Summary

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was established in 1949 to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees. In its 2013 mandate renewal of UNRWA, the General Assembly affirmed the importance of the provision of services for the wellbeing, protection and human development of the Palestine refugees and for the stability of the region, pending the just resolution of the question of the Palestine refugees (see Assembly resolution 68/76, para. 3).

The present evaluation assessed the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of the promotion of a decent standard of living for Palestine refugees by UNRWA from 2010 to 2015, a period coinciding with the UNRWA medium-term strategy and the time since the previous OIOS evaluation. The human development goal of a decent standard of living was intended to unite the various departments and field offices around a shared vision for improving the lives of its target population. As UNRWA embarked on its 2016-2021 medium-term strategy, which envisions a similarly ambitious role for its protection focus, the evaluation was aimed at harnessing insights from the Agency’s previous experience to help it chart a better-informed course in the years ahead.

Since the previous OIOS evaluation, the external challenges affecting the effectiveness and efficiency of UNRWA have further intensified: a political solution to the conflict underlying Palestine refugees’ displacement seems even farther beyond reach; refugee numbers have grown rapidly while the resources have become less stable; and UNRWA human resources are no more flexible now than previously.

Despite these challenges, UNRWA has continued to provide services — both in respect of a decent standard of living and in its other main areas of intervention, such as health and education.
Evidence of the effectiveness of these services in improving lives has been elusive, however. Although UNRWA has made gains in its monitoring and evaluation function, these functions are still underemphasized as tools to help UNRWA learn and improve. In the present evaluation, household and intercept surveys were conducted to offer a glimpse of outcome-level results, but this effort does not substitute for ongoing UNRWA-led monitoring and evaluation of results.

At a fundamental strategic level, UNRWA was unsuccessful in making the human development goal of a decent standard of living a platform for uniting the Agency around a shared vision for improving the lives of Palestine refugees. First, UNRWA failed to specify how all corners of the Agency would work together towards the achievement of a decent standard of living. Second, intended reforms of the key programmatic areas responsible for the implementation of a decent standard of living were never fully realized, in contrast to other programmes. Finally, a monitoring and evaluation framework by which to assess achievement of the shared goal of a decent standard of living, including outcome-level results data, was lacking.

Many of these gaps were identified in the previous OIOS evaluation, as they represent broader organizational shortcomings that extend beyond a decent standard of living, but some recommendations were not heeded. As UNRWA pivots towards protection as a similarly ambitious goal in its 2016-2021 medium-term strategy, it risks similar challenges if it continues to ignore these gaps.

OIOS makes two important recommendations, both of which UNRWA has accepted, namely that UNRWA:

• Strengthen its accountability framework

• Identify the appropriate level of resources necessary to fully meet its 2016 - 2021 medium-term performance targets, and document and regularly communicate the effects of any funding gaps to the Advisory Commission of the Agency and other key stakeholders.

Editorial

Welcome to this eighth issue of Nutrition Exchange (NEX), in which we have widened our geographical reach to include more readers and contributors from the Middle East and North Africa region. Iis is the first NEX issue to feature two articles from Lebanon. One looks at a community-based kitchen initiative (page 9), the other a school feeding programme (page 10). Both articles describe efforts to address the double burden of malnutrition (overweight/ obesity and undernutrition) among the Syrian refugee and vulnerable Lebanese populations.

Malnutrition in all its forms is evident in every country in the world (as confirmed by the 2016 Global Nutrition Report). According to WHO’s analysis, very few countries have yet been able to account for the rapid rise in overweight/ obesity and non-communicable diseases in their food and nutrition policies and plans. Ecuador may be an exception; the article in this issue reports that food labeling, a sugar tax on beverages and school-based initiatives to increase healthy eating and physical activity are being implemented (page 12). An interview with Nigeria’s Ministry of Budget and National Planning (page 28) provides important insights into the challenges of developing a national food and nutrition policy, particularly in securing the necessary budget lines in different ministries with a role in nutrition. Advocacy can play a crucial part in raising the profile of nutrition among parliamentarians and the media in order to influence national policies and budget allocations. An initiative in 12 countries in West Africa to scale up nutrition advocacy efforts through creating nutrition champions and civil society alliances is described in detail (page 24).

