International Unity for Iraqi Youth
Since the conflict in Iraq began, the international community has focused on the
millions of displaced Iraqis living inside Iraq. However, the world has forgotten
the Iraqis who fled their country on foot and found safety in bordering countries.
No one suffers more than the Iraqi children, who number in the hundreds of
thousands and live with their families as refugees outside their native Iraq.
As an American who has had the privilege of working at the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees Office (UNHCR) in Amman, Jordan, I have dealt first
hand with the problems that many of these Iraqi youth face daily. Jordan, like
many of Iraq’s neighbors, hosts hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees.
However, in spite of the assistance of international non-governmental
organizations, the situation for Iraqi refugees remains demanding and complex,
and new strategies are critical to aid these struggling refugees.
The impact of the conflict on the youth of Iraq is profound. According to World
Vision’s 2007 report on displaced Iraqi children, over 540,000 of these young
men and women have been displaced in Iraq’s neighboring countries, with many
of their families lacking legal status as registered refugees. Many Iraqi families
cannot afford to educate their children or provide them with essential healthcare,
which forces many children to participate in illegal activities to sustain their
families. These economic and social deprivations, in addition to the loss of their
original Iraqi culture, isolation from the outside world and constant fear of
deportation, cause severe psychological stress among the young and vulnerable.
This environment in which these Iraqi refugee children are being raised is
dangerous for the country of Iraq, its neighboring countries, and the West,
including the United States. A new generation of deprived, isolated children is
developing along with all of its negative consequences. Those Iraqi children who
will ultimately return to their home country will have difficulty supporting
themselves and their families due to their sub-standard education. These refugee
children are likely to develop contempt for the West, which can augment
international turmoil.
As students in the United States have access to a decent education system and
are exposed to many open cultures, they develop a world view significantly
different from that of the Iraqi children. Iraqi children must be surrounded by a
safe environment where they can grow academically and be supported
psychologically. As Oprah Winfrey has established her ‘Leadership Academy’ in
South Africa, the international community needs to realize the magnitude of
these young refugees’ situation and establish similar academies like Winfrey’s.
By organizations like the United Nations supporting these schools and education
centers, we will be helping both the individual children as well as the country in
which they are currently living or to which they may return. The funding
investments for these projects will have a return on investment that far exceeds
any financial gain for the refugees, their host countries, and the United States.
Upon an eventual return to Iraq, an Iraqi refugee child will be better equipped to
take on a meaningful job and contribute to the rebuilding of his country. As a
result, Iraqi children may reassess their image of the United States and the
international community.
We do not know when the situation in Iraq will end, but for now increasing
numbers of Iraqi refugees will continue to flood the countries surrounding Iraq.
We must implement this solution at once to restore the hope of millions of Iraqi
children as well as to fulfill the United Nation’s greater mission throughout the
world.
For more information regarding Iraqi refugees, or how you can become involved,
please visit the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees website at
www.unhcr.org. There are numerous volunteer opportunities to help Iraqi
refugees living both in the Middle East and in the United States. The UNHCR
also offers the opportunity to donate, which translates directly into educating and
protecting Iraqi refugee children.
Christopher Sfedu
International Unity for Iraqi Youth
International Unity for Iraqi Youth
Since the conflict in Iraq began, the international community has focused on the
millions of displaced Iraqis living inside Iraq. However, the world has forgotten
the Iraqis who fled their country on foot and found safety in bordering countries.
No one suffers more than the Iraqi children, who number in the hundreds of
thousands and live with their families as refugees outside their native Iraq.
As an American who has had the privilege of working at the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees Office (UNHCR) in Amman, Jordan, I have dealt first
hand with the problems that many of these Iraqi youth face daily. Jordan, like
many of Iraq’s neighbors, hosts hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees.
However, in spite of the assistance of international non-governmental
organizations, the situation for Iraqi refugees remains demanding and complex,
and new strategies are critical to aid these struggling refugees.
The impact of the conflict on the youth of Iraq is profound. According to World
Vision’s 2007 report on displaced Iraqi children, over 540,000 of these young
men and women have been displaced in Iraq’s neighboring countries, with many
of their families lacking legal status as registered refugees. Many Iraqi families
cannot afford to educate their children or provide them with essential healthcare,
which forces many children to participate in illegal activities to sustain their
families. These economic and social deprivations, in addition to the loss of their
original Iraqi culture, isolation from the outside world and constant fear of
deportation, cause severe psychological stress among the young and vulnerable.
This environment in which these Iraqi refugee children are being raised is
dangerous for the country of Iraq, its neighboring countries, and the West,
including the United States. A new generation of deprived, isolated children is
developing along with all of its negative consequences. Those Iraqi children who
will ultimately return to their home country will have difficulty supporting
themselves and their families due to their sub-standard education. These refugee
children are likely to develop contempt for the West, which can augment
international turmoil.
As students in the United States have access to a decent education system and
are exposed to many open cultures, they develop a world view significantly
different from that of the Iraqi children. Iraqi children must be surrounded by a
safe environment where they can grow academically and be supported
psychologically. As Oprah Winfrey has established her ‘Leadership Academy’ in
South Africa, the international community needs to realize the magnitude of
these young refugees’ situation and establish similar academies like Winfrey’s.
By organizations like the United Nations supporting these schools and education
centers, we will be helping both the individual children as well as the country in
which they are currently living or to which they may return. The funding
investments for these projects will have a return on investment that far exceeds
any financial gain for the refugees, their host countries, and the United States.
Upon an eventual return to Iraq, an Iraqi refugee child will be better equipped to
take on a meaningful job and contribute to the rebuilding of his country. As a
result, Iraqi children may reassess their image of the United States and the
international community.
We do not know when the situation in Iraq will end, but for now increasing
numbers of Iraqi refugees will continue to flood the countries surrounding Iraq.
We must implement this solution at once to restore the hope of millions of Iraqi
children as well as to fulfill the United Nation’s greater mission throughout the
world.
For more information regarding Iraqi refugees, or how you can become involved,
please visit the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees website at
www.unhcr.org. There are numerous volunteer opportunities to help Iraqi
refugees living both in the Middle East and in the United States. The UNHCR
also offers the opportunity to donate, which translates directly into educating and
protecting Iraqi refugee children.
Christopher Sfedu