annual operational report 2020 © UNRWA 2021 The development of the Annual Operational Report was facilitated by the Department of Planning, UNRWA. About UNRWA UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of over 5.7 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and Gaza achieve their full human development potential, pending a just solution to their plight. The Agency’s services encompass protection, health care, education, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. UNRWA Communications Division P.O. Box 19149, 91191 East Jerusalem t: Jerusalem (+972 2) 589 0224 f: Jerusalem (+972 2) 589 0274 t: Gaza (+972 8) 677 7533/7527 f: Gaza (+972 8) 677 7697 www.unrwa.org Cover Photo: A schoolgirl celebrates her first day back to learning at the UNRWA Am’ari Girls School, West Bank. © 2020 UNRWA Photo by Iyas abu Rahmeh table of contents acronyms and abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ 5 executive summary ........................................................................................................................................... 7 report overview ................................................................................................................................................. 9 chapter one: context ......................................................................................................................................... 10 1.1. political, economic and security developments ........................................................................................... 11 1.1.1. Gaza .................................................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.2. West Bank ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.3. Syria .................................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.1.4. Lebanon ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 1.1.5. Jordan ................................................................................................................................................................ 13 1.2. operational and organizational developments ............................................................................................. 14 1.2.1. Gaza .................................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.2.2. West Bank ......................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.2.3. Syria .................................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.2.4. Lebanon ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 1.2.5. Jordan ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 1.3. legal matters ............................................................................................................................................................... 17 1.3.1. agency staff ..................................................................................................................................................... 17 1.3.2. agency services and premises .................................................................................................................. 18 1.3.3. other matters .................................................................................................................................................. 21 1.3.4. legal status of Palestine refugees in the Agency areas of operation .......................................... 21 1.4. financial overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 chapter two: annual reporting under the mts programme budget .............................................................. 26 2.1. strategic outcome one: protection .................................................................................................................... 27 2.2. strategic outcome two: health ............................................................................................................................. 33 2.3. strategic outcome three: education .................................................................................................................. 39 2.4. strategic outcome four: livelihoods ................................................................................................................... 47 2.5. strategic outcome five: food, shelter and environmental health ............................................................ 54 2.6. management and operational effectiveness .................................................................................................. 59 2.7. accountability to affected populations ............................................................................................................ 63 2.8. protection from sexual exploitation and abuse ............................................................................................ 65 2.9. grand bargain ............................................................................................................................................................ 66 2.10. funding compact ...................................................................................................................................................... 68 2.11. environmental protection ..................................................................................................................................... 70 2.12. value for money ........................................................................................................................................................ 72 chapter three: annual reporting under the 2020 opt emergency appeal .................................................... 74 executive summary .................................................................................................................................................................. 75 3.1. funding summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 77 3.2. Gaza: sector-specific interventions .................................................................................................................... 78 3.2.1. strategic priority one .................................................................................................................................... 78 3.2.2. strategic priority two ................................................................................................................................... 81 3.3. West Bank: sector-specific interventions ......................................................................................................... 87 3.3.1. strategic priority one .................................................................................................................................... 87 3.3.2. strategic priority two .................................................................................................................................... 89 3.4. Gaza, West Bank and headquarters ................................................................................................................... 91 3.4.1. strategic priority three ................................................................................................................................. 91 chapter four: annual reporting under the 2020 syria regional crisis emergency appeal ........................... 94 executive summary .................................................................................................................................................................. 95 4.1. funding summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 97 4.2. Syria: sector-specific interventions ..................................................................................................................... 98 4.2.1. strategic priority one .................................................................................................................................... 98 4.2.2. strategic priority two ...................................................................................................................................