Gorilla’s Guides

NAIROBI, 3 March 2011 (IRIN) – Several Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq and Yemen are unlikely to achieve the education-for-all Millennium Development Goals by 2015 because of insecurity and conflict, according to a new report by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The education-for-all goals were endorsed by more than 160 countries in 2000. But according to Kevin Watkins, director of UNESCO’s 2011 Global Monitoring Report, children and education are not just getting caught in the cross-fire, they are increasingly the targets of violent conflict.

"The failure of governments to protect human rights is causing children deep harm – and taking away their only chance of an education," he said.

The UNESCO report, entitled The Hidden Crisis: Armed Conflict and Education, says 35 countries were affected by armed conflict between 1999 and 2008, several in the Middle East. “Children and schools are on the front line of these conflicts, with classrooms, teachers and pupils seen as legitimate targets,” it noted.

Egypt

Recent demonstrations and clashes in Egypt led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, but also closed many schools. In mid-February, half-term was extended for two weeks. Schools in only seven of the country’s 29 governorates reopened after the recess, according to sources in Cairo.

The Interior Ministry deployed police outside schools to beef up security and encourage a return to school, but thousands of parents still preferred to keep their children at home.

“A deteriorating security situation hinders the opening of the schools and this affects the whole educational process,” Fathi al-Sharqawi, a professor of educational psychology at Cairo’s Ain Shams University, told IRIN. “Teachers will have to skip some parts of the curricula after the students go back to their classrooms, which will also affect these students’ learning badly.”

Hundreds of parents have complained that their children are attacked by thugs on their way to school, according to human rights groups. The Egyptian Centre for Human Rights, for example, said some parents complain that criminals use weapons to grab money from children.

Manal Abdul Aziz, an Egyptian journalist who opted for home-based tuition for her two children, told IRIN in Cairo: “There is total obscurity about the future of this academic year.” The cost of hiring five teachers for her two children (aged 12 and 15) is the equivalent of US$169 a month – a significant sum for most families.

Iraq

Decades of war in Iraq, UN sanctions, poor security and the economic situation have adversely affected education and increased illiteracy levels. According to data produced by the government and UNESCO in September, at least five million of Iraq’s almost 30 million people are illiterate. Of these, 14 percent are school-age children who left school to feed their families, are displaced or have no access to suitable schooling.

Ahmed Khalid Jaafar, 14, told IRIN in Baghdad that he left school after his father died in an explosion three years ago, and sought work on the streets to feed his mother and two younger daughters.

"I sell gum and my mother works is a seamstress," said Jaafar. "We make 200,000-300,000 dinars (US$160-250) a month. We spend that money on the most important things, mainly food. School is not important now." Jaafar and his family squat in an abandoned government building.

The September data show that adult illiteracy in Iraq is now one of the highest in the Arab region. In rural areas, almost 30 percent of the population are unable to read or write. Significant gender disparities exist, with 40 percent of the illiterate being women.

Other countries

Bahrain is on track to achieve the goal of halving illiteracy levels by 2015, but countries like Iraq, Mauritania and Sudan are off track. "The recent experiences of Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait and Yemen show that literacy policy can be effective: all four countries have increased their adult literacy rates by at least 20 percentage points in the past 15-20 years," the UNESCO report said.

In Yemen, a reallocation of 10 percent of the military budget to education would put an additional 840,000 children in school. In the north, 220 schools were destroyed, damaged or looted during fighting in 2009 and 2010 between government and rebel forces, according to the report. "In Yemen, many internally displaced children complement family income by begging, smuggling or collecting refuse, and there are concerns that child labour is increasing."

In Syria, attendance rates in pre-school programmes varied from less than 4 percent for children in the poorest households, to just above 18 percent for wealthy households.

In harm’s way

According to the report, armed conflict places children directly in harm’s way. Some get killed while others are exploited as soldiers or forced to flee their homes and become refugees.

