Ghena finally got back her rights
Ghena’s mother, Wejdan, finally knows what freedom feels like. When she fled to Jordan with her five children, she struggled to move around freely and access basic rights – including healthcare for her sick daughter, Ghena.
People who are forced to flee often have to leave in haste, abandoning their homes, their livelihoods and their possessions. In doing so they lose access to many basic rights and can find themselves ineligible to work, attend school or own property.
At NRC, we provide a range of information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA) programmes – designed to help displaced people to claim their rights and find lasting solutions. Find out how you can make a difference.
Separated from her husband
When Wejdan and her family were forced to flee their Syrian hometown of Dara’a in December 2015, the journey to the Jordanian border was long and dangerous. After three days, they arrived at the makeshift Hadalat camp on the Syrian side of the border, where they would then stay for over a month.
“We had to wait for our turn to be let into the camp,” Wejdan recalls. “My daughter Ghena was very sick with a high fever. It was cold at night, and we couldn’t stand living there.”
Eventually they moved to the refugee camp at Azraq. Wejdan’s husband Natheer was living in nearby Azraq town, but was not registered as a resident of the camp and could only visit his family for ten days at a time. So, Wejdan decided to leave the camp and join him. She did not have any papers except the camp-based Ministry of Interior (MoI) card, which is only valid while refugees remain inside the camp.
“I couldn’t take any vocational training classes as I didn’t have the papers to apply. I was devastated, my life was all about staying at home,” Wejdan says. Her daughter needed medical care, but without valid papers, the family was forced to pay for expensive medical treatment.
A helping hand
Then, in December 2017, Wejdan heard about NRC’s legal consultation services and called our hotline for assistance. She discovered that the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the MoI were regularising the status of Syrian refugees living outside camps. The family could finally receive the documentation they needed to access their rights.
Now I know what freedom feels like.Wejdan, a Syrian refugee living in Jordan
“NRC told me that they would take care of everything and help me get an appointment with UNHCR,” she says. As a result, Wejdan and her children have finally obtained the asylum seeker certificates and the MoI cards they need.
“I feel relieved now. You have no idea what I’ve been through before getting these certificates! Now I can take Ghena to the hospital for check-ups, and I have signed up for the tailoring course at the vocational training centre. Now I know what freedom feels like.”
Wejdan is one of more than a million people around the world who benefited from our ICLA programmes in 2018. Below are just a few of the ways we work. Support us today and help to make a difference.
Birth, death and marriage certificates
When families arrive in a new country without documentation, their lives are put on hold. Without a birth certificate, a child is often unable to attend school or get medical treatment. Without a marriage certificate, a woman often cannot claim property rights that are due to her. Without proof of identity, displaced people may be barred from claiming refugee status.
NRC helps displaced people to understand the importance of civil documentation, the process for obtaining it, and where to go to get assistance. We run information sessions, and counsel parents who are facing legal barriers to help them try to resolve their cases.
Safo Ahmed, 29, is an NRC legal adviser at Kenya’s Dadaab refugee complex, home to over 200,000 Somalians. She gave up the chance of a big city law job for a more satisfying career helping refugees.
That certificate is a gateway to a better life. It can get them food, basic items, legal rights and most of all peace of mind.Safo Ahmed, 29, a legal adviser in Dadaab, Kenya
“It’s overwhelming when you get them their documentation,” she explains. “That certificate is a gateway to a better life. It can get them food, basic items, legal rights and most of all peace of mind. That’s all refugees want.”
Land and property rights
Disputes over land are often at the centre of conflict. And when conflict ends, disputes over occupied property continue to be a source of instability, threatening fragile peace agreements. Many displaced people are unaware of their land rights, and the fear of losing their land makes it hard for them to settle in camps.
NRC experts work with local justice systems to help solve land and property disputes. In Kachin State, in the north of Myanmar, we provide free training on land laws and dispute resolution.
After attending an NRC training programme, Daw Nwe Nwe decided that she wanted to help farmers understand their land rights and founded a community-based organisation that promotes organic farming.
I have gained the confidence I need to reclaim and secure land on behalf of my community.Daw Nwe Nwe, Kachin State, Myanmar
“Before I attended the NRC’s training, I did not know the process of securing land rights or the role I could play in it,” she explains. “I now know that there are different processes to follow if one’s rights are violated. I have gained the confidence I need to reclaim and secure land on behalf of my community.”
Community dialogue
When displaced people return home, they often encounter the same community tensions that forced them to flee in the first place. They may find themselves living alongside neighbours who were on the opposite side of a violent conflict. In many cases, they face discrimination and harassment.
NRC organises community dialogue sessions and protection committees to build bridges between different communities.
In the town of Dekoa, Central African Republic (CAR), we have been helping Christian and Muslim civilians to live peaceably together following a bloody civil war. Mother-of-five Fatima, 36, felt afraid to leave the house when she returned home after a four-year absence.
My family is not so scared anymore, because we are able to cohabit in a much more peaceful way. Even our neighbours are nicer to us.Fatima, 36, from Dekoa in the Central African Republic (CAR)
“After the sessions we participated in, we feel much more secure,” she says. “My family is not so scared anymore, because we are able to cohabit in a much more peaceful way. Even our neighbours are nicer to us.”
Facts and figures
In 2018 a total of 1,196,142 people benefited from our information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA) work, spread over 25 countries around the world.
Find out more about our ICLA work
How you can make a difference
Join us in supporting the 70.8 million people displaced by war and persecution worldwide. You can contribute to our work in the following ways:
- Make a donation to NRC today – via our safe and easy online donation system.
- Start your own fundraising page – and invite friends and family to help you reach your target.
- Read about ten things YOU can do for the world’s refugees – and discover some creative ways that you can raise money and awareness.
For alternative ways to donate, or if you’re a US citizen looking to make a 100% tax-deductible donation, please see our Make a difference page.
Thank you! Together we can save lives and rebuild futures.