Ayat El Dewary
Over the past year, the world continued to witness life-altering events affecting millions of individuals and forcing a record-high number of people to flee their homes. In the past few months alone, many crises were compounded by the hard winter season, unprecedented climate changes and the still-unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, leaving further refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons facing grave health risks and food insecurity as well as in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen continue to be among the worst humanitarian crises of our time. In Afghanistan, the rapid deterioration in the security and political situations in large parts of the country has continued to force people to flee, with over 6.2 million registered refugees and Afghans with different statuses hosted in neighbouring countries, and more internally displaced Afghan families deeply affected by increasing natural disasters, chronic poverty, and food insecurity.
In Syria, the decade-long crisis continues to leave millions of lives in distress. About 13.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, of whom more than 6.7 million are internally displaced and trying to rebuild their lives. Similarly in Yemen, over 24 million people need support, including more than 4 million internally displaced by the war.
These figures are not mere numbers. These are human lives uprooted by the wars and violence that afflict so many countries and compel people to leave everything behind in search of safety. Assistance is needed now more than ever, not only to countries affected by conflict, but also to neighbouring states that host the majority (73 per cent) of all refugees and asylum-seekers and who, themselves, have to face a dire economic situation due to their stagnant economies since the start of the pandemic. In Lebanon for instance, nine out of ten Syrian refugees are now living in extreme poverty, and more than 80 per cent of refugees in Jordan are similarly facing economic challenges.
The state of Qatar has been a strong, reliable, and longstanding partner to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, for over a decade. The generous support from the government and several Qatari entities has so far exceeded QAR 1.3 billion / USD 357 million and has helped UNHCR provide lifesaving support to and improve the lives of millions of the forcibly displaced around the world. Recently, the Qatar Fund for Development renewed its commitment to support UNHCR’s programmes worldwide by providing yet another multi-year flexible contribution. This type of funding is crucial to UNHCR as it allows us to stay and deliver while using funds when and where they are needed most.
Another praise-worthy support from the Government of Qatar came at the end of last year with an airlift of 91 tons of essential UNHCR winter relief items from Doha to Kabul, Afghanistan, where they were distributed to displaced and vulnerable people at a highly critical time. The 44,000 thermal blankets and more than 5,000 solar lamps were much needed in the freezing cold, as they allowed tens of thousands of vulnerable families to stay warm.
Despite increasing challenges, we continue to put the most vulnerable at the centre of all our programming and responses to ensure we extend a helping hand to those who need it most. With thanks to the exceptional support we have been receiving from the State of Qatar - both the government and the many Qatari entities actively supporting humanitarian efforts - we have been able to deliver vital aid to displaced people throughout the world, helping millions not only survive, but also thrive.
As needs continue to grow, working closely together has become all the more pivotal to make sure no one is left behind. Hand in hand, we can make an immense difference and help the forcibly displaced to strive for a brighter future, in safety and dignity.
El-Dewary has over 16 years of experience working across various UN organizations, including UNHCR, UNDP and UNOCHA with a track record in establishing strategic partnerships and developing external relations and fundraising strategies.
