Published : 21-02-2022
Palestinian refugees displaced from Syria in Lebanon have rallied outside of the main Beirut office of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to protest the Agency’s latest decision to cut food aid for PRS and suspend shelter grants.
The protesters strongly condemned the decision which they said is a sign of apathy regarding the abject humanitarian condition already endured by the Palestinian refugee community in displacement camps across the Lebanese territories, where they have been denied vital services and access to the local labour market.
They added that the decision is also a serious breach of UNRWA’s humanitarian mission as mandated by the UN and the Agency’s promise to assist Palestinian refugees in its five fields of operation, including Lebanon.
Palestinian refugees have urged UNRWA to resume delivery of cash grants on a monthly basis in order to enable them to pay their house rents and purchase food and medicines for their children.
They further called on UNRWA’s protection department to coordinate with the Lebanese General Security Office in order to issue/renew visas and identity documents for displaced Palestinians from Syria and cover 100% of hospitalization fees.
The refugees handed over a memorandum to director of UNRWA operations in Lebanon Claudio Cordone, slamming the latter over the Agency’s austerity policy.
By the end of 2021, UNRWA said that starting 2022, multi-purpose monthly cash grants of 100 USD to every registered PRS will be reduced to 25 USD per person.
The Agency also said every PRS will receive an additional cash grant of 150 USD on two batches in 2022. UNRWA will suspend its food allowances for PRS in Lebanon.
A number of NGOs leveled heavy criticism at UNRWA and urged the Agency to backtrack on the new measures which they said would result in further despair for PRS.
Palestinian refugees displaced from Syria in Lebanon have rallied outside of the main Beirut office of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to protest the Agency’s latest decision to cut food aid for PRS and suspend shelter grants.
The protesters strongly condemned the decision which they said is a sign of apathy regarding the abject humanitarian condition already endured by the Palestinian refugee community in displacement camps across the Lebanese territories, where they have been denied vital services and access to the local labour market.
They added that the decision is also a serious breach of UNRWA’s humanitarian mission as mandated by the UN and the Agency’s promise to assist Palestinian refugees in its five fields of operation, including Lebanon.
Palestinian refugees have urged UNRWA to resume delivery of cash grants on a monthly basis in order to enable them to pay their house rents and purchase food and medicines for their children.
They further called on UNRWA’s protection department to coordinate with the Lebanese General Security Office in order to issue/renew visas and identity documents for displaced Palestinians from Syria and cover 100% of hospitalization fees.
The refugees handed over a memorandum to director of UNRWA operations in Lebanon Claudio Cordone, slamming the latter over the Agency’s austerity policy.
By the end of 2021, UNRWA said that starting 2022, multi-purpose monthly cash grants of 100 USD to every registered PRS will be reduced to 25 USD per person.
The Agency also said every PRS will receive an additional cash grant of 150 USD on two batches in 2022. UNRWA will suspend its food allowances for PRS in Lebanon.
A number of NGOs leveled heavy criticism at UNRWA and urged the Agency to backtrack on the new measures which they said would result in further despair for PRS.
