camps and dwellings in South Lebanon around mid-1980 resulted in the displacement of a large number of Palestinian families, thus creating an emergency need for chlorination and sanitation supplies and equipment for shelters and hospitals. Based on a request from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, the UNICEF Executive Director released $US 45,000 from his EMR Reserve Fund which, together with an unspent balance of $11,000 remaining from a 1979 release of $100,000, were used for the provision of chlorinators, chemijets and sludge pumps, water-testing equipment and disinfectants.
3. United Nations Children's Fund assistance to Palestinians
in Jordan, 1980
(a) General background
21. In Jordan, Palestinians are considered Jordanian citizens and enjoy the same benefits and services from the Jordanian health services as all other citizens. Of an estimated 1,150,000 Palestinians living in Jordan, 699,553 are refugees registered with UNRWA; one third of the registered population live in UNRWA-run camps.
22. A recent census carried out by the Ministry of Occupied Territories, which is in charge of Palestinian affairs, showed that 48 per cent of the Palestinians in the camps are children and 32 per cent are mothers. A number of surveys and studies undertaken by this Ministry have indicated a need to strengthen services for the camp population. There is also a general shortage of drinking water, and sanitary and sewage-disposal facilities need improvement. Health facilities are limited to a number of UNRWA-run health centres, which provided mainly curative services. The primary and secondary schools run by UNRWA cater for around 40 per cent of the school age children. There is a shortage of pre-vocational
training facilities for women and girls, many of whom are illiterate, and there is a great need to develop and expand the facilities catering for pre-school children. In May 1980, the Executive Board approved a recommendation ($420,000 from general resources; $1,800,000 "noted") for assistance to Palestinian children and mothers in Jordan with a yearly allocation of $US 140,000 for a three-year duration. Implementation of the programme started effectively in June 1980 in the following fields:
(b) Health
23. In June 1980, UNICEF started supporting the UNRWA preventive health services programme in refugee camps and provided different types of vaccines, syringes and needles for the immunization activities of UNRWA, which benefited 20,000 children.
24. Assistance in the form of basic equipment, ORS and other drugs was also extended to UNRWA health centres to upgrade their maternal and child health services. Approximately 40,000 children and mothers benefited from the services of those centres.
25. Furthermore, UNICEF made available the services of a part-time health education consultant, who helped the Palestinian Family Welfare Association plan and implement a health education campaign in refugee camps. A specific contribution went into planning and conducting a training programme for health education volunteers and for the production of local audio-visual aids.
(c) Water supply and environmental sanitation
26. A special programme is being developed with the Ministry of Occupied Territories and UNRWA for the provision and extension of safe drinking water and adequate sanitary and sewage-disposal facilities. This programme will be implemented subject to the availability of a specific-purpose contribution.
(d) Non-formal education
27. The United Nations Children's Fund supported the upgrading of five pre-vocational rehabilitation centres for girls and women supervised by the Palestinian Family Welfare Association. These centres offer training courses in knitting, sewing, typing, literacy and home economics. During 1980, approximately 100 girls benefited from this training.
(e) Family welfare services
28. Assistance was also extended by UNICEF to the Palestinian Family Welfare Association to strengthen child-care services in refugee camps. Five kindergartens were provided with indoor and outdoor play equipment and their staff underwent refresher in-service training. Around 120 children were enrolled in these kindergartens.
3. Report on UNICEF assistance to Palestinian children
and mothers in the Syrian Aran Republic
(a) Background information
29. Out of an estimated total of 240,000 Palestinians in the Syrian Arab Republic, 160,000 (67 per cent) of them were living in refugee camps in 1979. There are 17 such camps in the country, with a population ranging from 2,000 to over 10,000.
30. In the Syrian Arab Republic, Palestinians have access to all services offered by the Government.
(b) Existing services
31. Besides provision of some social services by UNRWA, the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic and various voluntary organizations operate the following service centres for Palestinians: four kindergartens; some literacy and sewing centres for girls and women, organized by the General Union of Palestinian Women; two institutions for children deprived of normal family life and one vocational training school, run by the General Organization for Palestinian Affairs, affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs; and an orphanage for 23 children.
(c) Experience during 1980
32. A commitment of $US 255,000 from general resources was approved for the period 1980-1982 (together with $600,000 "noted").