In countries where agriculture remains the primary economic activity (mainly in Africa and Asia), the focus is now on making agriculture more nutrition-sensitive; that is, seeking to maximise its contribution to nutrition. This issue contains articles on two such initiatives, in Ethiopia and Zambia. Both focus on building capacity, defined as the process by which individuals, organisations and societies strengthen their knowledge, skills and experience in order to achieve development objectives. The Ethiopia story (page 21) describes a project to identify capacity strengths and gaps in implementing the country’s nutrition-sensitive agriculture plan. In the Zambia article (page 19), the emphasis is on ‘singing the same song’ – developing key nutrition messages for agricultural extension workers. Building capacity is also the focus of an article from Kenya (page 26), where a nutrition capacity development framework is being streamlined to take account of the country’s devolved government structure and the need to support subnational level solutions for nutrition problems.

Many countries are implementing multi-sector nutrition programmes (MSNPs), which attempt to link together all the sectors – such as agriculture, education, health, water and sanitation and social protection – that can help address the immediate, underlying and basic causes of malnutrition. An article from Pakistan (page 17) describes a tool that uses existing data to identify the potential cost and nutritional impact of a range of interventions to ‘fill the nutrient gap’ across different sectors. In Nepal, the reality of carrying out multi-sector interventions is explored by two district officers charged with implementing an MSNP on the ground (page 15).

We would be delighted to feature many more of these ‘voices from the field’ – so please do share your stories and experiences of nutrition programming with us for the next issue of NEX, to be published in January 2018. Thank you to all our contributors and happy reading!

Carmel Dolan, Co-editor, NEX
(carmel@ennonline.net)

Judith Hodge, Co-editor, NEX
(Judith.Hodge@ennonline.net)

Syria: IOM is establishing three emergency transit and reception centres in Atareb, Al Bab and Idleb which will provide IDPs with access to basic humanitarian services. Moreover, in June, IOM provided over 66,000 IDPs, returnees and other conflict affected individuals with non-food items.

Turkey: In June, IOM organized activities in Bozova and Belen to foster dialogue and promote social cohesion between refugees and local residents, with 950 people in attendance. In addition, 33 Turkish and Syrian humanitarian workers completed the executive professional certificate programme on Psychosocial Support and Conflict Transformation, organized in collaboration with the Social Sciences University of Ankara.

Lebanon: Between 1 and 30 June, Dari Centre staff and IOM’s outreach team conducted psychosocial activities aimed to train, enhance, and develop volunteers’ skills in topics related to women and child protection and gender based violence; over 800 individuals participated in these activities.

Iraq: During the reporting period, IOM began the rehabilitation of 20 schools in Sulaymaniyah, Dohuk and Erbil governorates. Furthermore, over 40 beneficiaries in Ninewa and Dohuk attended health awareness raising sessions conducted by IOM.

Jordan: In June, IOM conducted a border management needs assessment in coordination with the Jordanian Authorities. In addition, IOM will continue to provide transportation assistance to students throughout July and August for summer school.

The requirements presented in this funding snapshot refer to the 2017 Regional Refugee & Resilience Plan covering the period January to December 2017 available at http://reporting.unhcr.org/publications

Funding level
3RP Requirements $4,633,255,733
Funding received $1,274,020,113
% funded 27%

But $1.5 billion of pledges have still to come in - and more than 500,000 refugee children in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan are not yet getting an education.

International donors have delivered almost three-quarters of the money pledged for 2017 to help millions of Syrians forced out of their homes by the ongoing conflict - including getting children into school.

That means $4.4 billion promised at the the Supporting Syria and the Region conference has been spent or committed to aid those displaced inside the war-torn country plus refugees and the communities hosting them in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.

But $1.5 billion of pledged money has still to come in - and donors have been urged to make good on their promises.

Just under a fifth of the 2017 grants from donors - about $566 million - is being used for education, according to an update on funding commitments released today by the conference countries.

The 19% share makes it the second biggest sector - behind economic recovery and infrastructure but ahead of health, food, shelter and protection. The conference's spend on education for the whole of 2016 was $646 million.

