wfn.org | MECC participates in the UNHCR Pre Ex-Com Meeting June 08

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

UNHCR Annual Consultations with Non Governmental Organizations took place on
June 25-26 2008, at the International Conference Center, Palais Des Nations
in Geneva, Switzerland.   200 organizations with 300 representatives
participated in it.  MECC was represented by Diakonia and Social Justice
Unit Director Ms. Seta Hadeshian as implementing partner to UNHCR in
Lebanon.

The major themes on Refugees  focused on 10 areas:

³How UNHCR and its partner organizations can increase use of Human  Rights
mechanisms as tools for the protection of persons of concern ².

³Using a rights-based approach to protect women and children at risk.²

³ Improving protection and assistance to IDP¹s in host communities²

³Exploring new areas of cooperation in resettlement between UNHCR and
NGO-identification and advocacy ²

³After 10 years how are the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement  used
in the field.²

³Ensuring post primary education for adolescents and youth and employment
creation²
³The governance of refugee law²
³The shrinking of humanitarian space: impact and challenges²
³Realizing the rights to nationality, concrete steps to reduce
statelessness²
³²Urban refugees : protection access to public health and HIV services.  ²

An NGO statement conveying the concerns and the recommendations of NGOs was
issued  on the third day to be taken into consideration by UNHCR Pre EXCOM
in October.

Preparatory meeting to UNHCR annual consultations took place at the WCC
Ecumenical Center, in Geneva on the 24th of June, where WCC member churches
to Migration and Social Justice program participated.  They were from
Australia, Canada, USA, Asia, and the Middle East.  MECC Diakonia and Social
Justice Unit Director Ms. Seta Hadeshian participated in it presenting a
paper on the M.E. Refugee situation.
For more information contact: meccls@cyberia.net.lb

> Middle East Council of Churches
> Office of International Ecumenical Relations
> P.O. Box 5376, Beirut, Lebanon

Guirgis Ibrahim Saleh, General Secretary

mecc@cyberia.net.lb or guirgissaleh@cyberia.net.lb

> +961-1-353-938
> http://www.mec-churches.org/