33. In response to the urgent and immediate needs, the 1980 allocation ($75,000) was solely used for the purpose of supplying basic equipment to the institutions already providing services for children and women:
(a) In the field of health, equipment for 19 maternal and child health centres, syringes and vaccines were suppled to UNRWA to strengthen their medical services;
(b) In the field of non-formal education, sewing and knitting machines, a washing machine and typewriters were supplied for the vocational school which was run by the General Organization for Palestinian Affairs and trained 100 girls;
(c) In the field of social welfare, indoor, outdoor and kitchen equipment were provided to the kindergarten in Yarmouk camp, which cared for 500 children. This kindergarten is devoid of any sort of equipment. Nevertheless, it is staffed by qualified personnel, who had undergone its training with the Syrian Women's General Union. Moreover, two large washing machines, two large refrigerators and one small van were provided to the two child-care institutions caring, respectively, for 100 boys and 70 girls.
(d) Summary of assistance (excluding freight)
In United States dollars
Health
Syringes and needles for vaccination 7,500
Vaccines 15,600
Maternal and child health equipment 9,100
Non-formal education
Sewing and knitting machines; washing machine 1,800
Typewriters 5,500
Social welfare
Two refrigerators 2,500
Two washing machines 8,000
One small van 3,600
Indoor equipment for kindergarten 8,700
Outdoor equipment for kindergarten 3,100
Kitchen equipment for kindergarten 1,900
67,300
34. During 1981 and 1982, UNICEF co-operation will aim at the upgrading of existing services centres and the establishment of new facilities for the provision of health, education and child-care services. Assistance will include training grants and expert services in marketing and child care.
D. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
[Original: English]
35. General Assembly resolution 35/111 of 5 December 1980, was duly brought to the
attention of the relevant UNCTAD divisions.
(a) Assistance to the Palestinian people
36. Pursuant to Conference resolution 109 (V) of 1 June 1979, a study on assistance to the Palestinian people is being prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat, with the assistance of consultants, within the context of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade. This study, as well as similar studies being prepared on Namibia and South Africa, will take into account the recommendations of the General Assembly and of the Economic and Social Council in this regard. Following its discussion of this question at its twentieth session in March 1980, the Trade and Development Board adopted resolution 215 (XX) of 25 March 1980, which reads, in part, as follows:
"Recommends that the special problems of the peoples and countries under
colonial domination or foreign occupation should be explicitly recognized and
integrated in the formulation of the new International Development Strategy
for the Third United Nations Development Decade;
"Further recommends that the United Nations system, including the United
Nations Development Programme, should, during the Third United Nations
Development Decade, mobilize adequate resources for providing assistance to
national liberation movements recognized by regional intergovernmental
organizations and to the peoples under colonial domination and foreign
occupation."
37. The study on assistance to the Palestinian people is designed to identify the main development problems facing the Palestinian people with a view to formulating proposals on assistance to them in the context of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade. In this context, besides undertaking a review of social and economic trends in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the study will attempt to examine the main features of the economic and institutional changes taking place in those territories and how those changes affect the social and economic situation of the Palestinian people, including the prospects for their future development. The preliminary analysis has also indicated the need to examine the impact on the social and economic situation of the Palestinian people of a number of measures taken over the last decade by the authorities of the occupied territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including those related to the control of water resources and its distribution, of marketing and trade of products produced by the Palestinian population, of monetary and financial flows, land policy etc.
38. Work on the study is expected to be completed during 1981. In the context of the preparation of the study, consultations have been held by the UNCTAD secretariat with the national liberation movement concerned. Also, a field trip to Beirut, Cairo and Damascus was undertaken by a consultant in September 1980 to obtain necessary data and information. The UNCTAD secretariat also hopes to seek advice from consultants from the region concerned on the findings and conclusions of the study, as well as on concrete proposals for assistance to the Palestinian people within the context of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade. The secretariat will then finalize its report containing this study, as well as the other studies on Namibia and South Africa and the proposals on assistance to the peoples concerned, and submit it to the Trade and Development Board at its twenty-third sesson scheduled to be held in September 1981.
