The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday welcomed Ethiopia's decision to grant more rights to refugees, including the opportunity to obtain primary education, work permits and access to national financial services
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2019) The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday welcomed Ethiopia's decision to grant more rights to refugees, including the opportunity to obtain Primary education, work permits and access to national financial services.On Thursday, Ethiopia's parliament adopted amendments to the national refugee law. The revisions envisage a more comprehensive response to displacement with the aim to better integrate refugees into society and to provide them with the opportunity to contribute to local economies in mutually advantageous ways. The new policy also allows refugees to participate in the national health care system and legally register life events such as births and marriages.
"The passage of this historic law represents a significant milestone in Ethiopia's long history of welcoming and hosting refugees from across the region for decades ... By allowing refugees the opportunity to be better integrated into society, Ethiopia is not only upholding its international refugee law obligations, but is serving as a model for other refugee hosting nations around the world," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said, as quoted in a press release.
According to the press release, Ethiopia hosts more than 900,000 refugees from South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen and Syria.
The passage of these amendments came after Ethiopia, along with 163 other countries, adopted the UN global compact on December 10. According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the pact provided a platform for "humane, sensible, mutually beneficial action" on migration.
