Beirut, 13 October 2017 (Communication and Information Unit) – Representatives of concerned ministries in member States of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) will gather in Khartoum on 17-18 October 2017 to participate in the 11th Session of the Commission’s Committee on Social Development. The Session will be held in the Corinthia Hotel. Delegates of relevant regional and international organizations will be also participate in the event as observers.
 

This conference will also serve as the closing meeting of the Adaptation to Climate Change in Water Sector in the MENA Region (ACCWaM) project.

Joint press release by UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, UN Women, ESCWA, FAO, OCHA, UNHCR, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNRWA, WFP, OHCHR, ILO, UNOPS, UN Habitat, and UNESCO.
 

Refugees and internally displaced persons are still ongoing crises in Iraq and in many countries in the Arab region, not only as a result to the armed conflicts, but also as economic and social challenges. These crises are burdening the affected Arab governments and societies from finding comprehensive solutions. The challenges and threats of the refugees’ crisis exceed the national levels, currently it is one of the most fundamental humanitarian crises at the international level. It grabbed the attention of most of the International organizations and governments, working together to draft resolutions and policies to subside this influx and its dimensions. Furthermore, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and mainly in the Goal 16, is considered among the most emphasized plans dealing with issues of refugees, immigrants, and internally displaced persons.
In fact, refugees and internally displaced persons are not only the most vulnerable groups in terms of the basic needs; food, shelter, and medical healthcare, but they are also among the most marginalized groups. They suffer from exclusion, discrimination, and oppression, not only in the hosting country, but also in their own, posing the threat of fragmentation to the social fabric. Analyzing the reasons behind the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons in Iraq by using the approach of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the Goal 16, will help us to assess the challenges and obstacles the refugees may face, to identify their scarcities, and to draft solutions. Using this approach will also allow us to settle the appropriate plans and frames needed, first to ensure integration to all refugees in the hosting community, and second to create the appropriate environment for the refugees to return to the areas they abandoned.