(b) Attendance at UNCTAD meetings by the national liberation movements recognized
by the regional intergovernmental organization
29. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 3237 (XXIX) of 22 November 1974, observers for the Palestine Liberation Organization have been invited to various meetings of UNCTAD and will continue to receive similar invitations in the future. During the period under review, observers for the Palestine Liberation Organization attended the following UNCTAD meetings:
(a) Twenty-first session of the Trade and Development Board
(15-26 September 1980);
(b) Meeting of Governmental Experts on Economic Co-operation among Developing
Countries (3-14 November 1980);
(c) Committee on Transfer of Technology (17-28 November 1980).
E. United Nations Industrial Development Organization
[Original: English]
40. Pursuant to the adoption of two resolutions by the Economic and Social Council (2026 (LXI) of 4 August 1976 and 2100 (LXIII) of 3 August 1977), the secretariat of UNIDO contacted the observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Vienna and received, through his office, a list of technical assistance requests for the Palestinian people. These were:
(a) Survey of the manufacturing industry in the West Bank and Gaza Strip;
(b) Training in industrial development.
41. These requests, which were incorporated in a note to the Permanent Committee by the Executive Director on technical assistance to the Palestinian people (ID/B/C.3/66) were the subject of recommendations by the Permanent Committee at its tenth session (ID/B/211, para. 163), which were subsequently approved by the Industrial Development Board at its twelfth session.1/
42. At its thirteenth session, the Permanent Committee (May 1980) took note of the second progress report by the Executive Director on "Technical assistance to the Palestinian people" (ID/B/C.3/92) and recommended to the Industrial Development Board at its fourteenth session that it take all possible steps effectively to provide and increase the technical assistance to the Palestinian people described in the Executive Director's report.
43. The Board subsequently adopted the report of the Permanent Committee, approving the following five projects in the industrial sector identified by the Inter-Agency Task Force on assistance to the Palestinian people, established in response to General Assembly resolution 33/147:
(a) Feasibility study for a cement plant in the West Bank;
(b) Feasibility study for a canning plant for citrus fruits;
(c) Assistance to the plastics industry;
(d) Assistance to the pharmaceutical industry;
(e) Assistance to small-scale industries and workshops.
(a) Access to the West Bank and Gaza Strip
44. In accordance with the recommendation of the Permanent Committee at its thirteenth session, the UNIDO secretariat wrote to the Permanent Mission of Israel to UNIDO and requested the concurrence of the Government of Israel to grant access to the West Bank and Gaza Strip to enable the organization to implement those projects. The Permanent Mission of Israel replied that it could not permit UNIDO officials access to the West Bank and Gaza Strip to implement projects framed in close co-operation with the Palestine Liberation Organization. This was reported to the Permanent Committee at its fourteenth session by the Executive Director in his third progress report on technical assistance to the Palestinian people (ID/B/C.3/97).
45. At its 161st meeting, the Permanent Committee "deplored and condemned the obstacles" placed in the way of the Special Inter-Agency Task Force by the Israeli authorities, particularly their refusal to permit UNIDO officials access to the West Bank and Gaza Strip to implement projects.
46. The Permanent Committee also expressed its concern that, of the seven industrial projects approved by the Industrial Development Board within a general programme of technical assistance to the Palestinian people, only one project was operational.
47. Based on the recommendation of the Permanent Committee at its fourteenth session to take all possible measures to increase efficient technical assistance to the Palestinian people, the UNIDO secretariat, in a letter dated 22 January 1981 addressed to the Permenant Mission of Israel to UNIDO, requested once more the concurrence of the Government of Israel in providing access to the West Bank and Gaza Strip to implement UNIDO technical assistance projects. In the event of a positive reply, the UNIDO secretariat will immediately begin implementing those projects.
(b) Participation in group training programmes
48. In pursuance of the decisions of the Permanent Committee and the Industrial Development Board, UNIDO offered several group training programmes to Palestinian participants. So far, three Palestinian participants have attended the following programmes:
(a) In-plant Group Training Programme in the Field of Repair and Maintenance
of Bio-Medical Electronic Equipment (Hungary, 7 January-14 March 1980);
(b) Group Training Programme in the Field of Production and Application of
Synthetic Fibers (Austria, 6 October-7 November 1980);
(c) In-Plant Group Training Programme in the Field of Plastics Technology
(Austria, 6 October-14 November 1980).
