THE Government of Guyana has donated US$10,000 to the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Minister of State Joseph Harmon, made the announcement during a post-Ministerial Plenary press briefing which was held at the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday.
“We prioritise human development and support worldwide endeavours for the promotion and protection of human rights,” said the minister.

The aim of the donation is to assist and meet the needs of people who are affected by the situation in the Gaza strip. According to the UNRWA website, the organisation provides assistance and protection for some five million Palestinian refugees.

UNRWA protection activities aim to respond to the protection needs of Palestinian refugees amidst increasing conflict and displacement in the region.

The organisation said the Syrian conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees, including tens of thousands to Jordan and Lebanon, while Gaza has seen three rounds of hostilities in eight years. The more than 50 years of Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, including the more than 10 years of the Gaza blockade, has serious and on-going consequences for the enjoyment of the rights of Palestine refugees.

For a wide range of reasons, Palestine refugees do not fully enjoy basic human rights, and the vulnerability of women and children to violence and abuse is also increasing in some fields of operation. In recent years, UNRWA has significantly strengthened its capacity to provide protection to Palestine refugees through various initiatives, including protection training for staff, dedicated protection activities to ensure focus on the most vulnerable, and the introduction of protection staff both at headquarters and in all field offices.

The agency adopted a protection policy in 2012 and has developed tools and standards for service delivery. Progress is measured through internal protection audits carried out every two years. UNRWA has an extensive programme on the prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV) and has developed a Child Protection Framework.