BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee

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Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (2006-2007)
Israel has repeatedly closed the main trade access point, the Karni crossing, for two out of every
three days so far this year. As a result essential food supplies including bread, sugar and yoghurt
have become scarce for the 1.4 million people in Gaza. © MaanImages/Wesam Saleh.
for structural soundness, hygiene, ventilation, and space relative to family size. By the end of 2006, UNRWA
had managed to rehabilitate 778 SHC shelters, representing only 8.6% of the urgent rehabilitation needs.
At the beginning of 2007, about 9,000 SHC shelters still needed repair or reconstruction.
During 2004 and 2005, humanitarian assistance was more effective in reducing deep poverty among refugees
in the OPT than for non-refugees. 80 In 2004, humanitarian assistance reduced the number of non-refugees
in deep poverty by 10.6%, compared to 18.8% among refugees. In 2005, assistance reduced the number of
non-refugees in deep poverty by 16.8%, versus 24.1% for refugees. Humanitarian assistance was thus 50%
more effective in alleviating deep poverty among refugees than non-refugees. 81 However, despite increased
levels of assistance in 2005, the total number of those in deep poverty in the OPT increased by an estimated
82,000 persons, nearly all of them refugees, in particular in the Gaza Strip. The total number of those in
deep poverty in 2005 in the OPT was 820,000 of which 406,000 were refugees. 82
The social services programme has assisted tens of thousands of women, persons with disabilities, children
and youth through 104 community-based organizations across UNRWA’s area of operations. These include
65 centres for women and youth activity (primarily located in the 1967-occupied Palestinian territory)
and 39 community rehabilitation centres. Women’s centres provide training for women in skills such as
sewing, embroidery and food preparation, as well as computer and business training. These centres also
aim to raise awareness on issues such as early marriage, drug addiction, and domestic violence. Support
services for women, including psychological counselling, legal advice and kindergartens are offered, as well
as recreational and cultural activities. Youth programmes provide recreational and educational activities,
such as computer and language courses, leadership training, awareness-raising sessions on the rights of
the child, sports, theatre, music and summer camps. UNRWA also operates a micro-credit community
programme for SHC; this has provided loans for housing improvement and small-scale enterprise that
benefitted 3,600 SHC in 2005.
3.2.4 Housing and Infrastructure
and Syria. Selective cash subsidies
to SHC and non-special hardship
families who faced emergency
situations, such as the loss of goods
or income due to fire, flooding,
death or sudden incapacity of
heads of households or primary
income earners, diminished by
nearly 90% in 2006. Only 1,230
SHC families and 51 non-special
hardship families were financially
assisted in 2006, compared to
12,188 SHC and non-hardship
case families in 2005.
Shelter rehabilitation is needed
for shelters that do not meet
minimally acceptable standards
Arab host states provide state or rented land for the 59 UNRWA-serviced refugee camps located in Syria, Jordan,
Lebanon and in the OPT, as well as varying degrees of infrastructure for the camps.