49. The list of 1981 Group Training Programmes organized by UNIDO has been given to the observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Vienna. According to their interest, similar offers will be made to accept Palestinian participants in these programmes.
F. United Nations Environment Programme
[Original: English]
50. The Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), at its eighth session, requested the Executive Director in its decision 8/4 of 28 April 1980, to ensure the implementation of General Assembly resolution 34/133 within the sphere of the responsibilities of the Programme.
51. The United Nations Environment Programme, through its Regional Office for Western Asia, entered into consultations with the Palestine Liberation Organization with a view to developing a project proposal for assistance to the Palestinian people. At present and as a result of those consultations, a project proposal entitled "Training Course for Environmental Health Officers on Problems of Water Supply, Sanitation and Health for the Palestinian People", has been developed at an estimated cost of $US 78,500 to UNEP. The activity should be completed in December 1981. The Executive Director of UNEP discussed the modalities of implementing the proposed project with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme in January 1981. The purpose of these consultations was
to ensure that the envisaged training course would be well co-ordinated with UNDP assistance to the Palestinian people in the field of health and also to explore the possibilities of UNDP co-operation in implementing the project in the context of the agreement reached by the Administrator of UNDP with all parties concerned.
G. World Food Programme
[Original: English]
52. The World Food Programme gave no assistnce to the Palestine Liberation Organization during 1980, as no request for such assistance was received by the Programme.
H. International Labour Organisation
[Original: English]
53. In the 1980-1981 biennium, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) offered fellowships to four persons designated, after consultation with the Palestine Liberation Organization, to attend training courses at the International Centre for Advanced Technical and Vocational Training in Turin, Italy. It is hoped that these fellowships will be implemented in 1981. The ILO has also awarded a fellowship to the Dean of the Hebron Polytechnic Institute to attend a course on the management of training institutions to be held at Turin from 27 April to 3 July 1981. Applications for fellowships have also been sought from at least two senior professors of the same Institute, who might be interested in attending a three-month three-module course starting in September 1981 and covering training systems, training methodology and audio-visual aids.
54. In March 1980, the Director-General of the ILO assigned a mission, composed of two officials who had taken part in the two preceding missions in 1978 and 1979, to go to Israel and the occupied Arab territories to complete and bring up to date their information and to examine on the spot the situation of Arab workers. Members of the mission had numerous conversations, working and private meetings with various persons and visited several parts of Israel and the occupied Arab territories. In meetings with the municipal authorities and trade union leaders of the West Bank and with Israeli and Arab officials of the labour and other administration services, various aspects of equality of opportunity and treatment of the Arab workers in the occupied territories as regards employment, conditions of work and social benefits as well as trade union activities, both in the
territories and in Israel, were discussed. The mission was guided in its work by the principles and objectives laid down in the Constitution of the ILO and in various conventions and recommendations, particularly those concerning discrimination in employment and occupation and freedom of association. In particular, the mission studied the measures taken by the Israeli authorities with a view to giving effect to the recommendations contained in its previous reports.
55. The report of the third mission was issued as an appendix to the report of the Director-General submitted to the International Labour Conference at its sixty-sixth session in 1980.
56. The ILO participated in the Inter-Agency Meetings held in February 1979 and in the work of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Assistance to the Palestinian People aimed at identifying the social and economic needs of the Palestinian people and developing related technical co-operation activities. On the basis of the findings and recommendations of those meetings, several projects were selected for possible implementation by the various agencies. The ILO is taking steps to obtain UNDP approval and funds to implement the projects in its field of competence, namely industrial management training at the Turin Centre and vocational training for women at the seven training centres of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
I. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
[Original: English]
57. In pursuance of Economic and Social Council resolution 2100 (LXIII) and other relevant resolutions of the Council and the General Assembly, FAO has continued to assist the Palestinian people in full consultation and co-operation with the Palestine Liberation Organization and, more particularly, the Palestinian National Fund. This assistance has included the following:
(a) During the second half of 1980, FAO participated in the two seminars covering the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, held at Arusha, the United Republic of Tanzania from 14 to 18 July and at Vienna from 25 to 29 August, in response to the request by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1979. Also, FAO participated in the International Day of Solidarity for the Palestinian People organized at Geneva and New York on 28 November 1980.
