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Ref: 88/2004

Date: 02 June 2004

Time: 07:30 GMT

PCHR Gravely Concerned for Dismissal of Temporary Contracting Teachers at UNRWA

 PCHR is gravely concerned by a decision taken by UNRWA in the Gaza Strip, dismissing at least 300 teachers who work under daily-based temporary contacts that range between 6 months and 3 years, and calls upon UNRWA Commissioner General Peter Hansen to assume his responsibilities towards these teachers and 200 others who are placed on the “waiting lists” for such positions.

 This new decision derogates from the rights of these teachers, who had passed UNRWA annual examinations and had worked under daily-based temporary contracts for 3 years without having been officially employed, in violation of international human rights standards, particularly the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966.  This administrative decision taken by a United Nations body contradicts its main objectives of relief and work for Palestinian refugees.  This decision raises concerns, particularly as it has been taken during a time when the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip suffer from a severe economic crisis, where unemployment has mounted to 65%, and poverty to 75%, amounting to at least 81% in the southern areas. 

 According to information available to PCHR, on 20 May 2004, UNRWA announced that it seeks to employ a number of qualified teachers in various subjects under conditions that deprive candidates of having permanent contracts, despite having passed annual examinations given by the organization.  UNRWA also abolished previous waiting lists of teachers and asked those who had been placed on these lists, including teachers who had worked under daily-based temporary contracts and internal staff, to renew their applications no later than 19 June 2004.

PCHR believes that the new decision derogates from the rights of these teachers as:

1.      It deprives these teachers of the system of daily-based work contracts.

2.      It deprives these teachers of the opportunity to have permanent work contracts in the future.

3.      The time specified for applications has deprived candidates from applying for job opportunities available at the Palestinian Ministry of Education, opportunities which by now have passed. 

Astonishingly, the decision applies not only to new candidates for UNRWA jobs, but also to those who have worked at UNRWA for 3 years.  However, UNRWA administrative regulations in place, if followed, would not allow for this decision. 

 PCHR calls upon UNRWA to reconsider this decision to ensure the rights of daily-based temporarily contracting teachers to be permanently employed and prevent their unemployment, especially under the current severe economic and social conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip.  PCHR also calls on UNRWA to abstain from taking administrative decisions that violate local laws and international human rights standards relevant to the right of work, particularly the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966.  PCHR will pursue further developments regarding this issue and actions that may be taken by UNRWA to change this situation. If necessary, PCHR will take legal actions to ensure the rights of these teachers at the local and international levels.            

Public Document

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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893

PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org