Italy has approved a one million euro emergency contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The initiative aims to assure the continuity of essential services and protection activities in favour of Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip.
The funds are particularly earmarked to support the “Transitional Shelter Cash Assistance” Programme launched after the conflict in the summer of 2014 to assist Palestinian refugees whose homes were destroyed or seriously damaged through the distribution of subsidies to pay for the rent of temporary accommodations. Thanks to Italy’s contribution, the UNRWA will provide assistance to 2,330 families. In the area of education, Italy’s contribution will also cover the expenses for six months of the girls’ school in the Al-Maghazi camp, in the central region of the Gaza Strip, thus assuring the right to education of at least 1,500 female students.
The contribution is part of the annual 10 million euro funding pledged by Italy to UNRWA for 2016 at the Donor Conference held in October 2015.
