Thousands of displaced women and children still at risk: IHCHR
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The High Commission for Human Rights in Iraq (IHCHR) said on Tuesday thousands of women and children living in camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are in danger due to their prolonged stay in the camps.
“The displaced have been subjected to psychological trauma and health problems, and many children have lost their right to an education because of their stay in the camps, commission member Fadel al-Gharawi," said in a statement.
The failure to pay compensation, to reconstruct areas destroyed by the Islamic States (ISIS), and address IDPs’ poor economic conditions may be the most prominent obstacles that prevent their voluntary return.
The Ministry of Migration and Displacement said in March the money allocated to the ministry in this year’s budget is not enough to cover grants given to IDPs returning to their areas of origin.
Gharawi called on the Iraqi government to assume its legal and humanitarian responsibility by closing all IDP camps inside Iraq, returning their residents voluntarily to their areas, providing a return grant for each displaced family worth five million dinars, and sending women and children to psychological rehabilitation programs.
"Their continued stay in the camps will lead to an increase in their suffering, especially in this hot weather and health conditions from the spread of the corona pandemic,” Gharawi said.
Last year, the Iraqi government began a push to close about 17 IDP camps around the country, three years after the defeat of the ISIS.
The Iraqi government is on a push to shut down camps across the country, a move that has attracted criticism from rights groups, including Amnesty International.
“The displaced have been subjected to psychological trauma and health problems, and many children have lost their right to an education because of their stay in the camps, commission member Fadel al-Gharawi," said in a statement.
The failure to pay compensation, to reconstruct areas destroyed by the Islamic States (ISIS), and address IDPs’ poor economic conditions may be the most prominent obstacles that prevent their voluntary return.
The Ministry of Migration and Displacement said in March the money allocated to the ministry in this year’s budget is not enough to cover grants given to IDPs returning to their areas of origin.
Gharawi called on the Iraqi government to assume its legal and humanitarian responsibility by closing all IDP camps inside Iraq, returning their residents voluntarily to their areas, providing a return grant for each displaced family worth five million dinars, and sending women and children to psychological rehabilitation programs.
"Their continued stay in the camps will lead to an increase in their suffering, especially in this hot weather and health conditions from the spread of the corona pandemic,” Gharawi said.
Last year, the Iraqi government began a push to close about 17 IDP camps around the country, three years after the defeat of the ISIS.
The Iraqi government is on a push to shut down camps across the country, a move that has attracted criticism from rights groups, including Amnesty International.