There are 12 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. There are also 15 areas where Palestinians live that are called “gatherings” that are not managed by UNRWA (United Nations Refugee & Works Agency) even though they may provide some services. The refugee camps have no proper infrastructure, are overcrowded, and poverty stricken. In the South of Lebanon, the Lebanese government has banned the entry of construction material into the camps since the late 1990s. Since that time, the conditions of the camp houses, streets and shops have deteriorated. Building without a permit is punishable by arrest and detention.
About 10% of the population of Lebanon is Palestinian (more than 400,000 people). They do not have Lebanese citizenship and have very few rights; only Palestinian women who marry Lebanese men may obtain citizenship. Unemployment is very high because they remain barred from some 70 professions. They cannot legally buy a house or apartment. The main sources of income of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are: employment with UNRWA, remittances from relatives working abroad, employment in Palestinian associations or organizations, employment in agriculture and Lebanese companies; employment in shops and enterprises within the refugee camps.
Many Palestinians came to Lebanon in 1948. Since then, there have been six wars and dozens of violent upheavals in Lebanon. More often than not Palestinian families have been caught in the middle.
Palestinians have very limited access to the government's public health or educational facilities and no access to public social services. The majority rely entirely on UNRWA as the sole provider of education, health and social services. Lebanon has the highest percentage of Palestinian refugees living in abject poverty.
Palestinian children attend UNRWA schools. Lebanon is the only place where UNRWA operates secondary schools. The UNRWA schools in Lebanon have among the highest class sizes in UNRWA’s five areas of operations. The poor socio-economic conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon force many students to leave school and seek work in order to help support their families. Palestinian schools in Lebanon have the highest drop-out rates in all of UNRWA’s areas of operations.
