The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

poverty. Since Israel’s twenty-two-day military action against the Gaza
Strip on December 27, 2008, the blockade of the Gaza Strip has prevented
the United Nations from conducting any significant repairs or reconstruction.
It also places severe restrictions on the goods and services
which UNRWA supplies. An estimated 325,000 refugees are believed
to be living in abject poverty, unable to meet their basic food needs. A
further 350,000 are now below the official poverty line.”
(Report, p. 216).
In all areas of basic supply, Gaza faces extreme problems, including
electric power, water, the destruction of the economic infrastructure,
the health conditions of the population, and basic food supply. In all
these areas, UNRWA is active. “Operating through more than 10,000
staff in over 200 installations, UNRWA provides education, health care,
relief and social services, microcredit, and emergency assistance to the
registered refugees in Gaza.” (Report, p. 217). In addition to supplying
refugees with basic food, UNRWA is particularly involved in education
for children and young people, and in supporting women.
More than half the UNRWA budget is spent on education. The poor conditions
resulting from the continued blockade do not permit any expansion
of the schools, so that they have to operate in shifts, and the
educational situation of children is hampered. Nonetheless, UNRWA attempts
to continue to carry out its educational mission. “At UNRWA,
each child has the right to an education to help them achieve their full
human potential. UNRWA’s education system helps the refugees’ children
to thrive, achieve, and 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 lead to 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 is to invest in peace.” (Report, p. 217) The pupils at the
UNRWA schools are among the best educated in the region. More -
over, half of them are girls. The Schools of Excellence Programme has
been carried out since 2007, “emphasizing remedial education, focus
on core subjects, extra-curricular activities, basic support to pupils, pupils’
values and behaviour, improved pupil-teacher contact time and at-
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