(b) In December 1980, FAO participated in the Inter-Agency Meeting organized by UNDP at New York. The progress made in 18 approved UNDP projects was discussed with emphasis on agencies' support to move the programme ahead.
58. Under its Technical Co-operation Programme, FAO has financed three small-scale projects to assist the Palestinian National Fund. The first project was approved in 1978 in the amount of $US 101,500. It provides for six 12-month fellowships for specialized training in agricultural development and is under way. The second project was intended to provide assistance in the compilation and tabulation of agricultural data in the West Bank and Gaza area. It was approved in 1978 in the amount of $10,000 and has now been completed. The third project, designed to provide the services of an Agricultural Planning Senior Officer for three weeks, was approved in early 1980 in the amount of $21,000 and is also being implemented. A fourth project is now under consideration for further processing of agricultural data.
59. Finally, the Palestine Liberation Organization, in its capacity as representative of the Palestinian people, has been invited to attend the eleventh session of the Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Near East (October 1980), the ninth session of the Near East Agricultural Planning Commission (December 1980), the Committee on World Food Security Planning (December 1980), the Committee on World Food Security (17 March to 3 April 1980), the FAO/UNFPA Workshop on Population and Agricultural/Rural Planning (24 September to 10 October 1980) as well as the fifteenth FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (April 1981).
J. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
[Original: English]
60. General Assembly resolution 35/111 of 5 December 1980 was brought to the attention of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at its one hundred and twelfth session (13 to 29 May 1981).
1. Co-operation with the United Nations Development Programme
61. Since the adoption by the Governing Council of UNDP of decision 79/18 of 26 June 1979, which authorizes the Administrator to draw upon the Programme Reserve up to the amount of $3.5 million for the implementation of project proposals recommended by the Administrator, UNESCO has been in regular contact with UNDP and has expressed its readiness to examine modalities of co-operation for the implementation of projects within the competence of UNESCO. It is understood that consultations are still under way between UNDP and the authorities concerned.
2. Assistance through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
62. Assistance continued to be provided by UNESCO in the form of expertise, fellowships and equipment to the Palestinian people either through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) or at the request of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Conference and the decisions of the Executive Board of UNESCO. A brief description of that assistance is set forth below.
63. The approved Programme and Budget for 1981-1983 foresees the renewal of the agreement between UNESCO and UNRWA for 1981-1983 and continues technical responsibilities for the education programme for Palestinian refugees by UNESCO. That organization continues to second specialists to the UNRWA/UNESCO Department of Education to plan and supervise the operation of the schools and centres in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and to provide such other assistance as may be needed for the planning and effective implementation of the education programme for Palestinian refugees, particularly through the improvement of certain educational standards. For this programme, 20 Professional posts, including the Director, are provided, as well as educational supplies and equipment.
3. Fellowships to Palestinians under the Regular Programme,
including the Participation Programme
64. During the budgetary period 1979/1980, 10 fellowships were granted to Palestinian students under the Regular Programme and 11 under the Participation Programme.
4. Special accounts for the fellowships programme for
Palestinian students
65. Pursuant to recommendation 33-34 adopted by the Conference of Ministers of Education and those Responsible for Economic Planning in the Arab States, held at Abu Dhabi from 7 to 14 November 1977, recommending that the Arab States sponsor the establishment of a UNESCO trust fund to finance scholarships for Palestinian students, UNESCO has opened a Special Account for that fund and has received contributions from Iraq, Morocco and the Syrian Arab Republic. Another Special Account (funds-in-trust) was opened with a $50,000 contribution from the Government of Iraq, to finance fellowships for Palestinian students.
5. Palestinian Open University
66. In October 1980, UNESCO submitted the Feasibility Study of the Palestinian Open
University to the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and to the Palestine Liberation Organization. During a tripartite meeting, held in November 1980 in Kuwait, the recommendations of the feasibility study were approved by both organizations.
67. At its twenty-first session, the General Conference adopted resolution 1/06 of 21 October 1980, requesting the Director-General to continue his efforts to carry out this project and, in so doing, to use all the resources placed at his disposal and to make the necessary contacts with the parties concerned by this project.
