AUK offers hope, support for refugees (PHOTO GALLERY)
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The American University of Kurdistan (AUK) at Duhok revealed that they are launching a number of initiatives to support refugees and victims of the ongoing conflict in the Kurdistan Region.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has accommodated millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees since the start of conflicts and emergence of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq.
While the international community continues to recognize the refugee crisis in Greece, they have failed to focus on the ongoing contribution of the Kurdistan Region. The Governorate of Duhok is an important center for refugees and currently holds over 760,000 IDPs and refugees.
Among these refugees and IDPs are victims of the recent Ezidi genocide in Sinjar (Shingal) at the hands of IS. Many of these survivors have witnessed unbearable scenes and have experienced confinement, slavery, rape and torture.
Kurdish Peshmerga forces, one of the few ground units directly battling IS militants on the front lines, continue to protect the Region and the world from the threat of IS. According to a statement released by the AUK, Peshmerga were “responsible for the liberation of a substantial number of these [Ezidi] women and children.”
The report also explained the AUK Foundation initiative which is funded by private donors. The AUK is “committed to the establishment of a dedicated center that will provide individually tailored assistance to help the victims of violence and conflict in the Region,” the statement read.
The statement also added that the program aims to “rebuild [the] lives” of refugees currently in the camps.
Dr. Rania Majeed, Chairperson of the Foundation, expressed her delight with the initiative and emphasized the University’s priority with regards to community involvement. “The American University at Duhok has the core principles of human rights at the very heart of its existence,” she said.
“And, with this in mind, it is vital that we do our part in making a transformational difference for many of the refugees who are victims of the most terrible abuse,” Dr. Majeed added.
Since opening, the University has hosted an international human rights conference exploring the struggles and challenges facing minority communities in the region. Additionally, the University is providing school supplies and equipment to high school level students currently in the refugee camps.
According to the statement, “70 orphan children will be receiving Bursary support from a fund established by President [of the Kurdistan Region Masoud] Barzani.” The University offers hope for many of the youth in these camps by providing vocational courses that will equip the refugees and IDPs with the necessary skills to find a job.
The AUK was opened by President Barzani in March 2016. The private, non-profit organization has a little over 300 students currently enrolled, studying five academic disciplines. The University provides the population of Kurdistan an opportunity to build a better post-conflict future for the younger generation.
Reporting by Karzan Sulaivany
Editing by Ava Homa
