UNRWA: History, Services, and Funding

UNRWA

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) was established in December 1949 by the United Nations General Assembly to provide assistance to the nearly 750,000 Palestinians displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The agency’s initial mandate was to deliver relief and human development aid to these refugees and their patrilineal descendants who were forced to flee or were expelled from their homes. Though originally intended as a temporary organization, UNRWA’s mandate has been repeatedly renewed by the General Assembly every three years to continue providing services to subsequent generations of Palestinians from the 1948 and 1967 wars.

As of 2023, UNRWA supports over 5 million registered refugees across its five main areas of operation – Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The majority of beneficiaries are actually descendants of the original 1948 refugee population who can access the agency’s services. For 70+ years, UNRWA has been the primary provider of healthcare, education, relief, infrastructure support and social services for millions of Palestinians displaced by regional wars and conflicts. Currently over 1 million refugees are taking shelter in UNRWA facilities across Gaza as a result of recent violence.

What are the Services area of UNRWA?

UNRWA is unique compared to other United Nations agencies in that it directly carries out operations to deliver essential services to Palestinian refugees, rather than just funding local organizations. As of February 2023, the agency conducts activities across 5 major fields of operations: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Across these areas, UNRWA provides critical services in the categories of education, healthcare, relief, social services, infrastructure, protection and microfinance. For example in Gaza, UNRWA runs over 250 schools for over 280,000 students and operates 22 primary healthcare facilities.

A core part of UNRWA’s operations is managing refugee camps and facilities across its fields of operation. Currently the agency operates over 150 refugee camps providing services to camp residents. UNRWA also administers emergency shelters and supplies for refugees impacted by conflicts in the region – as of late 2022 over 1 million displaced Gazans alone were sheltering in UNRWA schools and facilities. Through direct service delivery, UNRWA provides food, water, healthcare and educational access that constitutes a lifeline for millions of Palestinian refugees over multiple generations.

Who funds the UNRWA?

UNRWA relies heavily on voluntary financial contributions from United Nations member states to fund its humanitarian activities for Palestinian refugees. In 2022, almost 60% of the agency’s budget came from just 9 major donor countries. Only a minor amount of funding comes from the UN’s regular budget in the form of subsidies for administrative overhead costs. Due to this voluntary funding model, UNRWA’s operations are vulnerable to budget deficits if donor nations suspend or reduce contributions.

Who leads the UNRWA?

In contrast to other UN agencies, UNRWA does not report to the UN Secretary General but directly to the United Nations General Assembly. The primary leader of UNRWA is the Commissioner-General, who is appointed by the UN Secretary General with General Assembly approval. As of 2023, the Commissioner-General is Philippe Lazzarini. The Commissioner-General provides annual reports directly to the members of General Assembly and may appeal to the Assembly for additional funding during times of crisis. This governance structure gives the General Assembly oversight and responsibility for ensuring UNRWA has the funding and leadership needed to provide continued humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees.

Who are the Beneficiaries of UNRWA?

As of 2023, UNRWA provides direct support and essential services to over 5 million registered Palestinian refugees across its areas of operation. However, the vast majority of registered beneficiaries are actually descendants of the initial 750,000 refugees from the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. This number continues to grow as descendants inherit refugee status. For example in Gaza, refugees and their descendants comprise around 85% (nearly 2 million) of the total population.

The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to cause new waves of displacement – over 1 million refugees are currently taking shelter in UNRWA schools and facilities across Gaza as a result of recent violence. Through its 70+ years of operations, UNRWA has provided consecutive generations of Palestinian refugees with access to healthcare, education, food security, and other critical humanitarian assistance.

UN General Assembly Role in UNRWA?

The United Nations General Assembly plays several key roles in relation to UNRWA’s operations. The Assembly votes every three years on renewing UNRWA’s mandate to provide Palestinian refugees. This renewal allows for continued service delivery. Additionally, the UN Secretary General, who is appointed by the General Assembly, selects the Commissioner-General to lead UNRWA with Assembly approval. The Assembly also approves the UN regular budgets which provide a small amount of funding towards UNRWA’s administrative costs. Through these actions, the General Assembly authorizes and oversees UNRWA’s capacity to carry out vital, lifesaving aid programs for millions of refugees over the past 70+ years.

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