UNRWA warns of 'catastrophic consequences', urges global intervention
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UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini highlights that the agency's educational programs are rooted in the promotion of human rights, gender equality, and core UN values.
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IOF take positions as they invade the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza, on February 8, 2024. (AP)
In a powerful address to the United Nations General Assembly, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini emphasized the agency’s critical role in providing education to generations of Palestine refugees, many of whom have gone on to achieve remarkable success globally.
He highlighted that UNRWA's educational programs are rooted in the promotion of human rights, gender equality, and core UN values, including tolerance and respect for cultural identity.
Lazzarini stressed that in the absence of a functioning public administration, UNRWA remains the sole provider of education for hundreds of thousands of Palestinian girls and boys.
Today, at @UNRWA’ s darkest hours, I told the @UN General Assembly, that the Agency has been providing learning to generations of #Palestine Refugees, many of whom have achieved remarkable success around the world.
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) November 6, 2024
It’s an education that champions human rights & gender equality…
Without the agency, an entire generation of refugee children, as per the UNRWA Commissioner-General, would be denied their fundamental right to education, leading to a future of marginalization and potential extremism. He warned that without UNRWA's support, these children would not only lose access to education but also be robbed of their childhood.
"The future of Palestine Refugees is our shared responsibility," he concluded by saying.
UNRWA dismantlement puts Palestinian children's education at risk
The commissioner-general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) urged on Sunday to mobilize efforts to reach an agreement to end the Israeli war on Gaza rather than focusing on banning the UN agency, according to Anadolu.
"Dismantling UNRWA in the absence of a viable alternative will deprive Palestinian children of learning in the foreseeable future," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated.
He explained that children and their educational future "are not featured in any discussions when 'experts' or politicians talk about replacing UNRWA."
Lazzarini cautioned that without education, children may be vulnerable to abuse.
Read more: 12,000 students martyred since October 2023: Gaza Education Ministry
“Without learning, this region will remain unstable and volatile. Without UNRWA, the fate of millions of people will hang by the thread.”
