On Tuesday, February 4, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Beirut launched its appeal for funding for the year 2020, namely funding for the regional crisis in Syria worth $270 million.
In its funding appeal, the agency revealed its exceptional requirements to “fund a relief plan for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon in light of the deteriorating economic and financial situation in Lebanon”.
Claudio Cordone, UNRWA’s Lebanon director, stressed that “Palestinian refugees in Lebanon depend on UNRWA to provide Vital aid and the financial crisis in Lebanon affect everyone, which makes these refugees more dependent on us”.
Cordone stressed that “supporting UNRWA is not a substitute for a political solution that must be reached quickly, but awaiting this solution, it is necessary to maintain a decent life for the Palestine refugee community”.
Cordone also noted that “the funds required to cover Syria's appeal will provide vital assistance to approximately 438.000 Palestinian refugees affected by the conflict inside Syria, about 28.000 of which moved to Lebanon and 17.000 are currently present in Jordan, still in need of humanitarian aid and some major protection.
91% of the Palestinian refugee families in Syria are suffering from absolute poverty (less than two dollars a day), while 126,000 refugees have been identified as extremely vulnerable, according to the UNRWA's Emergency Appeal Report of 2020.
The majority of Palestinian refugees in Syria, both inside camps or outside of it, are suffering from almost non-existent living conditions due to the widespread unemployment and weak financial resources.
Unemployment rates have reached a threshold of 75% in the Daraa camp, according to local estimates obtained by the “Palestinian Refugee Gateway” website. It exceeds the 60% threshold that exists in most camps.
Such numbers prompt the refugees' continued demand for the agency to redistribute in-kind relief and increase financial support to cope with the economic and livelihood collapse.
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