The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

UNRWA facing the challenges
Operating through more than 10,000 staff in over 200 installations,
UNRWA delivers education, health care, relief and social services, microcredit
and emergency assistance to registered Palestinian refugees
in Gaza. UNRWA’s work exemplifies the international commitment to
the human development of Palestinian refugees, to help them acquire
knowledge and skills, lead longer and healthier lives, achieve a decent
standard of living, and enjoy human rights to the fullest possible extent.
UNRWA is unique in terms of its long-standing commitment to one
group of refugees, and its contributions to the welfare and human development
of Palestinian refugees. Originally envisaged as a temporary
organization, the Agency has gradually adjusted its programmes to meet
the changing needs of the refugees.
Unlike other UN organizations that work through local authorities or executing
agencies, UNRWA provides its services directly to Palestinian ref -
ugees. It plans and carries out its own activities and projects, and builds
and administers facilities such as schools and clinics. Because such
UNRWA services as education and healthcare are the type of services
normally provided within the public sector, the Agency cooperates close -
ly with governmental authorities in the area of operations, who also provide
some services to Palestinian refugees.
Education
At UNRWA, all children have the right to an education to help them
achieve their full human potential. UNRWA’s education system helps
refugee children to thrive, achieve, and to grow up understanding their
rights and respecting the rights of others. Moreover, UNRWA provides
young people with the opportunity to learn new skills that will enable
them to find work. This helps individuals and families escape poverty
and attain their goals. We at UNRWA believe that to invest in the education
and training of Palestinian refugees means to invest in peace.
Due to a lack of funding for extra teachers and facilities, as well as to
the ongoing blockade, about 90% of UNRWA schools are run on a double-shift
basis, leaving pupils with a truncated education.
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