Muslim World League delegation inspects accomplishments by 'Displaced Children Protection' project in Nigeria

CAIRO – 31 July 2022: A delegation from the Muslim World League (MWL) headed by the Director General of Media Production, Mr. Mohammad Al-Juaid, paid a field visit to the camps of Bama and Gubio in northeastern Nigeria, to learn about the achievements of the project to protect internally displaced children, which was funded by the MWL and implemented in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

This follows the agreement signed by the two sides to support the humanitarian response in Nigeria and Greece.Al-Juaid stressed the MWL's pride in its close partnership with the UNHCR, in order to achieve its noble humanitarian goals in supporting and protecting this most vulnerable and needy segment, praising meanwhile the UNHCR's efforts, which has taken upon itself this urgent humanitarian issue, and has always been the voice of refugees and displaced people, putting their suffering on the list of global attention and support, and the outstretched hand to care for and protect them and help them overcome this difficult stage of their lives.

For his part, the Advisor to the UNHCR's High Commissioner, and UNHCR's representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council, Mr. Khaled Khalifa, expressed his appreciation for the partnership with the MWL and its commitment to support the humanitarian needs of refugees, internally displaced people, asylum seekers, returnees from displacement situations and host communities, and said: "We are grateful to the MWL. We are confident that this contribution will have a tangible positive impact on the lives of the most vulnerable people, and will support UNHCR’s efforts to help them rebuild their lives.

"It is noteworthy that the MWL-UNHCR signed agreement is divided into two parts. In the first part, the MWL funds several projects implemented by UNHCR in southern and northeastern Nigeria, benefiting more than 20,000 people, including refugees and internally displaced persons, in addition to returnees from displacement situations, and members of host communities, with the aim of addressing the effects of the conflict on children and caregivers, and raising awareness about children's rights. The projects include supporting the education sector; building classrooms and safe spaces for children, as well as improving the quality of education and providing the necessary materials, in addition to projects to secure shelter for refugee families, especially the elderly, persons with disabilities or families supported by women.

As for the second part of the agreement, it includes the MWL's support for thousands of refugees and asylum seekers in Greece, with the aim of helping them integrate into Greek society by providing employment and livelihood opportunities, and addressing challenges related to issuing the necessary documents to facilitate their access to basic services, in addition to working in partnership with local authorities and the private sector to ensure the integration of refugees into social and economic life. The support will also include organizing capacity building activities to enable refugees and asylum seekers to provide psychosocial support to their peers in their mother tongues.