UNRWA – United States contribution – Press release

UNITED STATES INCREASES SUPPORT TO PALESTINE REFUGEE AGENCY

GAZA, 14 December (UNRWA)  — The  First Lady  of  the United  States, Hillary Rodham Clinton, announced that the Government of the United States has pledged an increase  of 4.5 per cent in its 1999 annual  contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in  the Near East  (UNRWA).   The 1999  contribution will  thus be  $73 million for UNRWA's General Fund.

The announcement came in an address by Mrs. Clinton at UNRWA's Women's Programme Centre in Beach Camp in Gaza,  where she recommended  that other donor  countries increase their contribution to UNRWA.  During her visit, Mrs. Clinton sat in  on a legal literacy  class for Palestine refugee women and spoke to a group of  women who had received loans to start up or expand micro-enterprise projects which generate income.  Mrs. Clinton remarked  on the  difficulties faced  by women in  Gaza over the  years and congratulated the women present on  the work they  had done in building their businesses, while continuing to raise  their families.  She spoke about the benefits  of the micro-enterprise  programme, how it can empower women, help to improve the education of their children, and lead to a better economic future.

The United States has been the largest single donor to UNRWA's regular programmes since 1994.  Mrs. Clinton praised UNRWA's work over the past decades in providing education, health and relief and  social services to some 3.5  million registered Palestine refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

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