Palestinian Refugee Camp Youth and Emigration: Enough Is Enough!

Palestinian youth in Lebanon’s refugee camps face poverty, unemployment and the denial of basic rights. Sara Abu Said, a member of Alkarama in Lebanon, calls on young people to break their silence, organise and fight for a dignified life.

By Sara Abu Said, member of Alkarama – Palestinian Women’s Movement in Lebanon

Originally published on 21 October 2026 by the Palestinian Information Centre.

When you ask a young Palesti

nian living in one of Lebanon’s refugee camps what their dream is, the answer is: “To travel and emigrate anywhere, as long as it’s not Lebanon.”

It is a short but painful answer, revealing the extent of the suffering and frustration experienced by Palestinian youth in Lebanon. This is the result of the Lebanese authorities’ ongoing policies of exclusion and restrictions, compounded by the failure of Palestinian factions to create a secure economic environment and establish institutions capable of supporting young people within the camps.

The recent sinking of a boat, which claimed the lives of several young people from the Nahr al-Bared and Al-Bass refugee camps, was not the first tragedy of its kind, and it certainly will not be the last as long as policies of deprivation and discrimination against Palestinians continue. Statements of condemnation and outrage will also continue to be issued, bearing different dates while the tragedy remains the same.

So what is the solution?

The solution begins with defining what we, as young Palestinians born in Lebanon, want. If we want to live with dignity and freedom, we must begin by rejecting injustice, refusing to accept it as normal, and working to change it. In our camps, the first step is to leave our homes, move beyond social media, and raise our voices to declare: “Enough is enough! We want to work!”

Such a mobilisation, a youth uprising bringing together the different sections of our communities in the camps, can bang on the walls of the tank, break the silence surrounding our demands, and win our rights. Throughout history and across the world, no people have gained their rights by remaining silent. Rights must be fought for, and dignity is defended through the voices and cries of young women and men confronting injustice and marginalisation.

Silence and lamenting what has been lost, on the other hand, will only deepen our powerlessness and leave us trapped in the same situation: disconnected from our rights, overwhelmed by frustration, and convinced that change is impossible.

Between UNRWA’s continuing cuts and the absence of practical plans to improve living conditions in the camps and strengthen the resilience of their residents, graduates see their dreams fade away, while young women at university watch their ambitions crumble. Are we going to remain in this situation? For how much longer?

Anyone familiar with unemployment figures exceeding 85% within the camps and poverty rates approaching 90% understands that the time has come to take the initiative, mobilise and persevere in defending the rights of today’s generations and securing the future of those to come.

Enough is enough! We can no longer accept emigration as the only dream available to our young people, nor death at sea as the price of seeking a dignified life.

The time has come to take action, demand our rights and create genuine opportunities for young people in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camps.

Source: Originally published in Arabic on 21 October 2026 by the Palestinian Information Centre (Palinfo). English translation for Alkarama.