6. General Conference resolution concerning educational and cultural
institutions in the occupied Arab territories and the protection
of cultural property in Jerusalem
68. Following resolutions adopted at its previous session, the General Conference, at its twenty-first session, adopted resolution 14.1 of 27 October 1980, which, inter alia, invited the Director-General to keep a permanent watch on Israel's implementation of the resolutions and decisions of the General Conference and the Executive Board relating to educational and cultural institutions in the occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and to send, for this purpose, such missions as he might deem appropriate. The General Conference also adopted resolution 4.14 of 27 October 1980 which, inter alia, recommended that the World Heritage Committee should speed up the procedure for including the City of Jerusalem in the "World Heritage list" and that the Committee should consider its inclusion in the list of "World Heritage in Danger".
69. The Director-General used all means at his disposal to give effect to those resolutions and, in particular, entrusted a personal representative to visit Jerusalem on many occasions in connexion with the protection of the cultural heritage of the Holy City.
7. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
In accordance with General Assembly resolution 32/40 B of 2 December 1977, the international Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was observed at UNESCO headquarters on 1 December 1980. A group of representatives of the Arab States to UNESCO organized a ceremony in which a representative of the Director-General, the Director of the United Nations Information Centre, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Conference, the Chairmen of the Group of 77 and the Group of Non-Aligned Countries, those of different regional groups as well as the doyen of the Arab Diplomatic Corps in France and the representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) participated. The PLO also organized an exhibition of Palestinian National Art, which was inaugurated by the Director-General of UNESCO that same day.
K. International Civil Aviation Organization
[Original: English]
71. As indicated in previous contributions, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is willing to co-operate, within its mandate, with ECWA and UNDP on the implementation of Council resolutions 2026 (LXI) and 2100 (LXIII). In accordance with a decision taken by the Assembly of ICAO, the Palestine Liberation organization is entitled to participate as an observer in the sessions and the work of the ICAO Assembly and other international conferences convened under the auspices of ICAO and in the regional meetings dealing with matters of interest to the PLO. In this regard, the Palestine Liberation Organization was represented by observers at the twenty-third session of the Assembly, held in September and October 1980.
L. World Health Organization
[Original: English]
72. In compliance with Economic and Social Council resolutions 2026 (XLI) and 2100 (LXIII), and as a result of various World Health Assembly resolutions calling for the provision of assistance to the Palestinian people, WHO has carried out the activities described below.
73. The organization has, as in the past, provided assistance through close collaboration with UNRWA and, in particular, has continued to send a number of staff to the Agency for education an health services. In addition, WHO also supplies vaccine to the Agency and some problems resulting in temporary shortages now seem to have been overcome.
74. An annual grant is provided to the Palestine Liberation Organization for payment of salary differentials for some physicans and technicians employed by the Palestine Red Crescent Society and this was increased substantially in 1980. The major portion of this allocation is intended to cover the payment of incentives in addition to other inputs, such as supplies, equipment and possibly fellowships.
75. In July 1980, a further visit was carried out by a WHO specialist in the field of mental health. The object of this visit was to review the ongoing activities and make proposals with a view to strengthening the mental health programme in the territories. It is envisaged that, as a result of those collaborative efforts, the mental health coverage for the population concerned will be extended and the treatment facilities will be strengthened. One fellowship was awarded for studies in this field and has been completed, and further candidatures are currently being processed.
76. Several missions have been carried out in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip by an adviser from the Maternal and Child Health and Extended Immunization Programmes. In follow-up to these missions, WHO has provided further funding in 1980 to support tuberculin testing and the BCG programme among school children. The organization has also funded the purchase of SALK vaccine for use in a successful combined polio immunization programme as well as 140,000 additional doses of measles vaccine for the ongoing campaign. A technical mission was planned for April 1981 aimed at a reduction in polio cases.
77. In follow-up to the technical support already provided for the planning and implementation of a programme for oral rehydration therapy in diarrhoeal diseases, WHO has supported the special effort being made to evaluate carefully the reduction of mortality as a result of this programme and to finalize the procedures for analysis. The evaluation, in which a WHO staff member participated, indicates that the programme is progressing satisfactorily with a drop in hospital admissions and mortality.
78. In collaboration with the competent authorities, steps have already been taken to organize a visit early in the summer of 1981 to work out a detailed plan of action to investigate the oral health sector in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
79. A consultant will also visit the West Bank to initiate an evaluation of malnutrition clinics in order to identify risk factors.