“Children subject to the trauma, insecurity and displacement that come with armed conflict are unlikely to achieve their potential for learning,” it said. All too often, armed groups see the destruction of schools and the targeting of schoolchildren and teachers as a legitimate military strategy.

In conflict situations, children fear to go to school, teachers to give classes and parents to send their children to school. According to UNESCO, in such situations, children suffer psychological trauma, as well as loss of parents, siblings and friends. One survey of Iraqi refugee children in Jordan found that 39 percent reported having lost someone close to them, and 43 percent witnessed violence.

“Armed conflict remains a major roadblock to human development in many parts of the world, yet its impact on education is widely neglected,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. “This groundbreaking report documents the scale of this hidden crisis, identifies its root causes and offers solid proposals for change.”

IRIN Middle East | MIDDLE EAST: Violence hits education | Egypt | Iraq | Lebanon | Oman | OPT | Syria | Yemen | Children | Conflict | Education

JAIPUR: Iraqis who have lost their legs in years of war and conflict would soon be mobile again, thanks to Jaipur Foot India would be providing them with.

Indian experts Monday left for Iraq to provide the Jaipur Foot, artificial legs known to be cosmetically and functionally close to the human limb, to about 1,000 amputees in the war-torn country.

A 22-member team of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), makers of the famous Jaipur Foot, headed for Baghdad for a month-long rehabilitation camp to give away the artificial limbs. The camp will be held from March 16 to April 15.

D.R. Mehta, founder and chief patron of the BMVSS, said the organisation had fitted more than 370,000 artificial limbs around the world, including in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Sierra Leone.

A team of BMVSS is currently holding a camp at Vavunia in northern Sri Lanka to provide artificial limbs to the victims of the civil war. The limbs are being provided free of cost to the Tamil refugees.

"The mobility earned through the artificial limb helps amputees to change their lives and earn their livelihood," Menta said.

The BMVSS has held 36 camps in the world, particularly in countries that have witnessed horrific wars that have left thousands disabled.

According to experts, the beauty of the Jaipur Foot is its lightness and mobility. Those who wear it can run, climb trees, pedal bicycles and drive a car – all without the aid of a stick or any other support.

Source: Iraqi amputees to wear Jaipur Foot

Increased co-ordination among humanitarian organisations should be blended with a more realistic view of what is possibly achievable in the context of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in countries like Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Niger, Sudan, Pakistan and Yemen, the third conference for humanitarian organisations in OIC member-states was told yesterday.

Delegates highlighted the situations in their respective countries, noting that the lack of security has been causing numerous challenges to their humanitarian work.

The Afghanistan delegation pointed out that three decades of conflict, which have killed over a million people, orphaned and disabled another million of them, has caused poverty, food insecurity, drought, as well as environmental degradation caused by uncontrolled war violations.

The Afghani delegation said that many humanitarian actors have been working in Afghanistan, even as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) faced many challenges.

Aid agency staff have been increasingly targeted by the Taliban and other insurgents for their perceived support of alien political agendas at odds with those of the militia.

The Palestinian delegation explained that the level of co-ordination between the numerous humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza was very low.

“Co-operation is limited to a low co-ordination through few irregular meetings, to co-operate on seasonable projects such as in Ramadan,” a Gaza delegate said, adding: “No meeting has yet included any information sharing about the needs of affected people.”

The Palestinian delegation explained that the Israeli blockade of Gaza has been affecting the work of the humanitarian organisations.

The Iraqi delegation said that the increasing number of orphans, widows and captives, as well as unemployment, poverty and refugees, were examples of the deteriorating situation there.

“The humanitarian situation in Iraq is very complex as it includes both urgent needs and those of the long-term,” said a delegate.

The delegation explained that the differences in the views of the humanitarian organisations’ priorities in Iraq, were a challenge for the situation there.

The Somali delegation pointed out to the absolute absence of co-operation among the humanitarian organisations of the member-states in the OIC, noting that the armed conflicts have been also affecting their work.

