{"id":286109,"date":"2023-03-18T16:47:43","date_gmt":"2023-03-18T20:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=286109"},"modified":"2023-03-27T16:49:37","modified_gmt":"2023-03-27T20:49:37","slug":"unrwa-statement-on-joint-un-watch-institute-for-monitoring-peace-and-cultural-tolerance-in-school-education-impact-se-report","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/unrwa-statement-on-joint-un-watch-institute-for-monitoring-peace-and-cultural-tolerance-in-school-education-impact-se-report\/","title":{"rendered":"±¬ÁÏÍøRWA Statement on Joint ±¬ÁÏÍø Watch-Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

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18 March 2023<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
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AMMAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

This week, two organisations released a report criticizing and questioning – once again – the Agency\u2019s adherence to ±¬ÁÏÍø values and humanitarian principles, including neutrality.<\/p>\n

\u201c±¬ÁÏÍøRWA takes each allegation extremely seriously, no matter the source. Investigations are now underway. Should any misconduct be found, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA will take the necessary disciplinary or administrative actions,\u201d said Ms. Stenseth, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA\u2019s Deputy Commissioner-General, during a briefing to the Agency\u2019s close partners. She also reiterated the full commitment of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to upholding ±¬ÁÏÍø values and humanitarian principles, including neutrality. She confirmed the Agency\u2019s zero-tolerance position towards hatred and the promotion of violence.<\/p>\n

This latest report parallels these organisations\u2019 previous attempts to sensationalize, overstate and sometimes give misguided conclusions derived from what a credible academic\u00a0organisation<\/a>\u00a0described as methodologies\u00a0\u201c<\/em>marked by generalising and exaggerated conclusions based on methodological shortcomings<\/em>.\u201d<\/em><\/a>\u00a0This latest report follows the same pattern. It, for example, does not hesitate, without any verification, to portray people who left the organization more than a decade ago as current ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA staff.<\/p>\n

Ms. Stenseth confirmed to partners that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA undertakes a range of prevention measures, and that its teams are constantly reminded of their obligations and responsibilities as ±¬ÁÏÍø staff. \u00a0They receive regular in-person training sessions and mandatory online courses on humanitarian principles, social media use, and ethics. In addition, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA undertakes regular and meticulous reviews of all textbooks and learning materials. This is despite significant financial challenges at ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, including the limited number of investigators in the Agency.<\/p>\n

In addition, the Deputy Commissioner-General provided partners with context and background -not included in the report- namely the volatility across the region, recurrent escalations and conflicts, the occupation and multiple crises that create heightened political tensions. She also briefed on the engagement of the Agency with ±¬ÁÏÍøESCO, the World Bank and other institutions through the \u201cEducation Expert Advisory Group\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ms. Stenseth concluded that this and previous similar reports have never been submitted to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA for comments prior to publishing, in the way that any credible research organisation would invariably require.<\/p>\n

ENDs-\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Notes to Editors\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n