- The ‘old’ section of Rashidieh camp was built by the French government to accommodate Armenian refugees who fled to Lebanon. The ‘new’ section was built by UNRWA in 1963.
- The ongoing Syria crisis has led to an influx of Syrian refugees and Palestinian Refugees from Syria (PRS) in the camp.
Rashidieh Camp
Rashidieh camp is located on the coast, 5 km south of city of Tyre. Rashidieh was heavily affected during the Lebanese civil war, especially between 1982 and 1987. More than 600 shelters were totally or partially destroyed, and more than 5,000 Palestine Refugees were displaced. Remaining shelters need serious rehabilitation.
Rashidieh camp is divided into "old" and "new" sections. The older part was built by the French government in 1936 to accommodate Armenian refugees who fled to Lebanon. The "new camp" was built by UNRWA in 1963 to accommodate Palestine Refugees who came from Deir al- Qassi, Alma, Suhmata, Nahaf, Fara and other villages in Palestine, and who were relocated from El Buss refugee camp and Baalbeck by the Lebanese government. The ongoing Syria crisis has also led to the additional presence of Syrian refugees and Palestine Refugees from Syria (PRS) in the camp.
Security and governance in the camp are the responsibility of Popular Committees and Palestinian factions. Access for people and building materials is controlled by the Lebanese Armed Forces through checkpoints.
Updated August 2023.
REFUGEE CAMPS IN Lebanon
We provide services in 12 Palestine refugee camps in Lebanon. UNRWA does not administer or police the camps, as this is the responsibility of the host authorities.
Quick Facts
Official camps
Unrwa In Rashidieh Camp
Schools
- UNRWA runs four schools in Rashidieh catering to over 2,250 Palestine Refugee students. As part of the Inclusive Education and Learning Support Program, a dedicated resource centre within Ein al Assal school offers extra support to children with vision impairment.
Health Centre
- There is one health centre in Rashidieh through which UNRWA provides primary health care that includes mother and child health services, dental care, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, specialists’ services, and school health services.
- The centre receives an average of 191 patients per day.
Social Safety Net Beneficiaries
- A core focus for social protection is providing Social Safety Net (SSN) support to the most vulnerable Palestine Refugees. Assistance is issued quarterly to more than 1,254 families (4,884 individuals) in the camp.