The financial tracking report comes from the co-chairs of the Supporting Syria and the Region conference. In February 2016, they met in London and promised that every Syrian refugee child in neighbouring countries would be in school by the end of the 2016-17 academic year.

There has been progress. But with the school year now over, more than half a million refugee children in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan are not yet getting an education.

he new report makes no mention of how many children are in or out of school in Syria and the neighbouring countries hosting refugees - and no breakdown of how money is being used to deliver education.

Theirworld's #YouPromised campaign has been pushing world leaders to keep their pledge to get every Syrian child in school.

When the Supporting Syria conference met again in Brussels in April, a special education report showed that some progress had been made. At the end of 2016 the total number of out-of-school refugee children was 534,272 - down from 630,417 in December 2015.

Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende told the conference: "Education is key to Syria's future. We simply cannot afford to lose a whole generation of young Syrians."

At that Brussels gathering, the co-chairs - Germany, the UK, the EU, Norway, Kuwait, Qatar and the UN - met with representatives of more than 70 countries, organisations and Syrian civil society.

Multiyear pledges were made for 2017 to 2020 to help Syria and the nations hosting refugees.

Almost $10 billion in grants was pledged by donor countries, with $6 billion earmarked for 2017. International financial institutions and donors also announced almost $30 billion in loans.

This report is the result of a fire risk reduction consultancy carried out in Lebanon by a team from Operation Florian in July and August 2016. The consultancy was commissioned by Save the Children Lebanon, in collaboration with the Lebanese Civil Defense, in order to make a situation study and needs assessment.

The situation of displaced populations in Lebanon has a long and complex history, with different groups seeking asylum in the country at various stages. However, this report is primarily concerned with Syrian displaced peoples living in Lebanon since the beginning of the crisis in 2012.There is a specific focus on those living in informal settlements and sub-standard buildings, with some reference to those living in urban settings alongside host communities.

The following analysis and recommendations are designed to help key government and humanitarian sector stakeholders to work together to make improvements in all aspects of fire risk reduction.

First step in ceasefire took place on Sunday as the two sides exchanged bodies of fighters killed in clashes

BEIRUT, July 30 (Reuters) - About 8,000 people have registered to leave the Lebanese border region near Arsal for a rebel-held area of Syria as part of a local ceasefire between Hezbollah and the Nusra Front, a security source in Lebanon said on Sunday.

Read more on the Thomson Reuters Foundation

Volunteer Fatima Al Obeid launched classes for refugee parents in response to their desire to help their children with their homework.

By: Tania Karas and Dalal Mawad in Fnaydek, Lebanon

Fatima Al Obeid stands before a whiteboard and writes the Arabic letter “b”. She calls on a student to write the word “beit,” Arabic for “house.”

However, her pupils are not children but adult women. Twice a week, she teaches Syrian refugee mothers and grandmothers how to read and write their native language. For most, it is their first time in a classroom. In Syria, they did not have the opportunity to attend school.

The literacy classes for women emerged from their desire to help their children better integrate into Lebanon, where they have lived since they left Syria at the start of the conflict. Many wanted to help their children with their homework and to read the Koran. Also, they wanted greater independence in their new country.

Fatima, 31, had been taking a degree course in Arabic literature in the Syrian city of Homs when fighting forced her family to seek safety in Lebanon five years ago. Since then, her three young children have started attending a Lebanese school.

After hearing many Syrian refugee parents express embarrassment at not being able to help their children with their homework, she took matters into her own hands. Earlier this year, she decided to start a basic adult literacy class in her community of Fnaydek, in northern Lebanon. She focuses on mothers, since they spend more time at home with their children after school

“It’s such a nice feeling when you see your students improving before your eyes,” says Fatima, who has volunteered as a teacher since February. “When I started teaching them, they were uncomfortable and upset, since some of them could not even hold a pen properly.”

Classes are held partly in Arabic and partly in French. At least 15 women attend each session. They range in age from 17 to the mid-60s, and two have developmental disabilities. Enrolment is free, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the international charity Save the Children provide books and other classroom materials.

The women take great pride in being able to support their children with their homework. At least 194,000 Syrian children are enrolled in state primary schools in Lebanon, according to the Ministry of Education. Most attend the “second shift”, special afternoon classes for Syrian refugees.

