High poverty rates among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have exacerbated the child labor phenomenon, the Palestinian Association for Human Rights “Witness” said on Wednesday.

The foundation said in a report that school dropouts, the additional economic shocks, and closures of schools caused by the coronavirus pandemic forced a large number of children from vulnerable families to work in order to earn an income.

There were reports of an increase in social and psychological disorders among Palestinian youth in the camps. This is compounded by concerns about attempts by some extremist parties to recruit youth to serve their agendas https://t.co/7kMsXSiC09

— Al-Shabaka الشبكة (@AlShabaka) November 10, 2021

The report emphasized that child labor deprives children of their basic rights, and makes them vulnerable to exploitation by employers.

Witness Director Mahmoud Al-Hanafi called on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to increase spending on quality education, and work to return children who drop out of school back to education.

Al-Hanafi also called on UNRWA to provide social assistance to vulnerable families so they do not resort to child labor.

We welcome the inclusion of the the dire situation facing #Palestinian refugees in #Lebanon in @srpoverty's report.

Discrimination has compounded the economic and humanitarian crises affecting Palestinians, who have been exiled from their homes for more than 70 years. https://t.co/7rBbhSW1BG

— Medical Aid for Palestinians (@MedicalAidPal) November 12, 2021

He also called on the Lebanese government to grant Palestinian refugees the right to work, which would help reduce child labor.

According to UNRWA, the school dropout rate for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon has reached 18 percent.

(MEMO, PC, Social Media)