TEHRAN (Iran News) Head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Pirhossein Koulivand has offered to dispatch emergency medical and relief teams to help individuals affected by floods in Pakistan, where catastrophic monsoon rains have killed hundreds in recent days.

In a message sent on Saturday to Farzhana Naek, the Chairperson of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Koulivand expressed sincere condolences on behalf of the IRCS to PRCS and the families of the victims.

“We stand with you in this difficult time. We are ready to send medical and relief teams to assist humanitarian operations,” he added.

According to reports from Pakistan’s disaster management authority, at least 320 people have died in northern Pakistan in the past 48 hours due to the severe flooding.

Among the fatalities, 307 occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has been hit hardest due to its mountainous terrain.

Additionally, nine individuals lost their lives in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and five in Gilgit-Baltistan.

In a message sent on Saturday to Farzhana Naek, the Chairperson of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Koulivand expressed sincere condolences on behalf of the IRCS to PRCS and the families of the victims.

“We stand with you in this difficult time. We are ready to send medical and relief teams to assist humanitarian operations,” he added.

According to reports from Pakistan’s disaster management authority, at least 320 people have died in northern Pakistan in the past 48 hours due to the severe flooding.”flood-stricken”

Among the fatalities, 307 occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has been hit hardest due to its mountainous terrain.

The post IRCS voice readiness to send relief aid to flood-stricken people in Pakistan appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The Libyan Red Crescent Society’s president, Abdel Salam Mohammad Gheith, in a meeting with the head of the IRCS, Pir-Hossein Kolivand, in Tehran on Monday, asked Iran to share its managerial and practical experiences with Libya, IRNA reported.

“We want to acquire comprehensive and practical management techniques and gain operational experiences from the Iranian Red Crescent Society,” Gheith said.

Saying that Libya would like to follow IRCS’s extensive and diverse activities, he went on to ask the IRCS to open a hospital in Libya in order to benefit from Iran’s medical services.

Kolivand, for his part, stated that the IRCS is willing to share its experiences in various fields including textile and pharmaceutical products, herbal medicines, artificial organs, training specialized teams, and rescue groups.

He went on to say that the IRCS is ready to cooperate with the Libyan Red Crescent Society and set up a clinic or hospital there, as it has already established 14 medical centers in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, and Kenya.

Meanwhile, the secretaries general of the Red Crescent Societies of Iran and Tajikistan in a meeting discussed ways to enhance collaboration.

During a meeting held between Yaqoub Soleimani and Bahodur Kurboniyon Bobojon, the officials highlighted cooperation on training young volunteers and the establishment of a medical facility in Dushanbe.

Soleimani said the IRCS is ready to transfer knowledge and experiences in the fields of relief and education to Tajikistan by signing a memorandum of understanding.

Intl. Humanitarian Conference to help Gaza

On January 21, in an address to the International Humanitarian Conference to Support Palestine which was held in Tehran, Kolivand suggested setting up a joint fund with other countries to provide aid to people in Gaza.

Referring to the crimes committed by the Zionists in the Gaza Strip in the last one hundred days, he stated that the activities of the international organizations have become ineffective due to the barriers made by the Zionist regime. “If we fail to do something to help, history will judge us,” IRNA reported.

Appreciating South Africa for suing Israel to the International Court of Justice, he added, “We will also declare a war crime against the Zionist regime.”

Killing civilians, attacking hospitals, and targeting medical staff are part of Israel’s war crimes.

Exploring possible avenues to provide humanitarian aid, using humanitarian diplomacy to stop the war permanently, creating a joint financial fund, and declaring crimes against the Zionist regime were among the axes of the conference.

During the conference, the vice president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Manuel Bessler, for his part said aid groups and relief organizations should be coordinated and united to help Gaza.

Elaborating on Israel’s crimes, Bessler stressed the need for a ceasefire.

Delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza needs to be increased. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as global actors focus on three main issues: providing vital assistance to civilians, saving their lives, and safety based on international laws.

Women, children and the elderly are looking for safe places, and the frontline actors providing aid to Gaza must fulfill their duty in this regard, he added.

