(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Unified database containing all personal health and education information proposed at the Investing in the Future conference in Sharjah.
Dr Shaikh Sultan; Queen Rania of Jordan; Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Security Adviser; and Dr Nabil Elarabi Arab League Secretary-General during the opening session of the ‘Investing in the Future - the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees conference at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre in Sharjah on Wednesday. — KT photos by Juidin Bernarrd
Almost 80 per cent of Arab child refugees and their families are not registered in records in any asylum countries in the Arab world and don’t have identity documents to allow them benefits from humanitarian services said Gada Wali Egypt’s Minister of Social Affairs during the first session of the Investing in the Future conference in Sharjah on Wednesday.
The conference first of its kind in the region is being organised by the Sharjah government and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah inaugurated the two-day conference.
Addressing the session titled ‘Towards Better Protection of Refugee Children and Adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa Region’ Wali said that cooperative efforts at the regional and international levels are needed to address the challenges faced by the refugees and the asylum countries such as Lebanon and Jordan.
Establishing of a unified database that contains all personal health and education information of all refugees is a must to acknowledge their issues and facilitate the services provided to them. The database will help find the children’s skills so as to improve them in order to be integrated in local communities. The children also need unified identification documents to be able to be mobile freely everywhere.
She said in Egypt there are 138000 Syrian refugees registered only with the NGOs urging the countries to develop unified mechanisms to register the refugees and link their information with all government departments in these asylum countries. In Egypt 250000 African and Arab children are being enrolled in government schools.
“Most of the Syrian refugees in particular are integrated in the society of Demiad city where they work in confectionery factories and workshops and make their own living in a country whose local people are facing the issue of joblessness. Some of the refugees are living in October 6 City but are all jobless and being provided with all services.”
She urged the asylum countries and international societies to work together to ensure social education and welfare rights of the refugees and protect them ignorance abuse and exploitation.
Anne C. Richard Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration USA said the refugees living in asylum countries without registration would make them lose their nationalities belonging identity culture and become stateless. Eventually they would be denied rights and humanitarian services.
Zainab Hawa Bangura United Nations Undersecretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflicts said the number of cases of sexual violence child marriage and rape is alarming in the refugee camps in the asylum countries. Most of the rape and sexual abuse cases go unreported in these camps due to the trauma and shame affecting the children.
“The influence of terrorism is increasing among young girls and boys which would pose a great threat to the international community. These issues would remain as persisting crises without the cooperation of decision makers and international community in providing protection services based on rules and laws to be enforced by asylum countries” she said.
Margot Ellis Deputy Commissioner-General United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said great efforts are being put in to ensure relief for refugee children and policies to save their lives and give them the opportunity to live as normal human beings.
She urged the international community to collaborate in efforts to protect the youth as violence is escalating and the number of refugees is rising every day.
For child refugees in particular the UNRW focuses on five important areas.
First is protection and education as the agency provides education services for more than half a million children and healthcare services to 260000 children which must remain sustainable.
Secondly 30000 Palestinians have been employed by the UNRWA to deal with their community’s people as they understand them better.
The third area she focused on is the importance of education to ensure a better future and life. Another area is mobilising efforts to help refugees face the challenges and conveying these messages to the whole world. The fifth is the importance of educating the children about their rights and duties and teaching them to raise their voices to demand their rights.
At the end of the session all speakers agreed on the importance of registering the refugees in asylum countries and establishing a unified database that will be linked with government departments and organisations to provide better services for all Arab refugees.
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