Living Conditions

The living conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon constitute one of the most complex and sensitive social issues, due to the intersection of historical, political, and legal factors that have shaped their presence since 1948. Palestinian refugees residing in Lebanon do not have the status of citizens and are subject to a specific legal regime that directly affects their housing, economic, and social conditions.

Reports issued by UNRWA and the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee indicate that the living standards of Palestinian refugees are among the lowest at the national level and, in many respects, overlap with the conditions experienced by the most marginalized Lebanese populations in poverty belts surrounding major cities.

The absence of a comprehensive national policy addressing refugee conditions, combined with legal restrictions on employment, housing, and property ownership, has contributed to the entrenchment of a fragile social reality. As a result, the living conditions of Palestinian refugees remain largely dependent on international assistance and humanitarian programs rather than on social rights enshrined in domestic legislation.

First: General Legal Framework

Lebanese legislation does not include a specific and comprehensive law regulating the living conditions of Palestinian refugees or guaranteeing them integrated social and economic rights. In principle, Palestinians in Lebanon are subject to the general legal provisions applicable to foreigners, with certain partial exceptions introduced through scattered legislative amendments, particularly in the field of employment.

Moreover, the Lebanese Constitution prohibits naturalization , which influences public policies toward Palestinian refugees and renders any improvement in their living conditions subject to a logic of “temporary management” rather than social integration or formal recognition of rights.

Second: Living and Housing Conditions

The majority of Palestinian refugees reside in twelve official refugee camps and a number of informal gatherings, where living conditions are characterized by weak infrastructure and poor public services

Housing units often lack reliable electricity and access to clean water, and suffer from inadequate lighting and ventilation. Residents face high temperatures during summer and cold, humidity, and water leakage during winter, in addition to severe overcrowding and a chronic shortage of space.

Camps also suffer from waste accumulation and the absence of modern sewage networks, creating unhealthy environments that pose serious risks to public health.

These conditions have contributed to a deterioration in quality of life and to high rates of poverty and unemployment, particularly among youth and women, as confirmed by reports issued by UNRWA and the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee.

Third: Main Drivers of Poverty

Field studies conducted by UNRWA and the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee concur that poverty among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon results from three interrelated factors:

First, the forced displacement caused by the Israeli occupation since 1948, which entailed the loss of land, property, and livelihoods.

Second, recurrent wars and armed conflicts affecting the Palestinian presence in Lebanon, from the civil war to repeated episodes of violence within the camps, resulting in widespread destruction and the absence of any sustainable development trajectory.

Third, internal socio-economic factors, particularly legal and professional restrictions that limit Palestinians’ access to many professions especially liberal professions requiring membership in professional syndicates pushing a large proportion of refugees into informal and low-income employment.

Fourth: Support Networks and Social Services

In the absence of a comprehensive national legal framework, responsibility for improving living conditions is shared among several actors:

  • UNRWA: Bears the primary responsibility for providing educational, health, and relief services, as well as cash assistance and social support programs, despite recurrent funding crises.
  • The Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee: Plays a strategic and coordinating role in shaping public policies, improving camp conditions, and strengthening cooperation between the Lebanese state and international partners.
  • Local and international NGOs: Contribute to the implementation of relief and development projects, particularly in infrastructure, sanitation, and improvement of the residential environment.

 

Since its establishment in Jordan in 1967 and its transfer of activities to Lebanon, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society engaged in the required health, relief, social and humanitarian missions. It established a good number of hospitals and health centers, and carried out its duties considering that, according to the Palestinian National Committee, it was the official Palestinian health institution.. Although its services declined after the PLO’s departure from Beirut in 1982, along with the exacerbation of its financial hardship, and despite the creation of a Ministry of Health by the Palestinian Authority, the official mandate of the association remained as is, meaning that it is still responsible for providing relief services, blood transfusion, emergency services and health services. The decline of the Red Crescent’s performance is coupled with the latter’s loss of its status of  health refuge and haven for Palestine refugees, and with the increase of the hardships and problems that burdened the Red Crescent, deeply affecting the services provided by its health centers. The coverage of the required specialties decreased and the quality of the services provided dropped; thus, the Red Crescent has become unable to meet the growing demand of Palestinians on these services. In fact, many of these centers have become mere clinics that provide emergency and relief services, and hence lack the funds required for the expenses of the patients, as well as lack many modern medical equipment and ambulances.

The central issue in this field may be summarized as follows:

Are the living conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon governed by a clear legal framework that guarantees a minimum level of social and economic rights, or do they remain outside the scope of direct legal protection and instead managed through exceptional policies and international assistance?

This issue raises two main questions:

  1. What is the position of Lebanese legislation regarding the living conditions of Palestinian refugees, particularly with respect to housing, employment, and standards of living?
  2. To what extent does reliance on UNRWA and international organizations constitute a substitute for a national legal obligation?

 

The issue of living conditions has occupied a prominent place in the work of the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee, based on its conviction that the deterioration of housing, employment, and service conditions within refugee camps affects not only refugees themselves but also Lebanon’s broader social and economic stability.

In this context, the Committee has prepared field studies and diagnostic reports on the conditions of Palestinian camps and has developed national action plans aimed at improving housing, infrastructure, education, health, and employment. These efforts have been carried out in coordination with UNRWA, relevant Lebanese ministries, and international organizations.

Through this approach, the Committee seeks to strike a careful balance between the requirements of Lebanese sovereignty and the respect for minimum humanitarian and social rights of Palestinian refugees.

Palestinian Refugee Rights