Bressel went on to say that, relief organizations in Gaza are in difficult and dire situations; Gaza needs more humanitarian aid. The shortage of fuel and lack of ambulances have made it much more difficult to provide aid in Gaza.

Stressing the importance of finding an immediate response to the situation in Gaza, he said this is not a political issue, but political solutions can be used to address the problems.

ICRC, IRCS co-op

In September 2023, The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) welcomed signing a five-year memorandum of understanding in order to give a boost to bilateral ties.

Within the framework of ICRC duties, the memorandum could be greatly helpful in better responses to crises, ISNA quoted Robert Mardini, ICRC director general, as saying.

“IRCS and the ICRC can play a complementary role in many fields,” he added.

He made the remarks in a meeting in Geneva on September 13 with Soleimani.

All activities relating to the principles of the International Red Cross, international humanitarian rights, and its promotion are the basis of this cooperation, Mardini noted.

Referring to the IRCS as a reliable partner in West Asia, the ICRC official emphasized: “Our cooperation and partnership with IRCS is very important and valuable because of its vast and extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with immigrants, refugees, and victims of war.”

Soleimani, for his part, welcomed the signing of the five-year memorandum of understanding and considered it to be a roadmap for more cooperation and interaction between the Iranian Red Crescent Society and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

He stressed IRCS’s capabilities and capacities to serve the immigrants including over five million Afghan immigrants who have access to necessary facilities in education and health.

He pointed out, “Despite the problems caused by sanctions, IRCS has made great efforts to promote immigrants’ well-being.”

Iran is IFRC’s strongest member in region

In July 2023, Hossam Elsharkawi, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), referred to Iran as the strongest member in the region.

“Among the 192 national Red Crescent and Red Cross societies around the world, the Red Crescent of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been one of the most important and strongest societies and a reliable member of the Federation.”

Elsharkawi made the remarks in an online meeting with Razieh Alishvand, the Iranian Red Crescent Society’s director for international affairs, Mehr reported.

The quick and effective presence of the Iranian Red Crescent Society in the rescue operations and then providing relief to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria last winter shows the good preparedness of the IRCS in response to natural disasters, the IFRC official highlighted.

In February, IFRC appreciated the Iranian Red Crescent Society for its services during the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

“I praise the leadership and commitment of the Iranian Red Crescent Society,” IFRC President, Francesco Rocca, wrote in a letter to IRCS Head Pir-Hossein Kolivand.

“I assure you that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stands by your side in carrying out humanitarian missions,” Rocca added, IRNA reported.

“Words cannot express my gratitude to the volunteers and staff of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who worked tirelessly to save people’s lives and support the needy from the very beginning of the emergency.”

“Undoubtedly, your efforts are all the more meaningful when you consider the humanitarian response that the Iranian Red Crescent Society is making nationally in the Khoi region and in several provinces affected by climate problems,” the IFRC president highlighted.

The post IRCS to strengthen cooperation with Libya, Tajikistan appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Pirhossein Kolivand, the head of the IRCS, and Massimo Barra, the head of the Villa Maraini Foundation, met on the sidelines of the event.

Kolivand stated that drug users encounter severe health issues, they also suffer from an identity crisis which leads to their exclusion by both their families and society, the IRCS website reported.

However, initiative projects, such as Harm Reduction pertaining to Drug Addiction, serve the purpose of educating and offering healthcare to these individuals, enabling them to reintegrate into society, reunite with their families, and restore self-esteem.

Barra, for his part, emphasized the significance of the problems resulting from drug addiction. Since a large number of individuals are globally affected by addiction, it is crucial to provide them with additional support through greater cooperation, he added.

Effective role of family in reducing drug abuse

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the “life helpers” exhibition on November 17, Mohammad Hosseini, the vice president for parliamentary affairs, described family, schools, media, and organizations as “effective” in reducing drug abuse.

Pointing to the various types of drugs and advertisements targeting youth to persuade them to use drugs, he emphasized the crucial role of family, school, and media in preventing drug addiction and creating trust and self-esteem among the youth.

According to Hosseini, prevention is better than cure because preventive measures are cost-effective, so there should be proper planning and investment in this field.
He also highlighted the necessity of proper upbringing for children and teenagers, stating that if they are raised with no confidence, they will be easily tempted by others.