“My five children are all in school from grades one to six,” says 44-year-old Ghalia Ahmed Ezzeiddine. “And I am in grade one, too.”

Like many of her fellow students, Ghalia says she did not see the value of education for herself until she became a refugee. In Syria, it was less necessary to be able to read and write, she says. People gave directions using local landmarks and important news was passed on by word of mouth. “But here, even if we speak the same language, this country is not ours,” she says of Lebanon. “We are foreigners. If I get a text message from UNHCR or another organization, I want to be able to read it. If my child asks me about her lessons, I want to be able to answer her.”

The first few weeks of class were difficult and several of the women felt overwhelmed. To make matters worse, some faced criticism from their husbands and fellow villagers.

“Some husbands would say, ‘Why? You’re old now. You don’t need that’,” Fatima explains.
Nevertheless, she encouraged them to ignore the critics. She coached them in how to explain to their husbands that their education would benefit the entire family. At least five of her students are widows whose husbands were killed in Syria, and literacy is important to their independence.

Thirty-year-old Fatima Tajeh brings her five-month-old baby to class, taking notes with one hand as she rocks him with the other.

“The most encouraging moment for me was the first time I read the name of the neighbouring village on a sign,” she says.

Nearby, her classmate Naisa Al Saleh traces the letter ‘b’ alongside a list of the week’s vocabulary words.

“For me, the most important thing is being able to read the doctor’s note for my prescriptions,” says Naisa, who is in her mid-60s and lives with her son, his wife, and six grandchildren. “When I get in a taxi, I can recognize the signs so I know where they are taking me. I can rely on myself.” Teacher Fatima beams with pride.

“Day after day, I try to make them stronger,” she says. “I try to build their confidence and motivate them by saying, ‘When you focus on something you will achieve it no matter what. But if you keep saying you can’t do it, you’ll never get there’.”

Zeinab Cherri 1,*ID , Julita Gil Cuesta 1 ID , Jose M. Rodriguez-Llanes 2 ID and Debarati Guha-Sapir 1 1 Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Institute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; giljulita@gmail.com (J.G.C.); debarati.guha@uclouvain.be (D.G.-S.) 2 Directorate D—Sustainable Resources, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra (VA), 21027 Varese, Italy; jose-manuel.rodriguez-llanes@ec.europa.eu

• Correspondence: zjs02@mail.aub.edu; Tel.: +961-76-972-445 Received: 16 June 2017; Accepted: 21 July 2017; Published: 25 July 2017

Abstract: The Syrian conflict has displaced five million individuals outside their country with Lebanon hosting the largest numbers per capita. Around 24% of Syrian refugees fleeing to Lebanon are women of reproductive age (15–49). Yet, a better understanding of the sexual and reproductive health needs of Syrian refugee women in Lebanon is required to improve provided services. Eleven focus group discussions were conducted in four regions of Lebanon with 108 Syrian refugee women of reproductive age. Thematic analysis was used to examine the data. Interviewed women were mainly adults. They believed that, in Lebanon, they were subjected to early marriage compared to the norm in Syria due to their financial situation and uncertainty. Cost was reported as the main barrier to use contraception in Lebanon but some Syrian refugee women were not aware of free services covering sexual and reproductive health. In general, marriage, pregnancy, and family planning behavior of Syrian refugee women in Lebanon slightly differed from those in Syria pre-conflict in terms of age of marriage, conception subsequent to marriage, and contraception method. Hence, interventions to increase awareness of subsidized sexual and reproductive health services, including free contraceptives at primary health care centers, and those targeting protection from early marriage of Syrian refugee women in Lebanon are strongly recommended.

Highlights

• The Lebanon Country Strategic Plan (2018-2020) was approved at the June WFP Executive Board session.

• In June, WFP reached 674,279 Syrian refugees; 49,668 vulnerable Lebanese were reached under the National Poverty Targeting Programme, 16,350 Palestinian refugees from Syria; 46,940 recipients were reached through cash for education.

