Representatives from 67 countries are set to gather in Geneva next week for the largest conference on Palestine refugees in 56 years.

The UN agency working to assist Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) announced today that delegates representing dozens of governments, as well as nearly three dozen international organizations, will discuss the future of humanitarian assistance to millions of refugees scattered across the Middle East during the two-day gathering which opens on Monday.

The UN currently estimates that there are 4.1 million Palestine refugees. One third of them still live in camps in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The remainder live in the towns and villages of host countries, often close to the camps.

UNRWA describes the camps – which began as tent cities – as “crowded urban ghettos, suffering from poor sanitation, dire levels of poverty and very high population densities”.

The agency provides basic education, free primary healthcare, relief and social services to assist the refugees.

The Geneva conference has been called to increase international support for the refugees, UNRWA said. Workshops will focus on the wellbeing of Palestine refugee children, the camps, socio-economic development and the mobilization of resources.

(gmcg)