80. In addition to the direct assistance referred to above, WHO has also been involved in the planning of two interagency projects.
81. As a result of the work of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Assistance to the Palestinian People and the subsequent Inter-Agency meeting at Geneva in April 1979, UNDP envisages setting up two projects covering the fields of health manpower development, and development and strengthening of health institutions. In October 1980, a meeting was held between representatives of UNDP headquarters and WHO to discuss the possibility of WHO support to these projects. It was felt that those projects would dovetail very well into ongoing efforts of WHO in those programme areas and the organization assured UNDP of its readiness to assist in the implementation by providing technical support. The organization has, in fact, already assisted in the election of a consultant to carry out those projects.
82. In November 1980, discussions took place between representatives of UNEP and WHO regarding the collaboration and possible participation of WHO in a UNEP-funded Training Course for Environmental Health Officers on Problems of Water Supply, Sanitation and Health for the Palestinian People. In response, WHO has provided a consultant to study the needs of sanitarians and to draw up the programme for the course, in consultation with the Palestine Liberation Organization and UNRWA.
83. The Special Committee of Experts to study the health conditions of the inhabitants of the occupied territories, established by the World Health Assembly, carried out a further visit to the territories in April 1980. As well as recommending action to be taken by the responsible authorities, the Committee requested WHO to strengthen the assistance it has already instituted for these territories in the past; and certain of the activities referred to above result directy from the Committee's observations.
M. World Bank
[Original: English]
84. The World Bank's Articles of Agreement require that loans be made to, or guaranteed by, member Governments. As indicated in previous reports on this subject, World Bank lending has been directed increasingly to the needs of the poorest member countries, focusing, in particular, on the most disadvantaged population groups within countries; hence, improvement in the economic well-being of the Palestinian people is a matter of obvious concern to the Bank. In this context, however, it is important to point out that, because Bank Group-assisted projects entail substantial financial commitments on the part of the borrowing Governments, it is clear that decisions concerning the benefits to specific population groups from such projects must be made in the first instance by the
Governments concerned.
85. Some of the projects which the Bank has helped finance in member countries in which Palestinian people reside have benefited Palestinians, although the extent of such benefits would be difficult to quantify; for example, in some of the countries, projects have improved the living conditions in urban areas, including some areas in which Palestinian people are concentrated. The Bank would wish to re-emphasize that the Bank Group stands ready, in consultation with and at the request of member Governments concerned, to help prepare and finance development projects which meet the usual Bank Group criteria and which would particularly benefit the Palestinian people.
N. International Monetary Fund
[Original: English]
86. General Assembly resolution 35/111 of 5 December 1980, has been brought to the attention of the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund, as had been the case for Economic and Social Council resolutions 2026 (LXI) of 4 August 1976 and 2100 (LXIII) of 3 August 1977 on earlier occasions. In general terms, Fund financial assistance to member countries has greatly increased during 1980 and the resources committed during that year rose to more than $12 billion, provided to a large spectrum of member countries in all geographical areas. Such resources are provided in order to assist member countries in facing balance-of-payments difficulties.
O. Universal Postal Union
[Original: French]
87. As in 1979, Universal Postal Union assistance concerned training activities for members of the Palestinian people. As a result of scholarships already granted by the Executive Council in 1979, two Palestinians continue to receive long-term training (1979-1983) at the Institut supérieur postal arabe (ISPA).
88. The Union also participated in the ceremony marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on 28 November 1980.
89. The Union is still prepared to implement the project concerning the training of five more Palestinians, provided that the necessary funding is found (see E/1979/61).
P. International Telecommunication Union
[Original: English]
90. In response to Economic and Social Council resolution 2100 (LXIII) of 3 August 1977 and General Assembly resolution 35/111 of 5 December 1980, it should be mentioned that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) does not finance a technical co-operation programme from its regular budget. Technical assistance is provided to developing countries either through the Union's participation in UNDP or through financing by other means, such as trust funds. Under these circumstances, the possibilities for the Union to provide help to the Palestinian people are strictly limited.
91. The Union maintains contact with representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization at Geneva, in order to discuss their needs in the telecommunication field and to invite them to attend conferences of the Union as observers.