On average, more than 90 percent of opium discoveries, 27 percent of heroin discoveries, and 59 percent of morphine discoveries in the world are made by Iran, he said, adding that some 716 tons of narcotics were discovered and seized in the past Iranian calendar year (March 2022-March 2023).

The flow of narcotics into Iran has decreased by about 15 percent over the past four years, Eskandar Momeni, the secretary general of the Iranian anti-narcotics headquarters, has said.

The impact of dismantling the financial foundations of drug traffickers has increased by about 10 times over the past three to four years, he said, adding “This has led to a decrease of 15 percent in the entry of drugs into Iran.”

The post IRCS, Villa Maraini Foundation hold workshop on reducing addiction harms appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Razieh Alishvandi, the IRCS director for international affairs, and Vincent Cassard, the head of the ICRC delegation in Iran, paid a visit to the Golshahr project site on Thursday, the IRCS website reported.

The project focuses on the provision of health services to pregnant women, and people who are suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, mental health disorders, and physical disorders, Alishvandi said.

She went on to say that the ICRC and the IRCS with the help of the Society for Recovery and Support – an NGO authorized by the State Welfare Organization – assist recovered people to support vulnerable immigrants in Golshahr.

The IRCS is taking action to identify and evaluate the situation of vulnerable refugees. It will try to meet their health needs including mental support and physical rehabilitation, Alishvandi noted.

“The Society for Recovery and Support provides an opportunity for Afghan women who need psychological support to share and solve their problems.”

Launching home businesses and vocational training centers, empowering for creating jobs, earning money, educating, and raising children are among the other programs of the IRCS in this regard.

It is worth noting that the IRCS health project is carried out by physicians, nurses, social workers, and dieticians. The health project includes medical consultations, physical rehabilitation, referrals to laboratories and radiology centers, dental centers, and specialists.

It also provides support for purchasing medication, receiving psychological and psychiatric consultations, nutrition, and holding health awareness-raising sessions with the help of nurses and dieticians.

In addition, it supports the target societies by providing social harm reduction services.

Afghan nationals in Iran

Official statistics say around five million Afghan nationals live in Iran, about one million of them live in Khorasan Razavi province, mostly in the capital city of Mashhad.

For over four decades, Iran has been hosting one of the largest and most protracted refugee situations in the world and has provided asylum to refugees, mostly from Afghanistan.

The recent fast-paced turn of events in Afghanistan has the potential to create additional population movements; internally displacing families and potentially driving them to neighboring countries to seek refuge.

Iran is home to over 800,000 registered refugees and some 2.6 million undocumented Afghans. Today, more than 500,000 Afghan children- including undocumented Afghans and those who have newly arrived in Iran are benefitting from Iran’s inclusive education policies, one of the most progressive in the world.

Despite the sanctions and economic pressures, Iran continues its comprehensive policy of providing services to refugees, and this is appreciable, UNHCR’s Officer in Charge, Inna Gladkova, said in November 2022.

The best solution and the most stable support system for refugees is that have access to schools and education just like Iranian nationals, she stated, IRNA reported.

Iran has taken effective and continuous measures to include all refugees, and the UNHCR also declares its readiness to fulfill its obligations, she noted.

In May, Robin Nandy, the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Iran, said the country’s comprehensive program for the protection of refugee children is encouraging.

Making investments in programs and services to better care for and support children affected by migration and asylum will reduce costs in the future, he added.

Emphasizing the important role of non-governmental organizations in supporting refugee and immigrant children and teenagers, Nandy expressed hope that holding educational workshops will lead to the promotion of children’s rights and justice for children.

ICRC, IRCS welcome inking co-op MU

In September, the ICRC and the IRCS welcomed signing a five-year memorandum of understanding in order to give a boost to bilateral ties.

Within the framework of ICRC duties, the memorandum could be greatly helpful in better responses to crises, ISNA quoted Robert Mardini, ICRC director general, as saying.

IRCS and the ICRC can play a complementary role in many fields, he added.

He made the remarks in a meeting in Geneva on September 13 with Yaqoub Soleimani, the secretary general of IRCS.

