Back to Contents The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported in 2021 that: “10.3.3 Women […] A source indicates that with the rise of corona measures, the freedom of movement and access to work for women and LGBTI groups has worsened.” In-house translation. The translator is a native Dutch speaker) ORIGINAL SOURCE “10.3.3 Vrouwen […] Een bron geeft aan dat met de opkomst van coronamaatregelen de bewegingsvrijheid en toegang tot werk voor vrouwen en LHBTI groepen is verergerd” (Source: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Thematisch ambtsbericht Palestijnen in Libanon”, January 2021, p. 53) 9.9. How has Covid 19 impacted access to the labour market? An UNRWA publication noted that: “Unprecedented levels of poverty, skyrocketing unemployment rates and increasing despair are spreading across the country, severely hitting the Lebanese people and Syrian and Palestine refugees. This comes amid one of the worst economic crises in recent history, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, poor governance and an almost total collapse in basic services. Palestine refugees, living in overcrowded camps and marginalized by discriminatory policies, are historically one of the poorest people in the country. They are at the end of their rope.” (Source: Source: UNRWA, “Hitting Rock Bottom – Palestine Refugees in Lebanon Risk Their Lives in Search of Dignity”, 21 October 2022) An UNRWA report on the socio-economic situation of Palestine Refugees in Lebanon highlighted a World Food Programme assessment, which estimated the impact of the economic crisis and Covid-19 on the livelihoods and food security of people in Lebanon, including Palestine Refugees: “The World Food Programme conducted a rapid assessment between April and May 2020 to estimate the impact of the economic crisis and COVID-19 on the livelihoods and food security of people in Lebanon including Palestine and Syrian refugees. The findings of the assessment showed clearly how Palestine refugees were struggling to cover their basic needs and suffering from the repercussions of the economic crisis as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and its ensuing restrictions. 62 per cent of the interviewed Palestine refugees indicated that their household income was reduced following COVID-19 and the wave of public unrest compared with the previous year (2019) and 11 per cent resorted to alternative sources of income to compensate for their income losses. During the period of the survey, 39 per cent of Palestine refugees reported that they lost their jobs and 21 per cent witnessed a reduction in their salary. A high proportion of the Palestine refugees who were interviewed indicated that they reduced their food consumption in the last 30 days (before and during the period of the survey April/May 2020) with 53 per cent indicating that they ate less expensive food, 15 per cent skipped meals and 8 per cent went for a whole day and night without eating. (Source: UNRWA, “Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon: Struggling to Survive”, January 2022, p. 5) As part of the 2020 annual implementation report on its Gender Equality Strategy, UNRWA wrote about the suspension of microcredits for Palestine refugees: “In Lebanon, the loans provided to the Palestine refugees by the Microcredit and Community Support Program (MCSP) were suspended due to the degradation of the economic situation and to COVID-19. A review of the programme will be carried out in 2021.” (Source: UNRWA “UNRWA Gender Equality Strategy 2016-2021: annual implementation report January-December 2020”, May 2021, p. 10) 9. Access to labour market, means of basic subsistence 103