100,000th resettlement referral of Iraqi refugees

Last month—the month of World Refugee Day—António Guterres, the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees commemorated the 100,000th resettlement referral of Iraqi refugees. This is a key achievement in the beaurocratic process of resettling refugees that primarily live in neighboring states where they are not guaranteed any type of legal protection—meaning they can be deported whenever the government chooses to do so.

However notable this resettlement referral achievement is, let us not forget that of the 100,000 Iraqi referral cases only 52,000 have actually been resettled in another country.  The other 2 million Iraqis who are displaced internationally and the over 2 million that are displaced within Iraq, have essentially put their lives—and that of their families—on hold with the eventual dream of going home. 

Not home to Iraq, since practically all are against returning to their country for fear of their safety, but going home, to a country, any country where they have legal rights and do not have to live in fear of deportation.

For more information on the plight of Iraqi refugees please visit our Iraqi Voices Amplification Project (IVAP) page to learn more on our renowned theatre production entitled No Place Called Home, which highlights the suffering of Iraqis refugees.