Helpdesk Reports
This rapid review report has identified the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) options used in emergency settings, with decentralised wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) and mobile wastewater treatment units performing most effectively and with minimal costs. Examples are taken from refugee camps and internally displaced people (IDP) settlements due to the Iraq war, the Israeli-Palestine conflict, and… Read more
It is difficult to conceive a sustainable, long-lasting solution to the Palestinian– Israeli conflict without examining the refugee issue and identifying a just solution to it for both sides. Over time, and beside its emotional dimensions, the refugee issue has been increasingly regarded as a “problem” for the Israeli and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)/Palestinian… Read more
Studies of specialised agencies of the United Nations in general and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in particular focus overwhelmingly on the humanitarian activities and structures of these institutions. Relatively understudied and less understood in the literature on UNRWA is the impact the institution has had on the ongoing reconstruction of Palestinian… Read more
Teachers are at the heart of the education reforms of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). A school based programme of continuous professional development for teachers was therefore introduced in 2012. UNRWA’s School Based Teacher Development (SBTD): Transforming Classroom Practices programme reflects the importance of developing and supporting… Read more
Students in the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools are taught the curriculum of their host country; an agreement which has been in place between UNRWA, UNESCO and the host countries since 1954 to facilitate refugees’ access to the host countries’ secondary schools. UNRWA need to ensure that… Read more
In Syria, the crisis has pushed the capacity of basic social services to the breaking point, with a devastating impact on 4.5 million children. A total of 2 million children are out of school and one in five schools has been destroyed, damaged, or used for other purposes, including occupation by armed groups. The economic… Read more
The education reform strategy of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is designed to establish a strong enabling environment, whereby schools and teachers receive appropriate, timely professional and administrative support. Decisions are evidence based, and are in place and embodied in a comprehensive set of education… Read more
This article examines the changing identification and categorisation of Palestinian refugees in order to explore the role of definition in shaping both the UNRWA aid regime and the experience of being a Palestinian refugee. The impact of definition—and the definitions themselves—have not been uniform over time. To consider these qualifications and their impact, this article… Read more
Palestine refugees are achieving higher-than-average learning outcomes in spite of the adverse circumstances they live under. Their education system—the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)—operates one of the largest non-governmental school systems in the Middle East. Contrary to what might be expected from a resource-constrained administration serving… Read more
Since the last Human Development Report was published in 2010, several key events and developments have impacted empowerment in Palestine. While some have had a positive impact, on the whole there has been a marked deterioration in the state of Palestinian empowerment over the past four years. The international recognition of Palestinian readiness for statehood… Read more
Hundreds of incidents of attacks on education – including killing and injury of students and teachers, and damage to schools during fighting – were documented in Israel/Palestine in 2009-2012 by the UN. The great majority of incidents occurred in connection with the Israeli military operations ‘Cast Lead’ (27 December 2008 to 18 January 2009) and… Read more