Kurdistan Region hosts key conference on supporting displaced persons
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) held aconference in Erbil focused on supporting displaced persons from other regionsof Iraq. The event, organized in collaboration with the InternationalOrganization for Migration (IOM), was held under the theme "InternalDisplacement and Human Rights within the KRG Human Rights Plan."
Dindar Zebari, the KRG's Coordinator for International Advocacy, openedthe conference by addressing the challenges faced due to reduced services indisplacement camps, particularly following the suspension of international aid.
"Despite these challenges, the KRG is committed to providingservices and assistance to ensure stability and security for all displacedpersons, especially those within the administrative boundaries of the KurdistanRegion," Zebari stated.
He also noted that the Kurdistan Region currently hosts approximately1.2 million displaced persons and refugees across 22 camps in the threegovernorates of Erbil, Al-Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok.
Most of these displaced individuals fled conflicts such as the fightagainst ISIS and reside in both camps and urban areas, with primary needsincluding medical care, shelter, and food.
The Iraqi government's recent decision to close IDP camps, aimed atencouraging the return of displaced persons to their areas of origin, hassparked controversy. Many of these areas remain unsafe or inadequately rebuilt,leading to a postponement of the closure in the Kurdistan Region. This delayacknowledges that conditions in the home regions of many IDPs, particularly inSinjar, are not yet suitable for their return.
In response, the KRG has vehemently opposed the closure decision,stressing the need for a dignified and voluntary return process.