The delegates agreed that the starting point for any co-ordinated efforts would be, besides a functional co-ordination structure, knowledge of available resources, of the assistance needs of the population and an overview of ongoing activities.

They agreed on the urgent need to establish a joint and commonly shared data system, and on an overview how resources presently are allocated.

Assistant Foreign Minister HE Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi said at the conclusion of the conference that Qatar would be supporting all humanitarian efforts for aid to reach people in the Islamic countries and other regions of the world.

He announced that the conference to support and develop the Comoros Islands is to start tomorrow, which is an effort oriented in the same humanitarian direction.

OIC secretary-general Ekmeleddine Ihasan Oglu said that NGOs as well as governmental and private sectors should join hands in their humanitarian work in the Islamic counties.

Source: Lack of security hampering work, say aid agencies | By Ourouba Hussein | Gulf Times –  – Qatar

The displacement of populations is one of the gravest consequences of today’s armed conflicts. It affects women in a host of ways. But far from being helpless victims, women are resourceful, resilient and courageous in the face of hardship. Nadine Puechguirbal, the ICRC adviser on women and war explains.

Why is the ICRC raising awareness of women displaced by armed conflicts worldwide on International Women’s Day?

We want not only to draw attention to the plight of these women but also to acknowledge their tremendous courage and resilience in ensuring the survival of their families in hostile and unfamiliar circumstances.

I think it is equally important to raise awareness of the specific threats women face as a result of displacement. All too often, women and children are lumped together as the most vulnerable group. However, the two are very different groups, each with specific vulnerabilities and needs.

Women are not totally helpless. Our idea is to move away from assumptions and stereotypes and instead call attention to women’s specific needs, vulnerabilities in wartime, and indeed the remarkable strength they show in protecting and supporting their families and finding ingenuous ways of coping with their ordeal.

Why in armed conflicts are displaced women often at greater risk than displaced men?

The overwhelming majority of armed conflicts are started, organized and led by men, yet women represent a large proportion of war victims. During an armed conflict, civilians not participating in the hostilities are often forced to flee their homes to avoid being caught up in violence. Women and their families are compelled to leave behind their homes and communities. In the ensuing panic and chaos, many women find themselves alone with their children to look after single-handedly. Imagine the pain of being brutally uprooted from perhaps the safest place you have known your whole life.

Suddenly, women have to shoulder all the daily responsibilities for ensuring their own survival and that of their families, which many do by drawing on their resourcefulness and courage. Displaced women often have to travel long distances to find water, food, firewood, medicines and other essentials. In so doing, they put themselves at great risk of sexual violence, abuse and injury from landmines or unexploded ordnance, among other dangers. The burden of family responsibility, coupled with the anguish and trauma of sudden loss, also takes a huge toll on the women’s health.

In cultures where women may only travel when accompanied by a male relative, the separation from her husband can restrict a woman’s ability to flee from hostilities. She may also lack the necessary identification documents to cross checkpoints or international boarders, or the funds to pay for transport. Reports abound of women being harassed at border crossings and checkpoints.
A camp or IDP community may offer displaced women relative safety but does not end their plight. On the contrary, the camp environment can present new risks and burdens. Whereas women might have relied on family and kinship networks for food and resource sharing, separation from their families and communities deprives them of this support.

Lack of resources may lead to situations where, by virtue of their sex, women are relegated to last place in terms of access to food or water, meaning, they eat less and last. There is also a real danger of their resorting to exchanging sexual favours for food or other essentials.

Lack of safety and privacy in camps may expose women to health problems, for instance by increasing the risk of sexual violence. The trauma of their experience, conflict-related injury, sexual violence and unplanned pregnancy will inevitably increase women’s need for health care. Yet displacement can hinder their access to quality health care at a time when they need it most.

Rather than being passive victims, women in conflict situations often find ingenuous ways of coping. Could you give us examples?

