Around 455,000 refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with many living in the country’s 12 refugee camps.
Palestine refugees make up an estimated ten per cent of Lebanon, a small country which is now densely populated.
Palestine refugees in Lebanon do not enjoy several basic human rights, for example, they do not have the right to work in as many as 20 professions. Palestine refugees are not formally citizens of another state, so they are not able to claim the same rights as other foreigners living and working in Lebanon.
Projects in Lebanon
Camp profiles
Field office staff
Facts and figures
436,154 registered refugees
12 camps
68 schools, with 32,213 pupils
Two vocational and technical training centres
28 primary health centres
One community rehabilitation centre
Nine women’s programme centres
Figures as of 1 January 2012
Challenges
Palestine refugees in Lebanon face a number of specific problems:
lack of social and civil rights
no access to public social services
very limited access to public health or educational facilities.
Most refugees rely entirely on UNRWA as the sole provider of education, health and relief and social services.
Hospitalisation
The refugees’ major concern is the cost of hospitalisation. UNRWA provides basic primary healthcare, but is only able to cover the cost of secondary hospital care and partial tertiary care.
Since these costs are beyond the means of most refugees, they often face a choice between foregoing essential medical treatment and falling deeply into debt.
Employment
Palestine refugees are subject to many employment restrictions that have left them highly dependent on UNRWA as their main relief provider and major employer. In 2005, officially registered Palestine refugees born in Lebanon were allowed by law to work in the clerical and administrative sectors for the first time. However, refugees are still unable to work in some professions, for example, as doctors, dentists, lawyers, engineers or accountants.
The refugee workforce is substantially underemployed. Although many do find work, this is often seasonal or casual work for low wages and with no social and welfare benefits.
There are distinct signs that this situation is weakening the community's commitment to education. Many young people see no purpose in continuing their study. Some drop out and find manual work in order to support their families.
Committee for Employment of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon website
Refugee “gatherings”
Many refugees live in “gatherings”, often located near official camps and on private land. While UNRWA provides direct services to registered and non-registered refugees, whether they live inside or outside official camps, the Agency cannot construct shelters or rehabilitate the infrastructure in the “gatherings” as these areas lie outside its official camps. Nor can UNRWA provide services such as solid waste disposal to these communities, because they fall under the responsibility of local municipalities.
SOURCE : UNRWA http://www.unrwa.org/etemplate.php?id=65