Turkey: Governor’s welcome offers refugees a refreshing reprieve on World Refugee Day

TURKEY, 20 June 2011—Rarely able to travel far beyond their host city of Afyonkarahisar, Turkey, nearly 200 refugees relished the opportunity to gather at the 26th of August Natural Park for a festive day of food, games and children’s crafts some 20 kilometers outside of the town centre, in celebration of World Refugee Day.Read more

The hidden injuries of Iraqi refugees

3 June 2011 (Aljazeera)—Little attention has been given in the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq to the health and well-being of refugees and their children. Indeed, with the advent of the Arab Spring, the situation of displaced Iraqi refugees has left media, public and national policy agendas altogether. But almost a decade after US and British troops first touched down on Iraqi soil, families continue to lack basic resources. Children are living in a very fragile and tense social environment—which in countries such as Syria, Jordan and Lebanon is getting worse by the day, given the current social uprisings.Read more

Iraqi refugees in Jordan falling into "absolute poverty"

MILAN, 13 April 2011 (TerraSanta.net)—Many Iraqi refugees in Jordan are falling into poverty because the government prohibits them from working or settling in the country, a Vatican official has said.Read more

UNHCR calls for international support for Tunisia and Egypt amid exodus from Libya

GENEVA, 25 February 2011—UNHCR commends the humanitarian spirit shown by the Tunisian and Egyptian governments in welcoming and caring for people fleeing Libya. In addition we are seeing unprecedented support being offered by local people who are driving to the borders of both countries to help. We call upon the international community to provide substantial humanitarian support for these two countries.Read more

Fleeing turmoil in North Africa: Need for shared regional response and protection urgent

BRUSSELS, 24 February 2011—Already in recent weeks, more than 5,000 boat people have arrived to the Italian island of Lampedusa from Tunisia; some 32,000 boat people arrived to that same island in 2008—before governments in the region abruptly cut off departures from North Africa.Read more

Harb drafts laws to protect domestic workers

BEIRUT, 11 February 2011 (Daily Star)—The “first step” in bringing order to the domestic worker sector was unveiled Thursday by caretaker Labor Minister Butros Harb, in the form of a draft law that would compel employers to pay their employees on time every month, give them a weekly day off, and ensure they live in decent conditions.

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