(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A two-day workshop organised by Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) in association with UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative Office to the GCC, the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organisation (ARCO) discussed refugees' legal rights.
Seventy-five experts on refugee issues from QRC, UNHCR, ARCO, the Syrian embassy in Qatar and Doctors Without Borders attended the workshop 'Legal Framework of Refugee Protection'.
They discussed legal framework for international protection of refugees, international humanitarian law (IHL) in cases of armed conflicts, concept of refuge between human rights and IHL, humanitarian approach during TV coverage of crises, legal foundation and exceptions of the principle of non-expulsion and non-refoulement, protection of vulnerable groups, psychological support of Syrian refugees, and voices from the humanitarian field - QRC's experience.
Saleh bin Ali Al Mohannadi, Secretary-General, QRC, spoke on refugee work in Somalia, Central African Republic, Afghanistan and Mali - from IHL and relief perspectives. "The workshop discussed common ground of IHL and human rights, and the Shariah. Voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) and challenges such as time needed to restore their normal lives in their home regions, how to bring children back to school after years of non-schooling, and other problems that require us to work together to find solutions," he said.
Dr Yousef Al Drarka, International Protection Officer, UNHCR Representative Office to the GCC, said: "Around 142 countries are members of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. While the Middle East and North Africa region has the biggest share of refugees, it has only Yemen as a signatory to the convention.
"Often there is no refugee legal system in the region but only bilateral agreements with UNHCR, which are less of a solid legal framework than we hope for our region."
The workshop came up with recommendations including a regular workshop on refugee issues hosted alternately by a GCC country every year; legal protections and legislation for refugees; and promoting a popular culture of supporting the refugees and securing their needs.
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