Operational Updates

• WFP is preparing for the introduction of unrestricted cash assistance which will be introduced in September 2017. Building on the BCG cash pilot conducted in 2016, WFP will transition a select number of Syrian refugee households from the evoucher to unrestricted cash assistance. Targeted households will be able to redeem their USD 27/per person at any ATM to purchase food items.

• Livelihoods projects have started throughout the country and aim to reach an intial 31,500 individuals in the month of July. The activity allows both Syrians and Lebanese to participate in a range of asset creation projects and trainings. Participants will receive a top up of USD 105/per household.

• Building on both 2016 targeting and Vulnerability assessment of Syrian Refugee (VASyR) results,
  UNHCR and WFP have requested the American University of Beirut to update the household vunerability targeting formula in order to proceed with a joint targeting approach. This is to ensure that the severely vulnerable households receive a harmonized package of assistance to meet their survival needs.

• Analysis of the data for the VASyR 2017 is currently underway with the planned release of the preliminary results of selected variables by 14 July. The completed VASyR will be available starting from October 2017.

1,755.6 M required for 2017 - Includes USD 1,261,527,328 requested by UNHCR under the 3RP Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan in Response to the Syria Crisis 2017-2018

577.6 M contributions received, representing 33% of requirements

1,178.0 M funding gap for the Syria Situation

All figures are displayed in USD

With support from Google.org and HP Inc., the Clooney Foundation for Justice's $2.25 million partnership and $1 million technology grant will enroll thousands of currently out-of-school refugees in formal education

NEW YORK, 31 July 2017– The Clooney Foundation for Justice today announced a $2.25 million partnership, which includes a generous donation from Google.org, and a $1 million technology grant from HP, to support formal education for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The partnership with UNICEF will help seven public schools to provide critical education opportunities to nearly 3,000 currently out-of-school refugee students this school year, and will also support a pilot of technology tools in these schools to advance learning outcomes for refugee children and Lebanese youth.

“Thousands of young Syrian refugees are at risk -- the risk of never being a productive part of society. Formal education can help change that. That’s our goal with this initiative. We don’t want to lose an entire generation because they had the bad luck of being born in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said George and Amal Clooney.

The Syrian refugee crisis remains the largest humanitarian crisis since the end of World War II. Lebanon, which has the world’s highest per capita refugee population, has been particularly affected by an influx of more than one million Syrian refugees. This surge has left local resources strained, affecting both refugee children and Lebanese students.

Of today’s announcement, Lebanon’s Minister of Education, Marwan Hamade said "The Government of Lebanon is profoundly grateful to the leadership of George and Amal Clooney and the Clooney Foundation for Justice. We are delighted the Clooney Foundation has decided to support our efforts to open the doors of more public schools to ensure we can offer every child currently living in Lebanon a free education. We are also looking forward to collaborating with the Clooney Foundation and its partners on advancing innovative technology in all our classrooms. Each child given access to education, and new ways of learning, represents a life changed for the better. Today’s grant from the Clooney Foundation for Justice is therefore a crucial investment in future generations in Lebanon.”

The Clooney Foundation for Justice’s initiative, combining financial support with technology, will improve educational opportunities for both Lebanese and Syrian refugee children, so many of whom are missing out on an education.

“How can children become the workers and leaders of their countries someday if they have not had the education and support they need to reach their full potential?” asked UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “By supporting the work of UNICEF and our partners to deliver education to every child affected by the conflict in Syria, the Clooney Foundation for Justice is not only investing in the futures of individual children, it is investing in the future of the entire region.  UNICEF is deeply grateful for this critical funding.”

Close to 200,000 Syrian refugee children in Lebanon are out of school. Their lives have been shaped by violence, displacement and lack of opportunity, and many have never been enrolled in formal education. Without access to learning and a return to a sense of normalcy, these children are at risk of becoming a lost generation. The Clooney Foundation for Justice is committed to supporting efforts that ensure children get the experiences they need to thrive. UNICEF has been working with partners across the region to put children first since the crisis began. In addition to providing emergency assistance and essential services, including child-friendly spaces, UNICEF and partners have been at the forefront of efforts to address the long-term needs of Syrian refugee children, including education, counseling and social inclusion.

