2020 oPt Emergency Appeal - West Bank - Emergency Food Assistance

Under the 2020 EA, food insecure Bedouin and herder communities in Area C will be provided with in-kind food assistance through an existing cooperative arrangement between UNRWA and WFP. In this regard, 37,000 individuals from the Bedouin and herder communities will receive food parcels on a quarterly basis, with food items procured by WFP and distributed by UNRWA. These communities are amongst the most vulnerable populations in the West Bank with food insecurity levels exceeding 60 per cent for Bedouin refugees, in comparison with 16 per cent for Palestine refugees overall in the West Bank. Their vulnerability is severely aggravated by the threat of demolitions and forcible displacement, which deprive people of their homes and disrupt their livelihoods, leading to entrenched poverty and increased aid dependency. Over the years, beneficiaries have repeatedly stressed the importance of the food assistance programme and its considerable positive impact on their daily lives. Due to the high vulnerability of this community and their dependency on UNRWA and WFP to meet their food security needs, the Agency will continue to prioritize this life-saving intervention under its 2020 EA. UNRWA will work closely with WFP to better assess the needs of the Bedouin and herder communities and provide support to households affected by protection threats and forcible displacement.