92. The Union has also been in contact with member Administrations, in particular in the Arab countries, in order to emphasize the need to train Palestinians in telecommunications. The Union has been able to contribute indirectly towards the training of Palestinians through UNDP or trust fund projects executed by ITU at the training centres for member Administrations in the Arab countries. Many Palestinians are enrolled as trainees or act as instructors at a number of the Arab Telecommunication Training Centres.
93. The Union, as the executing agency for the follow-up project for the implementation of the Middle East and Mediterranean Telecommunication Network, now called the MEDARABTEL project, invited, and continues to invite, Palestinian representatives to participate in the technical seminars within the scope of that project. There have been a total of five seminars to date and fellowships have been awarded to enable participation by the Palestine Liberation Organization. The MEDARABTEL project has been programmed over the period 1979-1983 on a cost-sharing basis between a number of Arab States and UNDP.
94. Palestinian telecommunications engineers attended a traffic engineering seminar in Turkey (5-16 May 1980) and two engineers, nominated by the Palestine Liberation Organization, attended the seminar on tariffs, held at Valetta, Malta, from 23 February to 6 March 1981.
Q. World Meteorological Organization
[Original: English]
95. After careful study of the national projects considered at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Assistance to the Palestinian People, held on 15 and 16 February 1979 on this question, it appears that the World Meteorological Organization would only be able to provide assistance in the form of fellowships for specialized training in applied meteorology and hydrology. This is in accordance with the decision of the Eighth WMO Congress, in response to General Assembly resolution 32/90 of 13 December 1977. Therefore WMO looks forward to receiving such proposals.
96. General Assembly resolution 35/111 of 5 December 1980 and other related resolutions will, of course, be submitted to the WMO Executive Committee in June 1981.
R. Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization
[Original: English]
97. As a result of consultations between IMCO and UNRWA, a proposal is being prepared for submission to the appropriate IMCO organs on the subject of assistance to the Palestinian people. Under this proposal, member States of IMCO would be requested to consider the possibility of either offering fellowships to Palestinian trainees in the maritime field or accepting such trainees in their national maritime academies. Under the proposal, offers may be made either to IMCO or directly to UNRWA, subject to arrangements to be agreed in this regard at a later stage.
98. It is envisaged that the Technical Co-operation Committee of IMCO will be able to consider this proposal and make suitable recommendations thereon to the Council sometime during 1981.
S. World Intellectual Property Organization
[Original: English]
99. The Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will draw the attention of the governing bodies of WIPO, at their sessions in November 1981, to Economic and Social Council resolutions 2026 (LXI) and 2100 (LXIII) entitled "Assistance to the Palestinian people".
100. Under the 1980 WIPO Training Programme, two fellowships were awarded in the field of industrial property and one in the field of copyright to fellows selected from a group of 12 candidatures submitted by UNRWA.
101. An invitation to propose candidates for the 1981 WIPO Fellowship Programme in the fields of copyright and industrial property was sent to the Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization at Geneva and to the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and the Secretary of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.
102. The Director-General of WIPO was represented at the meeting, held at Geneva on 28 November 1980, to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
103. The International Bureau of WIPO has informed the Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization that it looks forward to continued co-operation and remains at his disposal for further discussions concerning the establishment and implementation of concrete projects to ensure the improvement of the social and economic conditions of the Palestinian people.
104. The International Bureau of WIPO has kept the secretariat of the Economic Commission for Western Asia informed of its activities for the benefit of the Palestinian people and has welcomed any suggestions concerning co-ordination of efforts, as mentioned in paragraph 1 of Economic and Social Council resolution 2100 (LXIII).
T. International Fund for Agricultural Development
[Original: English]
105. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) attended two meetings held at Geneva, namely the Inter-Agency Task Force on Assistance to the Palestinian People, held on 15 and 16 February 1979, and the Inter-Agency Meeting on the Implementation of General Assembly resolution 33/147 on Assistance to the Palestinian people, held from 30 April to 2 May 1979.
106. Although IFAD is following this question with close interest and concern, the Fund is restricted by its mandate to financing agricultural development projects in its developing member States.
_____
*A/36/50.
Notes
1/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-third Session, Supplement No.
16 (A/33/16), para. 16.
Document Type: Report, Secretary-General Report
Document Sources: General Assembly
Subject: Agenda Item, Assistance
Publication Date: 09/06/1981