The media commonly portray women as passive victims of fighting; a poignant story to move and influence public opinion and gain audience interest. Whilst women all too often suffer horrific violence and cruelty in times of war, I feel it is important to go beyond this portrayal to fully understand their ordeal, without downplaying it.

ICRC delegates often witness the remarkable courage of displaced women: exploiting available resources; finding food and shelter for their dependents; and organizing themselves into associations in order to have a stronger, unified voice.

Harrowing stories occasionally surface from the Democratic Republic of the Congo about sexual violence meted out to women. That some survive to support themselves – and often their children, born of their ordeal and ostracized by their families – testifies to the women’s strength. In North Kivu psychosocial workers, supported by the ICRC, counsel women victims of rape and help them rebuild their lives. The organization enables the women to carry out income-generating projects to strengthen their self-reliance.

In Iraq, displaced women are exceptionally resourceful and determined to ensure the survival of their families. Deprived of traditional sources of income, women are forced to adopt new roles – defying social expectations and through whatever means possible, including manual labour – to earn money and put food on the table.

Women play a vital role in maintaining the health and welfare of their family and community. Their role in preventing and managing sickness and disease is essential when access to health care is limited. During emergencies women may assist in delivering babies in their communities when trained medical personnel are out of reach. Traditional birth attendants may offer the only reproductive health care for many displaced women and their infants.

Those who seek to help IDPs must pay greater attention to the views of displaced women. How does the ICRC go about this?

Firstly, the ICRC is aware that in IDP camps, a woman’s voice often goes unheard, meaning her specific needs are overlooked. Women tend to avoid talking openly about their most personal needs, so it is vital to create a safe space for dialogue regarding their concerns. To ensure that women are neither ignored nor exploited, the ICRC increasingly involves them in planning, implementing and evaluating programmes.

We also recognize that the concept of women as passive beneficiaries is incapacitating and can result in excluding women from humanitarian efforts. Yet failure to consult women about their needs or involve them in planning projects affects the quality, efficiency and efficacy of assistance. The ICRC knows that women are generally responsible for their families’ food needs. Therefore their input is critical in determining the type and quantity of food the organization distributes, and the location of food distribution points, for safety reasons and easy access.

Experience has shown that when women are asked for input directly, their views and priorities differ from those of the men who purport to speak for them. This is true of Casamance, in Senegal, where women participate in community meetings. At such meetings, the ICRC ensures that women’s voices are heard, and has found that their insight strengthens our ability to respond to the needs of the population in general.

In using International Women’s Day to draw attention to displaced women, the ICRC is giving a voice to women who have responded actively to their plight, thereby revealing their strength and resilience to overcome appalling suffering and ultimately emerge stronger.

How does the ICRC take into account the fact that the needs of women often differ from those of men or children?

We recognize the particular ways in which conflict and displacement affect women: the specific dangers and threats; and the social transformation that may occur when women assume new responsibilities. Obviously, women, men, boys and girls are exposed to different risks. While men make up the vast majority of those killed, detained or made to disappear during war, women are increasingly targeted as civilians and exposed to sexual violence.

We have developed a more sensitive and thorough understanding of the roles, responsibilities and experiences of women and men. In turn, this is allowing us to tailor our response more accurately to the specific needs of women and men in times of conflict.

Source: ICRC | Women and displacement: strength in adversity

أكد نائب رئيس دائرة اللاجئين في منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية محمد أبو بكر أن السلطات السودانية أبلغت الدائرة بموافقتها على استضافة مجموعة جديدة من اللاجئين الفلسطينيين الفارين من العراق.
واوضح أبو بكر لصحيفة القدس العربي أن السلطات السودانية وافقت على استضافة 38 لاجئاً فلسطينيا بناءً على رغبتهم وذلك بعد ترحيل من تبقى منهم في مخيم التنف العراقي الى مخيم الهول السوري بانتظار استصدار موافقاتٍ من دول أوروبية للجوئهم فيها.
واوضح ابو بكر بان عدد اللاجئين الفلسطينيين الذين كانوا في مخيم التنف وحصلوا على لجوء في دول أوروبية بلغ 928 لاجئاً.

