UNRWA and the Funding Crisis

Led by Jørgen Jensehaugen

Mar 2022 –

The UN agency dealing with the Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has long been in a state of crisis. Through various sub-projects we have mapped out the dilemmas the agency faces and the various propositions discussed regarding its future.

The UN agency dealing with the Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has long been in a state of crisis. This is both due to its chronic underfunding and the political pressures on the agency and the refugees it represents. In this project we investigate the various contexts UNRWA engages in, both on the ground in the Middle East, amongst the funding states and within the UN system. Through various sub-projects we have mapped out the dilemmas the agency faces and the various propositions discussed regarding its future.

22/01/2025
New Study Reveals Human Impact of UNRWA Ban: Lifelines to Millions at Risk

New report outlines the on-the-ground consequences of Israel’s ban on UNRWA which comes into effect next week.

12/12/2022
Scenarios for UNRWA and the way forward. New report out

A CMI report co-authored by PRIO researcher Jørgen Jensehaugen takes stock of the UNRWA, its role and way forward in context of a funding crisis.

11/02/2022
UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini Debates Palestinian Refugees at PRIO

What is the current status of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)? What are its main challenges? What types of scenarios can we envision for UNRWA's future?These were some of the questions discussed today when the PRIO Middle East Centre and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a roundtable with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

Jørgen Jensehaugen & Kjersti G. Berg (2026)
Utsultingen av Gaza er en villet politikk

Project funding

Members

Jørgen Jensehaugen

Kjersti G. Berg

Åge A. Tiltnes

UNRWA and the Funding Crisis

Led by Jørgen Jensehaugen

Project funding

Members

The Gaza effect

Gaza-effekten

Utsultingen av Gaza er en villet politikk

Hunger, Displacement, and Occupation in Gaza

Skyggekrigen mot UNRWA etter 7. oktober 2023

New Study Reveals Human Impact of UNRWA Ban: Lifelines to Millions at Risk

Consequences of the Israeli UNRWA Ban

An Untested Refugee Theory

Israel har trappet opp sin skyggekrig mot Unrwa. Hva skjer nå?

The Importance of Recognition – Even in Occupation

Chasing a Mirage Amid a Famine

Forgotten Victims: Gaza's Journalists & UN Workers

Chronic Refugees: A Burden on Poor Countries

The Imperative of a Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza

Lebanon’s Impending Catastrophes

UNRWA: In Anticipation of a Double Collapse

I påvente av to sammenbrudd

Uncertain Future for Millions of Palestinian Refugees: A Conversation about UNRWA

Scenarios for UNRWA and the way forward. New report out

UNRWA, funding crisis and the way forward

UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini Debates Palestinian Refugees at PRIO

The Politics of Refugee Relief: UNRWA and the Ongoing Funding Crisis

The politics of refugee relief: UNRWA and the ongoing funding crisis

From Moria to the UN Security Council: Norwegian Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy Ambitions

Trump in the Middle East: Negotiating Without Palestinians