All activities relating to the principles of the International Red Cross, international humanitarian rights, and its promotion are the basis of this cooperation, Mardini noted.

Referring to the IRCS as a reliable partner in West Asia, the ICRC official emphasized: “Our cooperation and partnership with IRCS is very important and valuable because of its vast and extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with immigrants, refugees, and victims of war.”

Soleimani, for his part, welcomed the signing of the five-year memorandum of understanding and considered it to be a roadmap for more cooperation and interaction between the Iranian Red Crescent Society and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

He stressed IRCS’s capabilities and capacities to serve the immigrants including over five million Afghan immigrants who have access to necessary facilities in education and health.

He pointed out, “Despite the problems caused by sanctions, IRCS has made great efforts to promote immigrants’ well-being.”

Soleimani went on to say Iran is prone to natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and the adverse consequences of climate change, drought, etc. So, he reemphasized the importance of increasing the resilience of society in the face of these disasters.

The post ICRC, IRCS cooperating on health, rehabilitation services to vulnerable immigrants appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Kolivand made the remarks on Saturday in a meeting with Lalini Veerassamy, the Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the Islamic Republic of Iran, IRNA reported.

Stating that the IRCS continues supporting and implementing activities in favor of refugees, he added, “Today, international institutions have a political attitude towards refugees and immigrants, and a fair approach has not been adopted in this regard yet.”

The officials discussed the international challenges regarding refugees in this meeting, “Despite all these issues, Iran, particularly the IRCS, is trying to provide the best services to refugees and immigrants. A typical example is the services provided to Afghan refugees,” Kolivand said.

He went on to say, “Today, Afghan refugees are provided with the same services as Iranian citizens in health, treatment, social and cultural fields. Therefore, it can be said that the provided services to refugees in Iran are unparalleled in the world.”

Kolivand stressed that all these are done without any expectations, merely out of a humanitarian perspective. While other countries, receiving substantial funds from international organizations to help refugees, fail to provide the same services.

Appreciating the services provided to Afghan refugees, Veerassamy stated Iran hosts millions of immigrants and refugees.

Despite the fact that managing and organizing these foreign nationals is very difficult, the immigrants are well-treated in Iran.

She added that the International Organization of Migration will help the IRCS because of common objectives. “We will try to alleviate the sufferings and hardships of the refugees through favorable cooperation.”

“We will make efforts to introduce Iran’s exceptional services to refugees to the world and introduce Iran as a leading and successful country in managing immigrants,” Veerassamy concluded.

Afghan nationals in Iran

Official statistics say around five million Afghan nationals live in Iran, about one million of them live in Khorasan Razavi province, mostly in the capital city of Mashhad.

For over four decades, Iran has been hosting one of the largest and most protracted refugee situations in the world and has provided asylum to refugees, mostly from Afghanistan.

The recent fast-paced turn of events in Afghanistan has the potential to create additional population movements; internally displacing families and potentially driving them to neighboring countries to seek refuge.

Iran is home to over 800,000 registered refugees and some 2.6 million undocumented Afghans. Today, more than 500,000 Afghan children- including undocumented Afghans and those who have newly arrived in Iran are benefitting from Iran’s inclusive education policies, one of the most progressive in the world.

Despite the sanctions and economic pressures, Iran continues its comprehensive policy of providing services to refugees, and this is appreciable, UNHCR’s Officer in Charge, Inna Gladkova, said in November 2022.

The best solution and the most stable support system for refugees is that have access to schools and education just like Iranian nationals, she stated, IRNA reported.

Iran has taken effective and continuous measures to include all refugees, and the UNHCR also declares its readiness to fulfill its obligations, she noted.

In May, Robin Nandy, the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Iran, said the country’s comprehensive program for the protection of refugee children is encouraging.

Making investments in programs and services to better care for and support children affected by migration and asylum will reduce costs in the future, he added.

Emphasizing the important role of non-governmental organizations in supporting refugee and immigrant children and teenagers, Nandy expressed hope that holding educational workshops will lead to the promotion of children’s rights and justice for children.

The post IRCS ready to share experiences in providing services to refugees appeared first on Iran News Daily.

