DFID’s support for Palestine refugees through UNRWA

Review

Department for International Development (DFID) support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is an effective way of supporting both organisations’ twin aims of improving the human development outcomes of Palestine refugees and of contributing to regional stability, however there is a risk to the sustainability of this model caused by the growing gap between demand for and supply of UNRWA services. As a result of our findings this review was marked green-amber. We made three recommendations.

Findings

The review found UNRWA is delivering a good standard of basic public services in a challenging environment. DFID is driving UNRWA to improve the impact of its services. ICAI found that DFID’s support to UNRWA is an effective way of supporting both organisations’ twin aims of improving the human development outcomes of Palestine refugees and of contributing to regional stability.

There is, however, a risk to the sustainability of this model caused by the growing gap between demand for and supply of UNRWA services. To ensure sustainability, critical decisions must be made urgently and the pace of reform accelerated. DFID is in a position to play a leading role in this reform.

Recommendations

1. DFID should carry out an urgent assessment to determine the level and nature of support UNRWA will require, to enable it to address effectively the challenge of reform and the widening gap between the demand for and supply of UNRWA services. The assessment should be conducted in close consultation with UNRWA, other donors and host governments and authorities and provide a significant input into the upcoming Medium Term Strategy process for 2016-21.
2. DFID should use its influential position to urge donors and hosts to provide unified political, technical and operational support to drive UNRWA’s reform activities. DFID should provide substantive support to the implementation of reform in the priority areas within UNRWA’s poverty alleviation, health and education programmes.
3. DFID should encourage UNRWA to engage more actively and to communicate more effectively with refugees as part of the reform process. DFID should consider providing technical support in this area.