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As winter progresses, EU Humanitarian Aid provides valuable emergency support to Palestine refugees in Syria

22 December 2014

The continued displacement of Palestine refugees as a result of the armed conflict in Syria has deepened their vulnerability and weakened their resilience. For many, the loss of homes, livelihoods, family members and community support has caused profound trauma, while the onset of winter deepens humanitarian needs. 

The UNRWA cash assistance programme is a lifeline for Palestine refugees facing a fourth winter of armed conflict in Syria. Cash assistance allows refugees to manage their own needs, prioritizing spending between food, rent and winter items, such as blankets and heating fuel. They are able to do so thanks to the support of donors such as the EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO).

In 2014, ECHO donated €1.9 million (US$ 2.4 million) towards the UNRWA emergency cash assistance programme, providing a cash grant of €45 (US$ 64) to 39,000 Palestine refugees. Over 460,000 Palestine refugees in Syria require continuous humanitarian assistance, relying on the sustained generosity of donors such as ECHO to meet their minimum humanitarian needs.

In 2014, the UNRWA cash assistance programme was only 50 per cent funded, forcing a reduction in the number of cash distribution rounds from six to three. For 2015, the Agency will appeal to its donors to increase their contribution to the cash programme, which provides critical support to Palestine refugees, whose resilience and coping mechanisms have been eroded by four years of conflict. 

Over 50 per cent of the 560,000 Palestine refugees in Syria prior to the crisis have been internally displaced, losing their homes, livelihoods and support structures. More than 80,000 Palestine refugees from Syria have fled to other countries such as Jordan and Lebanon, where their legal status is uncertain; or attempted the dangerous sea crossing to Europe. Damascus, 2014. © UNRWADuring the winter months, female-headed households are particularly vulnerable. Single mothers need cash assistance for warm food and clothes for their families. In a recent UNRWA evaluation of cash assistance, 95 per cent of respondents described cash assistance as the most useful form of humanitarian aid. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.Oil burning stoves are widely used by Palestine refugees. The cost of heating fuel has risen steadily over the course of the conflict, with many families now forced to choose between food or heat for their shelters. Communicable disease is an increased risk during winter, as Palestine refugees struggle to retain a minimum level of nutrition and protection from falling temperatures. Jaramana Camp, Damascus. © UNRWA/Carole Al-Farah.UNRWA provided regular cash assistance to 460,000 Palestine refugees across Syria in 2014. Cash assistance is particularly critical for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, whose support networks have been fractured or displaced. Cash distribution point, Damascus, October 2014. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.In the winter months, cash assistance is often used to upgrade shelters . This Palestine refugee woman bought basic stove piping, used for heating, from the market in Qabr Essit camp, Damascus. December 2014. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.It is cheaper for Palestine refugees to return home to a damaged building, rather than remain displaced. Any savings made on rent during winter means extra cash for food, heating, transport and healthcare. Qabr Essit camp, Damascus, December 2014. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.Housing in Palestine refugee camps in Syria is typically poorly insulated. Additional damage to buildings as a result of the conflict compounds the problem and causes hot air to escape, raising heating costs for inhabitants. Qabr Essit camp, Sit Zeinab, December 2014. © UNRWA.Frequent shortages of gas in Syria caused prices to rise rapidly in 2014. No fuel was available in the market on the day this elderly Palestine refugee woman arrived to fill her cooking stove. Qabr Essit camp, December 2014. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.As winter storms arrive, the 12,868 Palestine refugees in Syria living in collective shelters face damp and uncomfortable conditions. Al-Rameh School Collective Shelter, Jaramana, Damascus, November 2014. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.Huddled together, these two girls in sandals try to keep warm. Many Palestine refugees fled their homes in Syria with only the clothes they were wearing. Children who outgrow their clothes and shoes quickly resort to sandals, despite the cold temperatures. Al-Rameh School Collective Shelter, Jaramana camp, Damascus. November 2014. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad. As they try to find a source of heat in the cold winter, this elderly woman and her grandchildren represent three generations of displaced Palestine refugees. Over 460,000 Palestine refugees, over 95 per cent of the remaining population, will require continuous humanitarian assistance in 2015. Al-Rameh School Collective Shelter, Jaramana Camp, Damascus. November 2014. ©UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad. Generous support from donors such as ECHO allows UNRWA to maintain services and humanitarian assistance for Palestine refugees in Syria. The cash assistance programme is an important tool in helping refugees maintain their dignity and strengthen their resilience as they face a fourth winter of armed conflict in Syria. Alliance Food Distribution Centre, Damascus. November 2014. © UNRWA/Taghrid Mohammad.

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