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Source-This post is based on the article “What is UNRWA, and why have Western countries paused its funding amid Gaza war?” published in “The Indian Express” on 30th January 2024.
Why in the News?
The United States and eight other Western nations, which contributed over half of UNRWA’s 2022 budget, withdrew their funding. This action followed accusations from Israel regarding the involvement of some agency personnel in the October 7 attack.
What is UNRWA?
| Aspect | Details |
| Full form | UNRWA- (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) for Palestine Refugees |
| About | It is a specialized agency established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1949. |
| Mandate | To provide assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees who were displaced following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as their descendants. |
| Operational domain | It operates in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. |
| Funding | 1. UNRWA receives generous support from UN Member States such as US, regional governments, and the European Union. 2. These sources represent close to 89.2 percent of financial contributions to the Agency. 3. It also gets a limited subsidy from the UN, which is used only for administrative costs. 4. Top donors of 2022- USA, Germany, EU, Sweden, Norway, Japan, France, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Turkey. |
| Key Programmes | It runs education, health, relief and social services, microfinance and emergency assistance programmes inside and outside refugee camps. |
UPSC Syllabus- International Organisations
