United Nations High Commission on Refugee (UNHCR) said it will go beyond providing protection, assistance, and assured durable solution for refugees in Yobe state.
Head of Field Unit, UNHCR in Yobe, Gabriel Idoko, disclosed this on Thursday in an event to commemorate the 2019 World Refugees Day in Damaturu.
Idoko noted that the best place to consider in starting durable solution for internally displaced persons is the affected people and the host communities, hence the need to engage them on free awareness session.
“The session will give us the opportunity to engage the IDPs themselves, and for us to be able listen to them and exchange ideas on how best they will be able to regain their lives, attain some measures of self reliance, get settled and recover their existence”, he said.
He said the effort of the host community should also be appreciated for providing the displaced persons with shelter and allowing their resources, which is very lean to be used and shared by those displaced.
He said the UNHCR is also looking for three option of durable solutions to the refugees: “Individual going back to where he was coming from, and then returning to his initial place of displacement, provided the place is already safe and the situation is good enough to accommodate them.”
“Another option is to locally integrate them where they are, while the third option is called resettlement.”, he said.
Idoko said that for each one of these options to work and have a sustainable result, engagement at the level of community must be considered.
Furtherance to the commemoration of the Day, Idoko read in his speech that: ” On this World Refugees Day, also every day, UNHCR and our partners pledged to do all we can to help displaced populations and persons of concern.”
“This is not just to get by but also to thrive as part of our commitments to the search for durable solutions.”
“There is so much that we can do collectively to assist those affected and most affected, those, who are forced to flee their homes and the comfort of their communities.”
“Let us support and honour their courage and determination to journey toward self-reliance in dignity”.
He stressed that the 2019 World Refugees Day is focusing on the promotion of African Union’s theme, which is `Year of refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa.”