“We must ensure that we do not fail those most vulnerable victims who have managed to flee the carnage in Syria. It is our hope that the refugee children who will soon start school through this initiative will have a chance to contribute to building a more peaceful and just world and, hopefully, one where those responsible for these grave crimes are held to account.” said Ambassador David Pressman, Executive Director of the Clooney Foundation for Justice.

Notes to Editors:
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do.  Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org. 

About the Clooney Foundation for Justice
The Clooney Foundation for Justice was established in late 2016 by George and Amal Clooney to advance justice in courtrooms, communities, and classrooms around the world.  For more information on the Foundation and its work, please visit www.cfj.org.

Follow UNICEF on Twitter and Facebook

For more information, please contact:
Lauren Davitt, UNICEF USA, ldavitt@unicefusa.org, +1-212-922-2503
Max Gleischman, Glover Park Group, mgleischman@gpg.com, +1-202-716-1496
Rose Foley, UNICEF New York, rfoley@unicef.org, +447956038747

The deal includes the departure of all Nusra militants from Lebanon's northeast border region around Arsal town, along with any civilians in nearby refugee camps who wish to leave * Thousands of militants, refugees to depart for rebel area

• Evacuations part of local Nusra-Hezbollah ceasefire

• Eight Hezbollah prisoners to be released (Adds delay of transfer)

BEIRUT, July 31 (Reuters) - Convoys of buses arrived on Monday to transfer thousands of Syrian militants and refugees from Lebanon's border region into rebel territory in Syria in exchange for Hezbollah prisoners.

Read more on Reuters

BEIRUT, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Buses carrying Syrians left refugee camps in a Lebanese border area bound for a rebel-held part of Syria on Wednesday under a truce deal between Shi'ite Hezbollah and Sunni Islamist Nusra Front militants, a security source and Hezbollah TV said.

Thousands of Syrians including militants and their families and refugees are to leave the border zone of Jroud Arsal and head for Syria's northwestern Idlib province under the deal.

Read more on Reuters

The Security Council would consider peacekeeping operations — with a focus on peacebuilding and sustaining peace — during an open debate to be held on 29 August, Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta (Egypt), its President for August, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

Presenting the programme of work for the month, Mr. Aboulatta said today’s briefing on threats to international peace and security would consider, in particular, efforts to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons. On 3 August, the Council would hear a briefing on general issues concerning United Nations sanctions, specifically enhancing their effectiveness, he added.

The Council would hold two briefings on peace and security in Africa, he continued, noting that the first, on 10 August, would focus on sexual violence in conflict. The second, on 15 August, would update resolution 2359 (2017) on combating terrorism and transnational crime in the Sahel.

He said that on 25 August, the Council would hear a briefing on cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, the League of Arab States in particular. Also during the month, the Council would adopt two draft resolutions, on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), respectively, and hear briefings on other peacekeeping operations.

Asked when the Security Council would feel it had a responsibility to intervene in Venezuela, the President emphasized that the situation in that country was an internal matter and not one of international peace and security.

Responding to a question about Thursday’s briefing on sanctions, he spotlighted the need to hear from countries currently under sanctions, as well as those emerging from sanctions. “At the end of the day, sanctions are not an end but a means,” he pointed out.

Asked about the Council’s position on sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, he said talks were ongoing within the Council. He recalled the statement by the Permanent Representative of the United States to the effect that there was no need to continue talking. However, that was the position of the United States, he said, adding that the Council would continue discussions on that “very complicated and sensitive” issue.

When asked whether he would call an emergency meeting on the situation in the Middle East if developments on the ground deteriorated any further, he said a major crisis had been avoided. The Presidency would continue to work with Jordan and Israel to resolve the matter, and remained open to holding an emergency meeting if the violence escalated, he added.

Questioned about the Council’s non-issuance of a statement on Yemen, where the humanitarian situation had deteriorated into the worst since the Second World War, he said Council members would respond to a statement expected from Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for that country.

Asked whether the Council would request a more detailed report from the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), he said the report of the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process contained an evaluation of developments and there would be another in August.

To a query about a timeline for a new resolution on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, he said talks between China and the United States on that “very complicated and sensitive” issue were ongoing.

For the full programme of work, please see www.un.org/en/sc/programme/.

