Shaikha Jawaher urges Arab unity to help refugees

Sharjah - Refugee women and children are at risk to abuse, violence and exploitation in their host countries, says Shaikha Jawaher.

Shaikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and the Ruler of Sharjah, and UNHCR Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children, has called on individuals and communities across the world to provide support for refugee women and children.
Refugee women and children, she said, are at risk to abuse, violence and exploitation in their host countries. The call came after Shaikha Jawaher visited a UN refugee centre in Istanbul, Turkey.
Shaikha Jawaher has proposed the idea of establishing special shelters for women and children under the supervision of the UNHCR and the government of the host country to be allocated exclusively for refugee women and children who have no financial support.
"The war has been raging in Syria for more than four years and as a result, we are witnessing heavy casualties. This leaves many women and children without a husband or father or brother, thus making them more vulnerable to exploitation and violence."
Shaikha Jawaher pointed out that the Syrian refugee crisis was becoming an "intractable problem" that cannot be solved without a united government and community efforts. She called on members of the Arab community and the world to stand together to shoulder some part of the burden as a humanitarian duty.
"No one, whether rich or poor in the Arab world, can stand by and do nothing for their Syrian brothers. Some countries are bearing a huge burden by hosting large numbers of refugees ... such as Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon.
"Today, everyone should imagine being in the same situation as a refugee, giving up everything they have and risking all they hold dear, to find some semblance of peace and safety. Refugees risk their lives at sea or suffer tough conditions in refugee camps where their children would prefer to work instead of attending school in order to provide their families with a piece of bread and sip of water," she said.
She pointed out that a lack of education for refugee children was adding to the crisis. "Turkey hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees - more than 2 million over the past four years - and this constitutes a social and economic burden. What makes it more painful is that more than 400,000 children are not attending school...Therefore, we must invest in children's education by mobilising moral and financial support to ensure children can freely pursue their education." -reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Sharjah