Canada provides support to Palestinian refugees

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is the only United Nations agency mandated to provide basic services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees who live in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

In response to the Syria regional crisis, UNRWA focuses on supporting the resilience of vulnerable individuals by the provision of humanitarian assistance, and providing a protective framework for Palestinian refugees through basic services, such as education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene or livelihood activities.

UNRWA 2017 - Providing Basic Education, Health and Social Services to Palestinian Refugees and Supporting Improved Neutrality – up to $20 million

Canada’s support will contribute to provide essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees across the region. This assistance will help over 500,000 Palestinian girls and boys receive quality basic education. It will also help operate more than 140 primary health care clinics and support outreach teams to deliver access to health care services, medications and immunizations.

Canada’s assistance will contribute to skills training, microloans, vocational training and employment opportunities to help Palestinian refugees earn a living. For the poorest Palestinian refugees, Canadian assistance will help to provide basic shelter and food.

Canada is also supporting UNRWA’s ongoing efforts to promote neutrality in its operations and among its staff, the majority of whom are also Palestinian refugees. Neutrality is a core obligation and value of UN staff, as well as part of UNRWA’s regulatory framework. Through Canadian funding, UNRWA will engage a neutrality coordinator to monitor activities related to neutrality, lead the development of neutrality initiatives, respond to allegations of neutrality violations, and, ultimately, protect UNRWA’s neutrality.

This support builds on Canadian assistance in 2016 to 2017 that provided social media neutrality training to more than 3,000 UNRWA staff with managerial and supervisory responsibilities.

UNRWA 2017 - Emergency Appeal for the Syria Regional Crisis – up to $5 million

Canada’s support will provide humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of Palestinian refugees affected by the Syria regional crisis. Canadian assistance will contribute to providing food, cash and non-food items, as well as emergency health assistance, psychosocial and protection services, and quality and inclusive education for girls and boys. For Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Canadian assistance will also help to provide opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.