Back to Contents 11. Situation in the camps Living conditions in camps 11.1. What kind of living conditions do Palestinians have in the camps? Is there a difference between the availability of state protection for camp-based and non-camp-based Palestinians? In a joint report published in 2022, the Badil Resource Center and the European Network on Statelessness wrote about refugee camps in Lebanon: “The Lebanese Government does not allow construction of new refugee camps, which has led to serious overcrowding and poor conditions in existing camps.” (Source: Badil Resource Center and European Network on Statelessness: “Palestinians and the Search for Protection as Refugees and Stateless Persons”, June 2022, p. 10) In March 2022, UNICEF Lebanon reported on the poor living conditions within camps in Lebanon: “Despite being recognised as vulnerable communities under the LCRP [Lebanon Crisis Response Plan], Palestinians in Lebanon are impacted less by its strategic interventions. Instead, they come under the jurisdiction of a separate system of governance and service provision (UNRWA), which is vastly underfunded. UNRWA continues to organise communities into camp-style arrangements or informal gatherings characterised by poor living conditions. Many inhabitants continue to face barriers to accessing basic health and social care, education, and employment opportunities. Poor access to essential services and income generating opportunities is a cause of tension among some PRL [Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon] communities who consider Palestinian refugees from Syria to be an additional burden on public goods.” (Source: UNICEF Lebanon, “The situation of children and young people in the Lebanese crisis”, March 2022, p. 53) A report by UNRWA on Palestinian refugees in Lebanon from 2022 outlined the issues regarding housing and basic services: “The situation worsened in summer 2021 with the disruptions in the delivery of basic services such as electricity and water. This crisis is in fact putting the health, safety and education of the whole population at risk. The most vulnerable communities, including refugees, risk further marginalization and deprivation without a comprehensive social protection scheme to compensate for the losses. The hardship is particularly acute in communities that were already underprivileged, such as Palestine refugees, where unemployment and poverty have significantly increased.” (Source: UNRWA, “Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon: Struggling to Survive”, January 2022, p. 3) In their “Syria, Lebanon and Jordan Emergency Appeal 2022, and covering 1st and 2nd quarter of of 2022, UNRWA wrote: “In Lebanon, UNRWA recorded the arrival of 409 PRS families from Syria during the first half of 2021, the highest number of arrivals since 2017. During the same period, PRS returns to Syria dropped. […] in Lebanon. As a result of the economic decline and COVID-19, the protection situation for many Palestine refugees has sharply deteriorated. Over the course of 2021, there has been an increase in interpersonal disputes escalating into violence in the camps as people have become more frustrated and desperate. Violence against women and children has continued to increase, closely linked to people’s mental well-being and their ability to constructively cope. Instances of conduct in breach of the rights of the child and human rights and humanitarian law have reportedly increased, including child labour, drug abuse amongst the youth and related participation of boys and girls in drug-distribution networks, as well as children’s involvement with armed groups.” (Source: UNRWA, “Syria, Lebanon and Jordan Emergency Appeal 2022”, 18 January 2022, p. 16 citing UNRWA Protection Quarterly Monitoring Reports, Q1 and Q2, 2021) 11. Situation in the camps 115