Contribution to UNRWA's General Fund 2016

UNRWA’s temporary mandate from the General Assembly is to respond to the needs of Palestine refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, until a durable and just solution is found.

Palestinina Refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory. 

The outcomes are for the period 2016-18 and will be pursued through Switzerland’s AdCom/SubCom role (facilitation and steering) and providing policy and financial support to specific initiatives.

• Strengthen the protection approach and the field interventions and increase stakeholders’ understanding of the approach.
• Enhance Palestine refugees’ livelihood opportunities by increasing the financial services available to them and improve
• Support efficient and effective management by ensuring that upcoming reforms (i.e. resource mobilization, new budget process, internal communication) are adequately funded and supported by stakeholders

Expected results:  

• Switzerland exerted strong leadership in its AdCom/Sub role and provided policy support, platforms for stakeholders’ dialogue and facilitation work - which were instrumental in supporting the reform process and the finalization of the MTS.
• Switzerland financial support has contributed to catalyst initiatives enabling various programme (health and education) and management (resource mobilization, ERP) reforms - which have led to unmistakable improvements.

Results from previous phases:  

• Medical services provided to 3.6 Mio refugees per year. The health reform improved quality of care, efficiency and cost effectiveness.
• 500,000 students attended 700 schools. The education reform generated positive classroom changes.
• 300’000 refugees supported by a social safety-net (food aid and cash). In addition, emergency assistance was quickly expanded in response to the conflicts, reaching 1.4 Mio persons.
• Planning and decision-making greatly improved with the finalization of the Medium-Term-Strategy 2016-21 (MTS) and the launch of the Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP).
• Resource mobilization has been particularly successful in the fundraising with Arab countries (their 2015 contribution to the General Fund increased to 7.5%) and the private sector (each dollar invested generated a return of 17 dollars).

Switzerland seeks and facilitates coordination, particularly with like-minded donors like US and UK and host countries.

Other donors: altogether 28 donors (Members and Observers of the Advisory Commission). The top five donors are EC, USA, UK, Sweden, and Norway.

UNRWA: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refurees in the Near East 

Phase 45 01.01.2016 - 31.01.2017   (Completed)