urgent needs. The is also responsible Agency for protecting saving aidto humanitarian almost1.5millionpersonswith 9 millionmedicalconsultations per year and delivering life- educating halfamillionchildren each day, providing over refugees across its fields of operations and is currently UNRWA isthe main providerto Palestine of basic services absence ofapoliticalsolutionto theirplight. ofconflicts, ongoing occupation impacts andthe indirect marginalization andprotection threats, dueto and thedirect vulnerable.refugees are particularly They face increased are currently unfolding East, across Palestine theMiddle the significant political, socialandeconomic changesthat by andinstability for more conflict than65 years. Amid UNRWA operates inavolatile region that hasbeenbuffeted Operational Context andprotection needs.humanitarian Agency’s mandate to provide for theirhumandevelopment, Syria, LebanonBank, andJordan, inaccordance withthe 5 million registered Palestine refugees the in Gaza, West specifically, thistranslates into accountability to more than mechanisms across theprogramming cycle. For UNRWA the systematic inclusionoffeedback andaccountability and assistance by organizations humanitarian through to assist. AAP concerns theresponsible useofresources to andbeheldto account by thepopulations theyseek organizationshumanitarian to takeaccount of, give account the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, isacommitment by Accountability to Affected Populations by (AAP), as defined Introduction unrwa policy unrwa framework for accountability to www.unrwa.org for palestine refugees inthe neareast united nations relief andworks agency absence ofprotection available onthedomesticlevel. the In and promoting the rights of Palestine refugees, in the advance Palestine refugee rights. vulnerable refugees andaresponsibility to safeguard and includes acommitment to focusing ontheneedsofmost Agency’s 2016-2021 Medium Term Strategy (MTS), which guided by identified in the the priorities approach is further have andregular direct access to UNRWA staff. The Agency’s centres andotherinstallations. This ensures that refugees ofareanetwork offices, offices, schools, campservices health communities and(2)theAgency’s theyserve, extensive of operations and are drawn from the Palestine refugee ofwhomarevast engagedin thedirect-delivery majority (1) by: The Agency’s workforce ofover 30,000staff, the allcases,In itisgrounded intheuniqueplatforms provided depending onoperational andprogrammatic circumstances. programming cycle. takesvaries The form thisparticipation of thePalestine refugee population at variousstagesinthe and programme level to ensure participation themeaningful mechanisms, standards are andpractices inplace at thefield development outcomes. A number of formal and informal changing refugee needs and deliver more sustainable provision to to service beacornerstone meet ofquality UNRWA considers accountability to affected populations The Agency’s AAPCommitments ofprogrammes.and delivery UNRWA listens andresponds to theirfeedback inthedesign the information neededto makeinformed decisionsandthat that Palestine refugees have a voice and are able to access face ofdeteriorating conditions, itismore thanever critical affected populations unrwa framework for accountability to affected populations

As part of the 2016-2021 MTS, UNRWA has committed to AAP compliance will be monitored in various ways, including strengthening feedback mechanisms and processes, for through management compacts with senior staff, monitoring beneficiaries and staff, by building on existing practices. of and reporting against results including in the Agency’s UNRWA will continue to engage refugees at different stages Annual Operational Report, formal programme evaluations, of the programme cycle and will strengthen mechanisms and annual protection audits in all fields. The participation to facilitate – and respond to – feedback, petitions and of Palestine refugees is one of the Agency’s minimum complaints. Through a series of reforms planned under the protection standards, including the proactive involvement MTS, the Agency will also improve communications with of more vulnerable groups, such as women, children, older beneficiaries and staff, including through annual reporting people and persons with disabilities. Over time, protection to refugees on MTS implementation. These reforms reflect a audits have identified an increasing understanding of and commitment by the Agency to make refugees core partners alignment with UNRWA protection standards; they have also in achieving strategic objectives, as UNRWA continues to highlighted the scope for further improvements in the area build on sound management practices and programme of participation, which UNRWA seeks to address through this reform efforts such that refugees benefit to the maximum framework. extent possible. Links Guiding Principles For additional information, please refer to the following links: UNRWA will deliver on its AAP commitments by focusing on the following five areas: • Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Team on Accountability to Affected Populations and • Information-sharing: Refugee communities, including Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse community-based organizations, are provided https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/ with adequate information about UNRWA policies, accountability-affected-populations-including- processes, eligibility and rights to services, and relevant protection-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse targeting criteria. • Tools to Assist in Implementing Inter-Agency • Information-gathering: Use of participatory methods Standing Committee Accountability to Affected to obtain information from different communities and Populations groups through focus group discussions, inclusion of https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/ refugee communities in project coordination teams, etc. system/files/legacy_files/TOOLS%20to%20 assist%2in%20implementing%20the%20IASC%20 • Consultation: Active solicitation of the views of refugee AAP%2Commitments.pdf communities in assessing, prioritizing, monitoring and evaluating service delivery. • Core Humanitarian Standard Guidance Notes and Indicators • Participation of vulnerable groups: Use of targeted https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/resources/chs- mechanisms and strategies to enable the participation of guidance-notes-and-indicators people who are marginalized and excluded throughout the programme management cycle. • Collaborative for Development Action Do-No-Harm Framework • Complaints and feedback mechanisms: Systems to http://cdacollaborative.org/cdaproject/the-do-no- provide individuals and communities with access to safe harm-project/ and confidential ways to make complaints, pose queries or comment about programmes, providing refugee communities with information about these processes and feedback on the results achieved.

united nations relief and works agency for palestine refugees in the near east

www.unrwa.org

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.