Context
Almost six million Palestinian refugees are currently registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Many have been living in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank, Gaza and Syria for generations. Their living conditions are marked by the effects of war, destroyed infrastructure, poverty, high unemployment and limited rights. The lack of clarity surrounding the future of UNRWA and the Gaza Strip is fuelling the existential uncertainty of people who have virtually no influence over their living conditions or political decision-making processes.
Objective
Local, national and regional actors in the Middle East region can take a more targeted approach to addressing the issues raised by Palestinian refugees in the political context. They are developing effective and practical solutions to the specific needs of Palestinian refugee communities.
Approach
The project works in three areas to involve Palestinian refugees in decision-making processes:
1.Building dialogue: Together with UNRWA, host governments and civil society actors, the project creates dialogue platforms that actively involve Palestinian refugees – particularly young people and women. This results in strategies for solving specific challenges in the camps.
2.Developing roles: The project supports local, national and regional actors in effectively exercising their responsibility for the concerns of Palestinian refugees. Experts and managers develop skills as part of targeted measures and translate these into specific steps to further develop their role.
3.Empowering young people: Young refugees learn to represent their own concerns with appropriate support measures. They acquire specific skills, useful knowledge and access to political and social participation.