Published : 01-12-2019
Palestinians from Syria in Lebanon continue to express deep concern over their fate in the midst of the large-scale protests sweeping the Lebanese territories for over 40 days to topple the incumbent government.
Speaking with AGPS, Palestinian refugee Ali Maatouq, displaced from Yarmouk Camp, in Damascus, to Lebanon’s AlBekaa region, said: “We’ve been the victims of undernourishment, cold, and displacement. Nobody is here to lend us a hand.”
The refugee said the displaced Palestinians have gone jobless for over 40 days due to the sweeping protests that gripped Lebanon. “We can’t even afford to buy one single liter of fuel. Many families can’t afford to buy a bread bundle”.
“Aids handed over by UNRWA barely meet our needs for five days. I don’t even have enough cash to treat my injured wife and buy medicines for her”, he said.
Activists have called on UNRWA, the Palestinian Authority, and all other concerned parties to opt for an emergency plan and set relief assistance mechanisms in favor of Palestinian refugee families, most of whom have kept indoors over security concerns.
Palestinian refugees from Syria are also reported to lack legal status in Lebanon. The absence of a specific legislation addressing their unique situation along with their ambivalent legal status and the inhospitality shown by local authorities combine to make life unbearable for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
The price leap, steep rental fees, expensive education charges, and lack of access to the local labor market, along with the absence of relief aids, have made the situation worse.
UNRWA has identified PRS in Lebanon as one of the most marginalized and poorest communities in the region.
95% of PRS are food insecure; Over 80% cite UNRWA cash assistance as their main source of income, while about 89% of PRS live in poverty, according to the UN agency. 36% to 57% of PRS youth face unemployment.
Following a comprehensive verification exercise of PRS in Lebanon, UNRWA verified the physical presence of 28,598 PRS (8,700 families) in the country until the end of February 2019. Most of them are eligible for the Agency’s emergency assistance.
UNRWA statistics indicate a gradual reduction of PRS in Lebanon, due to either onward movement or returns to Syria, while the pace of spontaneous and unassisted returns continues to vary.
PRS rely heavily on UNRWA support to cover their basic needs and this dependency is expected to remain high in 2020.
Palestinians from Syria in Lebanon continue to express deep concern over their fate in the midst of the large-scale protests sweeping the Lebanese territories for over 40 days to topple the incumbent government.
Speaking with AGPS, Palestinian refugee Ali Maatouq, displaced from Yarmouk Camp, in Damascus, to Lebanon’s AlBekaa region, said: “We’ve been the victims of undernourishment, cold, and displacement. Nobody is here to lend us a hand.”
The refugee said the displaced Palestinians have gone jobless for over 40 days due to the sweeping protests that gripped Lebanon. “We can’t even afford to buy one single liter of fuel. Many families can’t afford to buy a bread bundle”.
“Aids handed over by UNRWA barely meet our needs for five days. I don’t even have enough cash to treat my injured wife and buy medicines for her”, he said.
Activists have called on UNRWA, the Palestinian Authority, and all other concerned parties to opt for an emergency plan and set relief assistance mechanisms in favor of Palestinian refugee families, most of whom have kept indoors over security concerns.
Palestinian refugees from Syria are also reported to lack legal status in Lebanon. The absence of a specific legislation addressing their unique situation along with their ambivalent legal status and the inhospitality shown by local authorities combine to make life unbearable for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
The price leap, steep rental fees, expensive education charges, and lack of access to the local labor market, along with the absence of relief aids, have made the situation worse.
UNRWA has identified PRS in Lebanon as one of the most marginalized and poorest communities in the region.
95% of PRS are food insecure; Over 80% cite UNRWA cash assistance as their main source of income, while about 89% of PRS live in poverty, according to the UN agency. 36% to 57% of PRS youth face unemployment.
Following a comprehensive verification exercise of PRS in Lebanon, UNRWA verified the physical presence of 28,598 PRS (8,700 families) in the country until the end of February 2019. Most of them are eligible for the Agency’s emergency assistance.
UNRWA statistics indicate a gradual reduction of PRS in Lebanon, due to either onward movement or returns to Syria, while the pace of spontaneous and unassisted returns continues to vary.
PRS rely heavily on UNRWA support to cover their basic needs and this dependency is expected to remain high in 2020.