For information media. Not an official record.

After fleeing Syria for safety in Lebanon, sisters Taqla and Sara are determined to make the most of the opportunity to continue their education.

By: Rima Cherri and Houssam Hariri in Zalka, Lebanon | 03 August 2017

Perched at the top of a stairwell outside their family’s small apartment just north of the Lebanese capital Beirut, Syrian sisters Taqla and Sara Kalloumeh sit bent over their schoolbooks, still wearing their blue uniforms long after lessons have ended for the day.

The stairwell is the only place they could find with enough space and seclusion for them to study – just one example of their determination to overcome the odds and achieve academic success. Both girls were keen students back in their hometown of Maaloula, an Aramaic-speaking community some 50 kilometres northeast of the Syrian capital Damascus. But when the country’s conflict reached their door in 2013, the sisters fled with their family and arrived in neighbouring Lebanon as refugees.

Aware of their situation, a local Lebanese man offered to cover the fees for them to attend the Armenian Catholic Holy Cross School in Zalka. This puts them among the minority in Lebanon, where a report last year on refugee education by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency found that just 40 per cent of school-aged Syrian refugee children (3-18) are currently enrolled in formal education.

“We were top students [back in Syria],” explains 14-year-old Sara. “We didn’t want to leave school, we wanted to continue our education, so I thank God for sending us someone who helped us continue our education here.”

As well as adapting to the unfamiliar Lebanese school curriculum, the sisters have also made great efforts to learn English, French and Armenian. School Principal Reita Boyajian says their aptitude and application quickly became apparent.

“Within a year we saw how these two students are very different and special. They became top students in all subjects,” she says. “I think that if they hadn’t made it here, if they had stayed under the shelling [in Syria], or if they arrived here but couldn’t enroll in a school and continue their education, we as a community – not only Lebanese or Armenian, but as a world community – would have lost a lot.” Boyajian hopes that if the sisters continue to excel in their studies and do well in their exams, they will be able to secure scholarships to attend university in Lebanon or abroad. Elder sister Taqla, 15, already has her sights on a degree that will enable her to help with the reconstruction effort in Syria once they are able to return.

“I would like to be a civil engineer. I want to finish my education here and go back to Syria to work and build houses,” she says. “’I would like to tell those who are watching me that school is everything and despite the difficulties you may face, you must be stronger. Don’t give up. Face everything, because you are the only ones who will build your own future.”

Highlights
- First wave of refugees return to Syria.
- Cash Consultation brings together partners to discuss the sustainability and effectiveness for the cash response in Lebanon.
- Lebanon Humanitarian Fund allocates USD 4 million to support people with special needs.
- Statelessness raises risk of increased marginalization and vulnerability of children.
- Funding received for LCRP in 2017 is 30 per cent less than by May 2016.

In this issue, we look at the returns of several hundred refugees from Lebanon’s north-eastern border town of Aarsal to their villages in Syria. This issue also puts the spotlight on the July Cash Consultation in Beirut that looked at how to improve the sustainability and effectiveness of cash assistance programmes for refugees in Lebanon. In addition, we provide an update on the latest Standard Allocation issued by OCHA’s Lebanon Humanitarian Fund to support people with special needs. Finally, our issue gives an overview of the funding for Lebanon for the second quarter of 2017, and tells the story of a vulnerable refugee family that benefited from multi-purpose cash assistance.

First groups of refugees return to Syria
Conditions for safe and dignified return still not present on the ground

In the first significant return movement out of Lebanon, two waves of refugees have returned to Syria in recent weeks from the northeastern border town of Aarsal. An estimated 20 families left Aarsal on 10 June and 106 individuals on 12 July, with both groups returning to Asal al-Ward in Syria’s West Qalamoun region.

These returns took place within the framework of an agreement brokered between Hezbollah, the Syrian Army, and opposition groups in the area, with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) escorting the families to the border. UNHCR was not involved in the agreement; however, UNHCR teams in the Bekaa met with the families in the second group before they departed, and were assured by the refugees that they had not been coerced to return.

