Australian aid for international humanitarian projects
Friday 25 July 2008
The Australian Government funds agencies such as the International Organization for Migration to deliver essential household supplies to populations in need through the Displaced Persons Program.
The Rudd Government has approved $6.45 million for international aid projects to help housands of people who have fled war, persecution or political strife in their troubled homelands.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said the funding will contribute to humanitarian projects assisting displaced persons in Iraq, Syria, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Africa and Pakistan.
The funding is provided under the Australian Government’s Displaced Persons Program for projects administered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Austcare.
In Syria, $553 000 will go towards a UNHCR project supporting Iraqi women and girls who are victims of sexual or gender-based violence. It includes funding for a safe house where victims will receive counselling, support and other assistance in the case of emergencies.
The International Organization for Migration delivers building supplies for the construction of protection shelters to displaced families through the Australian Government-funded Displaced Persons Program.
‘Of particular concern are reports of women and girls forced to resort to prostitution or being involved in other forms of exploitation in order to survive,’ Senator Evans said.
‘The funding from the Australian Government will help more than 1000 vulnerable Iraqi women and girls who otherwise have no source of income.’
The UNHCR in Bangladesh will receive $950 000 to construct 180 shelters which will house 1000 Rohingya families who have fled neighbouring Burma.
More than 26 000 Rohingya are currently living in two refugee camps in Bangladesh and these new shelters will help improve their basic living conditions until more permanent solutions are found.
A UNICEF project in Thailand will receive nearly $1 million to strengthen child protection services for children living in the nine refugee camps and villages situated along the Thai-Burma border.
‘The project focuses on protecting vulnerable children from abuse, exploitation and violence as well as helping to prevent them from becoming the targets of people smuggling and trafficking activities,’ Senator Evans said.
Organisations such as the United Nations Children’s Fund are funded through the Australian Government’s Displaced Persons Program to transport and distribute essential supplies such as food and relief materials.
‘In particular, there are concerns that refugee children are forcibly recruited into the non-state fighting forces in Burma.’
Other humanitarian assistance projects receiving Australian funding include:
- Provision of protection officers to help in conflict-affected displacement situations in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
- Situational assessment, rehabilitation assistance as well as delivering urgent humanitarian assistance and protection for displaced Iraqis both within Iraq and neighbouring countries.
- Assisting in the long-term development of comprehensive and durable solutions for the management of the registered Afghan population in Pakistan.
- Providing Bhutanese refugees in camps in Nepal with international protection and humanitarian assistance, especially in the areas of refugee legal aid and protection, health and nutrition services, and education.
The Australian Government, through the Displaced Persons Program, has provided more than $900 000 to address educational and psychosocial needs of children along the Thai-Burma border.
Senator Evans said the Australian Government will commit more than $16 million to the Displaced Persons Program in 2008-09, including a special fund for one year of $10 million for projects specifically to assist displaced Iraqis.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship is currently considering project strategies and proposals.
‘Australia’s funding will help provide effective protection to people displaced by conflict, especially those who are vulnerable to being targeted by people smugglers and traffickers,’ Senator Evans said.
‘It continues our commitment to assisting people suffering from long-term displacement, particularly those in our region.’
Senator Evans said the Displaced Persons Program underlined Australia’s commitment to assisting people in need.
The Rudd Government has increased Australia’s refugee and humanitarian intake for 2008-09 to 13 500, with one-off increase of 500 places for Iraqi refugees. In addition to this, further 600 places were set aside in 2007-08 for Iraqis who worked with Australian forces, and their families.
Children of displaced families on the Thai-Burma border benefit through Australian Government funding to address educational and psychosocial needs.
Further information on individual Displaced Persons Program projects is available.
See: Displaced Persons Program projects summary (69KB PDF file)
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2008/ce08070.htm
Last update: 13 August 2008 at 17:14 AEST