As part of the activities of the Legal Dignity Project implemented by the Palestinian Human Rights Institution (WITNESS) in partnership with the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), and in collaboration with the Popular Committee in Beddawi Camp, a human rights seminar was held on Wednesday morning entitled:
"Restrictions Related to the Work of Palestinian Nurses and Ways to Address Them"
The event took place at the Popular Committee Hall in the camp, with the attendance of a selection of specialists, activists, and civil society members.
Seminar Opening:
The meeting was inaugurated by the Secretary of the Popular Committee in Beddawi Camp, Abu Rami Khattar, who delivered a welcoming speech emphasizing the importance of discussing this file amidst the difficult economic and social conditions experienced by Palestinian youth. He affirmed that the issue of male and female nurses has become a model for the suffering of graduates facing legal and administrative restrictions that prevent them from practicing their profession, despite the urgent need for them in the Lebanese health sector.
Intervention by Dr. Mahmoud Al-Hanafi:
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Hanafi presented the seminar, reviewing the legal framework governing the nursing profession in Lebanon. He noted that current laws and implementing decrees impose near-complete restrictions on the practice of the profession by Palestinians, despite them possessing the same academic qualifications as their Lebanese colleagues.
Al-Hanafi focused on the recent decisions issued in September 2025, considering that they effectively closed the door to employment for Palestinian nurses and that they contradict the needs of the Lebanese health system and international standards prohibiting discrimination in the labor market. He also addressed the humanitarian and social dimensions of these restrictions and their impact on exacerbating unemployment and poverty within the camps.
Interactive Discussion on Remedial Measures:
An extensive discussion ensued among the attendees, during which nurses, activists, and civil society representatives raised questions about the absence of a clear mechanism within the Ministries of Public Health and Labor for processing applications for practice licenses. They also questioned the reasons why current procedures are nearly impossible, despite the clear shortage of nursing staff in Lebanon.
The discussion included living testimonies from Palestinian graduates who faced rejection for employment despite their competency. Participants addressed the responsibility of official and syndicate bodies in finding fair solutions, and the importance of legal and media pressure to amend the existing discriminatory laws.
The attendees agreed on the necessity of translating this dialogue into practical steps and enhancing coordination between the Institution, the Popular Committee, and the Nurses Syndicate to reach a transparent and equitable mechanism that guarantees the Palestinian nurse's right to work and preserves their dignity.
Conclusion:
This seminar is part of a series of activities implemented by (WITNESS) to enhance legal awareness and empower the most vulnerable groups, particularly Palestinian health cadres.
The meeting concluded by affirming that achieving justice for Palestinian nurses is a humanitarian, health, and legal necessity whose shared benefit extends to both Lebanese and Palestinian communities, and by calling for urgent practical steps that restore the principle of equality and guarantee the right to work without discrimination.
The Palestinian Human Rights Institution (WITNESS)Beirut on 10/12/2025