Requests for assistance to help stranded migrants lured to Iraq under false pretences or unknowingly taken to work there by unscrupulous recruitment agencies are unable to be met as funds for such assistance have dried up this year.

IOM is urgently seeking US$2.5 million to help up to 700 destitute migrants, some of whom have been trafficked to Iraq for labour exploitation, to return home in the next two years.

In previous years, the Organization has been able to assist many hundreds of desperate migrants each year to return home. In 2009, only 32 migrants have been assisted through an emergency fund to provide humanitarian assistance to individual migrants stranded in another country.

"We know there are large groups from different nationalities whose situation is really dire. Life for Iraqis is difficult. It is worse for migrants. This is an issue that needs specific address," says Mike Pillinger, IOM Chief of Mission for Iraq.

Despite Iraq’s instability and difficult security and socio-economic conditions, the country is, nevertheless, a destination country for migrants from mainly Asia and Africa.

Many are lured by the possibility of making easy money in sectors like construction, carpentry and domestic labour. Migrants from countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda are often coerced to sign false employment contracts once in Iraq. Their passports are confiscated and they become victims of exploitation and abuse, working in inhumane conditions. For the privilege, they have had to pay exorbitant recruitment fees which have put them and their families in debt.

Others had used recruitment agents to go to the Middle East or the Gulf but ended up in Iraq against their will, in similarly abusive situations.

In other cases, such as for Sudanese migrants who have lived in Iraq for several years, the deterioration in employment conditions has left them penniless with few opportunities, poor guarantees and no means to return home.

IOM has helped more than 7,000 migrants of nearly 40 different nationalities in the past six years. As funding has dried up, the number of stranded migrants needing assistance has increased although the true scale of the problem is unknown. 

"It will be impossible to get a really clear picture on numbers of migrants needing help as many are too scared to try and seek help because of possible repercussions. What we do know is that there are hundreds of extremely vulnerable people each year who need help and who are not getting it. Not being able to help them is extremely hard," adds Pillinger.

For further information, please contact:

Rex Alamban
IOM Iraq
Tel: +00962 65659660
E-mail: ralamban@iom.int

Source: IOM – Press Briefing Notes – Migrants Stranded in Iraq as Funds Dry Up to Assist Them to Return Home

KHARTOUM, March 5 (Xinhua) — The Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday slammed in public the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against him. Analysts say the leader’s counteraction is justifiable given the court’s impotence and a widespread perception of bias in international community.

PERCEPTION OF BIAS

Hassan al-Sauri, professor of political science at the University of Khartoum, said the court is not a legal organ, but "a political tool preoccupied by Western agenda."

"The ICC does not only aimed at Sudan. It also targeted those developing countries which want to carry out independent policies," he told Xinhua.

The professor cited the website of the ICC saying that the court has embarked on cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Uganda and Sudan, all of whom are African countries.

Large numbers of civilians have been killed by U.S.-led forces in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past few years, but there were only "regrets," no court procedures, he said.

The 22-member Arab League (AL) has communicated with the ICC after the 22-day Gaza war in which more than 1,300 people were killed by Israeli forces, but in vain. Israel argued that the Jewish country is not a member of the ICC and thus not subject to the court’s jurisdiction.

The ICC’s perceptible bias has drawn backlashes among African countries and Arab nations.

The Arab League said it was "deeply concerned" about and "greatly disturbed" by the ICC decision, and voiced support for the sovereignty of Sudan. The Africa Union, which is mulling a collective walkout from the ICC, said the decision would impede Sudan’s peace process.

Chinese government’s special representative for Darfur Liu Guijin also said Thursday afternoon that the arrest warrant could gravely obstructed the peace process in Darfur.

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