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UNRWA, founded in 1949: What major event led to the creation of this institution?
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was established in 1949 in response to the impact of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on the large-scale Palestinian population. The organization's creation was inspired by major political events in the Middle East in 1948, particularly the "Nakba," or large-scale displacement, in Palestine. This incident not only heightened tensions in the Middle East, but also turned more than 700,000 Palestinians into refugees.
UNRWA was established to provide emergency relief and has expanded to cover diverse needs in education, health and social services.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established the United Nations Relief and Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRPR) in 1948 through Resolution 212 to coordinate emergency assistance. However, the institution was unable to resolve the political challenges it faced, leading to the eventual recommendation to establish a dedicated agency to provide sustained humanitarian assistance. The agency's ultimate goal is to resolve refugee issues and help them with "resettlement and economic and social reconstruction."
On December 8, 1949, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 302(IV), formally establishing UNRWA and giving it a broader humanitarian mission.
UNRWA's primary service recipients are historical Palestinian refugees, defined as all persons who had a normal place of residence in Palestine between 1 June 1946 and 15 May 1948. Over the next four decades, UNRWA's mandate expanded to include education, health and social services, evolving in response to the needs of the Palestinians.
UNRWA's current mission is to provide support to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. According to the latest figures, there are approximately 5.9 million Palestinian refugees registered on UNRWA's register.
The agency's services include 59 refugee camps and several informal settlements to meet urgent humanitarian needs.
UNRWA not only provides basic survival assistance, but also has diverse projects such as education, health and social services. Education is its largest expenditure, accounting for 58% of the total budget, while health accounts for 15%. As the largest educational institution in the region, UNRWA operates 711 schools and is committed to improving the quality of life of Palestinian refugees.
In addition, UNRWA also faces challenges from the Israeli government. Israel accuses the agency of supporting terrorist activities in some cases and using funds to finance Hamas and other groups. Such accusations make it more difficult for UNRWA to raise funds.
Despite this, prominent non-governmental organizations and some international donors continue to support the agency. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by donations, including from countries such as the European Union, Germany and the United Kingdom. According to the 2023 report, UNRWA faces a huge funding gap but still struggles to provide essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees.
UNRWA's mission is undoubtedly challenging, but it still plays an important role in maintaining social stability and humanitarian assistance.
As the political situation in the Middle East continues to change and the socio-economic environment changes, UNRWA also needs to constantly adjust itself to meet the needs of its recipients. Against this backdrop, how will the future of UNRWA evolve? What kind of significance does its existence bring to the local society?
