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Jordan: future of thousands of UNRWA staff up in the air

05-08-2015 03:03 PM


Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Hundreds of UNRWA workers on Wednesday were joined by members of the parliament, refugee families and activists in a protest to denounce downsizing plans for the Geneva based organization.

Thousands of employees at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA) are increasingly concerned that their future is up in the air due to sever financial crisis affecting the Geneva based organization, which prompted a series of strikes in Jordan in protest against planned downsizing.

Wednesday event is part of a series of events to be held by workers to pressure the organization reconsider its policy, organizers said.

Protesters strongly rejected a recent decision to shut down health care services at several UNRWA facilities and called on donor countries to honour their commitment. They also refused a proposed plan to delay the 2015-2016 school year for several months as a result of the financial crisis. Banner held by protesters said Education is right of our children, and No to downsizing UNRWA services.

MP Yahya al Saoud, head of Palestine committee at the parliament called on donor countries to honour their obligations.

"We vehemently reject any plan to reduce services or delay the start of the year," he told ANSA on the sideline of the protest.

Protesters vowed to escalate their protests and take to the street in refugee camps across the kingdom in the near future.

Jordan this week warned UNRWA and the international community that it can not handle pressure of refugees in its public schools and called for providing needed aid to the organization.

Jordan is home to more than 2 million Palestinian refugees, most of whom live in 13 refugee camps scattered across the country. The aid agency, established after the 1948 war with Israel is facing its most sever financial crisis amid lack of donation from major countries.

*ANSAmed




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