political| 08:23 – 08/08/2022
Baghdad – Mawazine News
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has welcomed a contribution of $27.8 million to help Iraqi and Syrian refugees who have been displaced by ISIS.
In a statement, UNHCR stated, “Five years after the defeat of ISIS and 11 years after the onset of the Syrian crisis, the displaced population still needs support. In 2022, 1.2 million Iraqis were unable to return to their communities. Meanwhile, Iraq is hosting Nearly 300,000 refugees, mostly from Syria, live in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
“US support for UNHCR allows for enhanced integration of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons, including those who have now returned to their homes, into local communities and public services. To do this, UNHCR works with partners and local authorities on long-term support interventions such as rehabilitation of schools, health care centers and networks Water and electricity, as these interventions aim to build the capacity of public institutions to provide high-quality services.”
UNHCR also seeks to enhance community interactions and social cohesion by establishing public spaces and community centers where mental health, especially women and child survivors of violence, and legal services help them rebuild their lives, not least by obtaining identity documents.
In this regard, it is estimated that a quarter of the displaced lack civil documents, as they lost them while fleeing violence and were unable to renew them in ISIS-controlled places. As a result, those who lack civil documentation face challenges in accessing basic public services, as they cannot enroll their children in schools or access health care. They are also deprived of social safety nets and risk arrest at checkpoints.
” US Ambassador to Iraq Alina L. Romanovsky said: “The United States remains committed to helping the most vulnerable populations in Iraq. This contribution will help Iraqis displaced by ISIS to reintegrate into their communities while providing valuable support for education, health care and other critical needs of Syrian refugees in Iraq.”
UNHCR Representative in Iraq, Jean-Nicolas Beuze, also stated that “while the current situation in Iraq is gradually stabilizing and providing opportunities for prosperity, we need to continue working with the authorities in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to strengthen the resilience and self-reliance of communities.”
“The generous and flexible contribution from the United States allows UNHCR to prioritize those most in need and improve key public services in Iraq,” he added.
The UNHCR statement concluded by expressing its “gratitude for the generous and long-term support of the United States of America to UNHCR. Since 2013, the United States, through the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration of the Department of State, has provided $484 million for the refugee response. This support means that UNHCR can continue to provide Protection and pursuit of durable solutions for internally displaced persons and refugees in Iraq.
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