On the International Human Rights Day, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) urged the international community to stand up for the human rights of Palestine refugees as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and turn their commitment into action to support them as per the Agency's mandate.

"Palestine refugees must not be forgotten, especially in the middle of a global health pandemic that turned into an acute socio-economic pandemic," said the UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. "The Palestine refugee community, consisting of over 5.7 million children, women and men, who have already been living in dire conditions for decades, is being hit unimaginably hard. This is a time of solidarity and support."

The Agency said it was extremely concerned by the increasing number and severity of human rights violations as a byproduct of COVID-19 and limitations on movement. This includes forced evictions and displacement despite lockdowns, rising unemployment rates, severe food insecurity, increasing gender-based violence (GBV), lack of access to available lifesaving medical treatments, and a rising mental health crisis.

"Most of the refugees the Agency serves, including children, persons with disabilities and older persons, are not able to absorb the economic, social and medical shocks created by this global pandemic within a pre-existing humanitarian and conflict environment," added Lazzarini. "Devastating consequences to their physical, social and economic wellbeing, with most already living below the poverty line, will continue to materialize if the international community does not act now."

"The overwhelming political support that the mandate of UNRWA receives is not matched by sufficient resources that enable its implementation," he continued.

UNRWA also launched calls for funding by UN Member States so that Palestine refugees at risk do not get left behind in a post COVID-19 world.