Palestine refugees – UNRWA appeal – Press release

UNRWA LAUNCHES $11 MILLION EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE

TO PALESTINE REFUGEES IN LEBANON IN 1997-1998

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 10  July  (UN Information  Service)  —  Over  350,000  Palestine refugees  in Lebanon are on the brink of despair as  they are forced to cope with a growing  social and economic crisis which  can only be averted by the quick action of the international community.   Launching the United  Nations Relief  and Works Agency for  Palestine Refugees in  the Near East's (UNRWA) Special Emergency Appeal for Assistance to  Palestine Refugees in Lebanon at a  press conference  today, 10  July, in  Geneva, UNRWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen called for  $11 million  in additional  contributions from the international community for 1997-1998 to meet the need.

"We are launching an appeal at  this time because  thousands of Palestine refugees in Lebanon desperately  need help.  Over  the years, UNRWA has been a lifeline, but rising needs among the refugees, combined with the  Agency's severe  financial constraints, are a  recipe for frustration and misery.  At this critical juncture  in the peace process, it is important to demonstrate to the Palestine  refugees in Lebanon  that their status is not  at risk and that the  international community,  through its  support to  UNRWA, has not abandoned them", Mr. Hansen said.

Stressing the urgency of the  appeal for special  funds and  the need for prompt  action by the  international community,  Mr. Hansen  said that UNRWA was virtually the sole provider of  health, education and relief  and social services  to the 356,000  Palestine refugees  registered with  the Agency in Lebanon.  At the  same time, the socio-economic conditions of the  Palestine refugee population have  worsened despite the  relative stability in Lebanon in recent years.  At least 40 per  cent of Palestine refugees in Lebanon are unemployed since  they face restrictions  in the  local job market.   Unlike their compatriots in Jordan  or Syria, they have no access to public  health facilities,  including hospitalization  services.   Palestine refugees  have practically no access to  public schools at all  levels as priority is given to  Lebanese citizens.   Remittances  from  family  members working  in Gulf countries were drastically reduced after the Gulf war.

"A volatile situation has  developed in  Lebanon in  recent months,  with campaigns being organized  to protest  the Agency's  perceived inability  to meet  the refugees'  basic needs", Mr.  Hansen said.   "Additional funds are crucial to help ease  the socio-economic crisis  facing Palestine  refugees living in  Lebanon and to  cover basic  needs arising from  their particular circumstances,  such  as  health  services,  in  particular hospitalization, housing and education."

The difficulty of mobilizing  sufficient contributions  for the  Agency's General Fund  has  made it  increasingly  difficult  for UNRWA  to  maintain adequate services for the Palestine refugees in Lebanon.  Over 10 per cent of refugees in Lebanon  are  enrolled  in  the  Agency's special  hardship programme, the highest proportion in the  Agency's five fields of operations (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza  Strip).  In addition, there are an estimated 15-20,000 non-registered Palestine refugees in Lebanon who are not entitled to UNRWA services, but who nevertheless are in urgent  need of assistance.

The Commissioner-General  said  that  the health  needs  of  the  refugee community in Lebanon were especially acute  in  the  absence  of public facilities  accessible to  Palestinian due to their refugee status.  The Agency's austerity measures have affected payments  for hospital care.   Mr. Hansen appealed  for $6.9 million to  hold the line  on the Agency's  health services, including  funds  to maintain  the  current  level and  volume of hospitalization services, to reduce  the  financial burden  on the  poorest refugees and  to  ensure timely  admission  to  hospital for  emergency  and lifesaving cases.

Since Palestine  refugees  rely  almost  entirely  on  UNRWA  educational facilities  and tuition fees  at private  schools are very  high, the Agency also appealed for $2.7  million to respond to  urgent needs in the education sector.

Many refugee families who live at  or below the poverty line  do not meet the restricted  criteria of UNRWA's  special hardship assistance  programme.  The  Agency  appealed for  $1.4  million  to  assist  Palestine refugees in Lebanon who suffer  the greatest  socio-economic disadvantage.   Funding is required to  provide  assistance  to these  refugees who,  without  support, would find it difficult to survive.

The Commissioner-General  told  journalists that  now  was  the  time  to reinforce UNRWA's role by ensuring sufficient  funding for its core services within  its General  Fund.    "This will  enable the  Agency to  fulfill its obligations, to  improve the living conditions  of the  refugees, to prepare them   for  the  challenges  ahead  and  to  reinforce  UNRWA's  role  as  a stabilizing factor in the region", he said.

Earlier today in Geneva, Mr.  Hansen met  the High  Level Working  Group, which included  ambassadors accredited to the  United Nations  in Geneva, to outline  the details  of the  appeal and  to request  the support  of  their governments.

The full  text of  the  appeal,  including  the details  of  the specific contributions  requested  to  assist  Palestine  refugees  in  Lebanon,  are available from UNRWA.

For more information contact UNRWA  Public Information  Office, UNRWA  HQ (Gaza), P.O.  Box 371,  Gaza City,  tel. (+972  7) 677  7333, 677  7526; fax (+972 7) 677 7555, 677 7697.

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