On the Syrian side, the Governor of Rural Damascus confirmed on 12 July that 105 people had arrived in Asal Al Ward. While reports suggest that the area still has access to water, electricity, and basic goods, the full humanitarian and protection situation of the returnees remains unclear. As this Bulletin went to press, UNHCR Syria was awaiting permission from the Syrian authorities to visit the returnees to assess the conditions of return and humanitarian needs.

The town of Aarsal hosts a large number of Syrian refugees, with over 40,000 refugees registered in the town. The vast majority of refugees in Aarsal arrived from the Qusayr and Qalamoun areas following clashes in the area in 2013 and 2014.

The returns have triggered an intense public debate in Lebanon. While the government was not involved in the returns, a Ministerial Committee chaired by Prime Minister Hariri met on 12 July to discuss the issue and agreed to draft a national policy covering any future returns. Prime Minister Hariri also emphasized, in the 14 July meeting of the High Level Steering Committee, that any return would have to be in line with international standards and take place with the close involvement of the UN.

While their scale is unprecedented, the two sets of returns to Asal al-Ward involved a small number of people in specific localities; they do not necessarily represent any wider trend of return, nor indicate that conditions are met for returns in safety and dignity. While Syrian refugees overwhelmingly wish to eventually go back to their country and resume a normal life, the situation in Syria remains volatile and unpredictable, with shifting conflict lines and high levels of violence in many parts of the country. As highlighted by UNHCR and other key humanitarian voices, only once ceasefires, reconciliation agreements, or political solutions demonstrate sustainability over time, and once the humanitarian situation stabilizes, will large-scale programmes of voluntary return, in safety in dignity, be able to take place.

From 17 to 20 July, UNRWA, in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Right to Play, held a workshop in Amman for around 50 UNRWA education staff to mark the beginning of an Agency-wide capacity-building programme for teachers, school counsellors and community members across Syria, Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan and Lebanon to strengthen the common understanding of the Agency’s inclusive education approach to psychosocial support (PSS) for its students, both in regular times and in times of emergencies.

The workshop was a positive example of partnership in action, with UNRWA, Right to Play and NRC each sharing and building on their mutual experiences in the area of providing psychosocial support in emergencies. Participants welcomed the opportunity to learn more about the Agency’s wide range of tools, as well as the Norwegian Refugee Council’s ‘Better Learning Programme’ in Gaza, which helps children who are suffering from nightmares. Right to Play supported the training on the UNRWA Psychosocial Support Recreational Activities Resource Guide, actively engaging all of the participants in the recreational activities to demonstrate their positive impact.

The UNRWA Director of Education, Dr. Caroline Pontefract, emphasized, “Children need psychosocial support at all times, but even more so in emergency contexts.” She added, “The Psychosocial Support for UNRWA Schools Conceptual Framework dovetails with the Agency’s overall Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Framework to help school counsellors and educators foster inclusive learning environments and better understand students’ psychosocial needs and how to address them.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA Programme Budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s Programme Budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.

For more information, please contact:

Christopher Gunness
Spokesperson, Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications
Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267
c.gunness@unrwa.org

Sami Mshasha
Chief of Communications, Arabic Language Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0724
s.mshasha@unrwa.org

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirms that it did not take part in the operation to transfer fighters and civilians from the border Arsal plains to Syria, contrary to reports in the media.

The Lebanese Red Cross took care of the logistics on the Lebanese side of the border.

The ICRC was not asked by any of the parties involved in the ceasefire agreement- that followed the Arsal clashes- to play a role in the implementation of the transfer.

The ICRC, meanwhile, stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance to people in need, whether those who decided to leave or those who decided to stay.

During the clashes in Arsal, ICRC teams were on the ground to coordinate the evacuation of the wounded and ensure their access to medical care, in cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross and other humanitarian actors and in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The ICRC also supported medical facilities in the Bekaa that received the wounded. In the last days of the clashes, the ICRC distributed, through local communities, 3,000 bags of bread and 1,000 food parcels to displaced families in Wadi Hmeid and supported the distribution of hygiene kits in the town of Arsal.

For more information, contact:

Soraya Dali-Balta, ICRC Lebanon, 00961 70 153 928
Patricia Rey Gonzalez, ICRC Lebanon, 00961 71 802 876

Or :
Follow @ICRC_LB on Twitter