UN official visits temporary housing centers in Damascus

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The UN reviews the conditions of the refugees.

"Damascus, SANA – UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Chaloka Beyani and the accompanying delegation visited on Saturday a number of temporary housing centers in Damascus and its countryside to inspect the conditions of the people staying in them.

In a statement to journalists, Beyani said that the goal of the visit is to evaluate the requirements and needs of displaced people, their living conditions, and available resources in order to figure out how to provide as much aid to them as possible.

He noted that most of the needs of the residents in these centers are being provided, but some other centers may require aid that isn’t being supplied.

In a statement to SANA, director of the Social Affairs Directorate in Damascus Countryside Fatima Rashid said that there are 242 temporary housing centers in the province in addition to 132 government-run centers, asserting that the Directorate is working hard to provide all essential, medical, psychological, and social services to the families staying in them.

She added that the Directorate is working with civil and official sides to provide food baskets every 45 days and provide the requirements of people with special needs such as wheelchairs and similar equipment.

UN official visits temporary housing centers in Damascus

 

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UN appreciates Syrian government’s relief efforts, plans on increased cooperation

Damascus, SANA – UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Chaloka Beyani said he intends to increase cooperation with the Syrian government in the efforts aimed at providing relief and humanitarian aid to its citizens.

He was speaking during a meeting with Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi on Sunday.

Beyani appreciated the humanitarian and relief efforts exerted by the Syrian government to provide basic living services and needs to the families displaced from areas where terrorists spread.

He referred in particular to the opening of makeshift housing centers instead of camps to host displaced people, saying this is a gesture to be appreciated as it is stresses the government’s care for its people to ensure their quick recovery.

Al-Halaqi, for his part, asserted that the government, in cooperation with the international organizations working in the humanitarian field, seeks to access every Syrian citizen affected by terrorism, an uneasy mission in light of the unfair economic siege and the repeated terrorist attacks on aid convoys.

He promised full support and accommodation services to the displaced Syrians abroad, calling on those living in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon to return home.

Mikdad blames countries supporting terrorists for exacerbating IDPs problems

In a separate meaning, Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Dr. Fayssal Mikdad discussed with Beyani means of bolstering bilateral cooperation for delivering humanitarian aid to the displaced.

Dr. Mikdad said during the meeting that the Syrian government, despite the Western unilateral measures against the Syrian people, continues to offer help to the Syrians who have been forced out of their localities due to terrorist attacks by organizations funded by Western and neighboring countries.

Mikdad blamed the countries supporting terrorist organizations, namely Turkey and Saudi Arabia for exacerbating the problems of the IDPs in Syria, including the recent waves who fled the cities of Idleb and Jisr al-Shughour after the onslaught by terrorists who stormed the two cities coming from Turkey.

Beyani, for his part, expressed eagerness to cooperate with the Syrian government and coordinate efforts with the UN organizations in Syria to work out solutions for the IDPs problems and provide the necessary services for them.

Social affairs minister says children and women protection file receiving special attention

Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Kinda al-Shammat said the children and women protection file is receiving great attention and is being handled according to international criteria.

During her meeting with Beyani, al-Shammat said that the ministry is working to prevent all forms of exploitation against women and children, adding that it is cooperating with governmental and international humanitarian bodies in following up on the situation of women and children who have fallen victims of exploitation.

In a press statement following the meeting, Beyani hailed the measures taken to address the situation of IDPs and protect women and children, indicating that an assessment of the domains of assistance will be prepared at the end of the visit that includes a set of recommendations which is planned to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council next June.

http://sana.sy/en/?p=41025