On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Palestine LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Palestine country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Palestine COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Palestine.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Palestine is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Since Palestine is considered a non-member observer state within the UN General Assembly, they have not yet acceded to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. Additionally, unlike other refugees, Palestinians do not fall under the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), but instead are protected by UNRWA, which was established in December 1949 to provide them direct relief and other services (more information below).
Similarly, Palestine is not a party to the UN Statelessness conventions. However, scholars have explored the potential applicability of other international legal frameworks that impact Palestine and Palestinian refugees. For more information, visit Palestinian Refugees and the Right of Return in International Law.
The central national legal framework in Palestine is their Basic Law. The Basic Law, established in 2002, is the proposed constitution of a future Palestinian state.
The Basic Law, as amended in 2005, outlines Palestine’s positon on key issues related to migrants and refugees such as citizenship and nationality, protection from violence and human rights guarantees. Additionally, it outlines Palestine’s intentions regarding the status international law, stating “The Palestinian National Authority shall work without delay to become a party to regional and international declarations and covenants that protect human rights.”
Legal aid organisations
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Tel: +972 54 92 42 25
Email: nrc@nrc.no
Contact person: Contact Person: Vance Culbert, Country Director (Vance.culbert@nrc.no)
NRC provides humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees. Their programme activities are concentrated on five core activities, one being Information, Counseling and Legal Assistance. NRC provides legal assistance, usually through individual casework, but it may also entail class action. NRC pursues legal action through all relevant local, national and international legal systems and mechanisms, including customary law, conflict resolution and mediation mechanisms and any other prevalent systems of law – in addition to statutory law and the courts. NRC may provide training in legal issues to target groups and key local actors – to establish a platform of understanding of rights and applicable law, and subsequent legal approaches to key issues.
Their offices in East Jerusalem, Ramallah and Gaza handle refugee and IDP cases.
Website
Address: P.O.Box: 114/5004 Beirut – Lebanon
Tel: 00961-1-306740
Email: phro@palhumanrights.org
Contact person: Wasim Jahid Ahmad (wassima@palhumanrights.org)
The Palestinian Human Rights Organization (PHRO) is an independent, non-governmental, non-partisan and non-profit Human Rights NGO which was formed by a private initiative. Established in 1997 and based in Mar Elias Refugee Camp, in Beirut, it is recognized in Lebanon under registration no. 36/AD. PHRO is devoted to the promotion, protection and defense of the Human rights of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon and the wider MENA region. PHRO attempts to provide legal support to refugees and seeks to generate solutions in order to alleviate daily suffering and to bring about change in their socio-economic status.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
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Address: Karkafa St., PO Box 728, Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine
Tel: +970 22 77 70 86 (Landline) | +972 54 33 80 068 (Mobile)
Email: n.azza@badil.org
Contact Person: Mr. Nidal Al Azza, Unit Coordinator
BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights is an independent, community-based non-profit organization which works to defend and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Its vision, missions, programs and relationships are defined by the Palestinian identity and the principles of international law, in particular international human rights law. BADIL seeks to advance the individual and collective rights of the Palestinian people on this basis. BADIL Resource Center was established in January 1998 on recommendations issued by a series of popular refugee conferences in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It is registered with the Palestinian Authority and legally owned by the refugee community represented by a General Assembly composed of activists in Palestinian national institutions and refugee community organizations. BADIL analyzes and studies issues relating to Palestinian refugees and their rights from international law point of view. In addition, it advocates and defends these rights on various levels, campaigns and activities. BADIL does not provide pro bono legal services.
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Email: hq-pio@unrwa.org
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) provides assistance and protection for registered Palestine refugees. Working in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Syria and Lebanon, they focus on human development and humanitarian services which encompasses primary and vocational education, primary health care, relief and social services, infrastructure and camp improvement, microfinance and emergency response.
Visit their Contact Us page to learn more about getting in touch with their various offices.
Palestine LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Palestine.
Palestine COI
Find Palestine Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated May 2023