Palestinian Refugees
from Syria in Lebanon:
Policy Recommendations
for the UN
Alexandra Proskurina
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01
Issue
definition
02
03
The current
Policy
state of affairs Recommendations
01
Issue definition
Palestinian refugees
as part of the Lebanese population
Lebanon’s population
Whole population
Palestinian refugees
All
Refugees
Palestinian
refugees
from Syria
Palestinian
refugees
Main factors that create the current situation:
● the exciting legal framework underlying the international
refugee regime — group of refugees in institutional limbo
● the Lebanese society today is hostile towards Palestinian
refugees and the government refuses to give them a definite
status and to let them integrate
As a result,
Palestinian refugees from
Syria in Lebanon :
• Experience discrimination in terms if
humanitarian relief measures;
• Do not have a legal refugee status;
• Do not have rights other refugees
are entitled to;
• Are subject to violence and human
rights violations.
Image Source:
www.anera.org
02
The current state of affairs
UN REFUGEE AGENCIES
United Nations High
Commissioner for
Refugees
UNHCR
UNRWA
Responsible for all but
Palestinian refugees
Responsible only for
Palestinian refugees
The United Nations Relief
and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the
Near East
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
APRIL
1948
1951
1969-1987
PHASE 1
The UN General Assembly Resolution 194
Task 1
The UN Convention on Refugees
Task 2
The Cairo Agreement
How the Lebanese government deals
with Palestinian refugees
Considers them
“temporarily
displaced
individuals”
Hampers the
registration process
with the UNHCR
Does not allow
them to work in
many fields or to
own property
Palestinian Refugee
camps
in Lebanon
Map Source:
3RP Dashboard,
December 2015
03
Policy Recommendations
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
1
2
3
Institutions
Funding
Policy
REFORM THE UNRWA
INCREASE FINANCIAL
AID
PROMPT CHANGE IN
THE LEBANESE
REFUGEE POLICIES
Conclusion
● A sustainable and lasting solution requires a
holistic approach;
● Policy options can be implemented
sequentially;
● The options affect and prepare ground for
each other;
● There is a risk of backlash in Lebanon —
implementation with caution and preparation;
● At the end, they are beneficial for the Lebanese
society
THE UN CAN AND SHOULD BRING THE
LEBANESE REFUGEE CRISIS TO THE
AGENDA AND PROVIDE POLITICAL WILL
TO IMPROVE THE EXISTING SITUATION
$1.6bn appeal to support Palestinian refugees in
Lebanon launched earlier this year proves that
there are resources and possibilities to do so
THANK YOU
If you have any questions do
not hesitate to contact me at
aproskurina@utexas.edu
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