With funding from the international community, especially Canada through the International Development and Research Center (IDRC), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Millennium Development Goals- Fund (MDG-F) - Spanish Fund, Italy, and management support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), LPDC grew in capacity and expanded its scope of activities. As such, the President of LPDC, with the assistance of UNDP, recruited a team to serve as a technical support unit to assist and expand upon LPDC’s work. The team includes: a Communication Officer, a North Field Officer, a South Field Officer, a Camp Improvement Officer, a Legal Officer, a Research Assistant, an Administration and Finance Assistant, an IT Assistant and a Project Manager.
Alongside the committee, the LPDC team pursues a distinct mandate. This includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:
- Provide technical support and assistance in the application of government policy in all efforts and events relating to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon
- Coordinate between the various ministries in the application of government policy
- Collaborate with UNRWA on a range of issues including improvement of refugee camp infrastructure
- Initiate and sustain dialogue with the various Palestinian groups and civil society
- Coordinate with international and Arab donor countries to raise funds for the implementation of new policies
- Promote dialogue and understanding between Lebanese and Palestinians
- Maintain contacts with Lebanese political parties, religious leaders and civil society to promote government policy
- Participate in relief operations and coordinate with relief recovery and reconstruction efforts during and after crises
- Liaise with local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups
With these mandates and the previous events of the past four years, LPDC has played a dynamic and growing role in all aspects of Palestinian refugee affairs. It is integral in supporting the Government of Lebanon as it turns over a new leaf, actively working to improve the situation of Lebanese and Palestinians alike.
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