On January 28, an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale hit Khoy in the northwestern West Azarbaijan province. The disaster affected at least 261,000 people and displaced 130,000 from their homes.

A total of 1,700 male and female students and 120 of their family members attended these workshops.

These educational workshops were held with the aim of empowering children and their families in team building, team support, anger management, emotion regulation, empathy, happiness, self-care, and environmental care.

Facilitators of these workshops had earlier participated in a capacity-building training program organized jointly by UNICEF and the IRCS, funded by the EU’s European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the UNICEF website announced in a press release on November 12.

During these training programs, facilitators, and members of the IRCS teams, improved their technical skills in emergency preparedness, including providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) to children, adolescents, and families during crises, including natural hazards.

In the aftermath of the January 2023 earthquake in Khoy, UNICEF offered vital relief aid to the affected population. This included psychosocial support, distribution of hygiene packs, financial assistance to vulnerable populations for rebuilding damaged homes, and provision of prefabricated health clinics and classrooms, the report added.

Wellbeing, empowerment programs

Two pilot programs for young boys and girls’ well-being and empowerment have been launched in four provinces of the country.

Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Drug Control Headquarters in cooperation with UNICEF have implemented these programs in Kermanshah, Alborz, Isfahan, and Mashhad.

One program is for empowering adolescents and young boys and the other program is for girls’ psycho-social health and their empowerment.

Soft and technical skills are taught to boys aged 15 to 24 in three UNICEF-supported centers located in Kermanshah, Alborz, and Isfahan provinces.

The centers provide different services including on-the-job training, internships, mentoring, psycho-social support, counseling, and social entrepreneurship programs.

The focus of this program is to facilitate a smooth transition from learning to earning, empowering 1,618 adolescents and youth in these provinces, the UNICEF website announced in a press release on November 13.

In the next step, with the expansion of this program, it will encompass the following provinces: Sistan-Baluchestan, South Khorasan, Khorasan Razavi, Kerman, and Hormozgan.

Some of these provinces have a significant number of Afghan refugee children and adolescents.

Simultaneously, the psycho-social well-being and empowerment centers for girls in the cities of Mashhad and Kermanshah have played an important role in addressing the psycho-social challenges of vulnerable adolescent girls in these provinces.

These centers are dedicated to preventing substance use and mitigating social harm among young girls, the report added.

A total of 2,023 adolescent girls and their families, 1,720 girls and 303 parents, have received support through a holistic approach which includes face-to-face meetings online outreach, and referral services.

After evaluating the results of these programs and enhancing the capacity of non-governmental organizations, these programs will be implemented in other provinces that face the challenge of illegal drug use.

The post IRCS, UNICEF team up to support students in quake-hit region appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Within the framework of ICRC duties, the memorandum could be greatly helpful in better responses to crises, ISNA quoted Robert Mardini, ICRC director general, as saying.

“IRCS and the ICRC can play a complementary role in many fields,” he added.

He made the remarks in a meeting in Geneva on September 13 with Yaqoub Soleimani, the secretary general of IRCS.

All activities relating to the principles of the International Red Cross, international humanitarian rights, and its promotion are the basis of this cooperation, Mardini noted.

Referring to the IRCS as a reliable partner in West Asia, the ICRC official emphasized: “Our cooperation and partnership with IRCS is very important and valuable because of its vast and extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with immigrants, refugees, and victims of war.”

Soleimani, for his part, welcomed the signing of the five-year memorandum of understanding and considered it to be a roadmap for more cooperation and interaction between the Iranian Red Crescent Society and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

He stressed IRCS’s capabilities and capacities to serve the immigrants including over five million Afghan immigrants who have access to necessary facilities in education and health.

He pointed out, “Despite the problems caused by sanctions, IRCS has made great efforts to promote immigrants’ well-being.”

Soleimani went on to say Iran is prone to natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and the adverse consequences of climate change, drought, etc. So, he reemphasized the importance of increasing the resilience of society in the face of these disasters.

He said: “Today, the world is faced with countless humanitarian challenges. Therefore, it is necessary for the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society to support the role of National Societies in local community education.”

He appreciated ICRC’s support of public education in areas of Iran that are contaminated by mines and explosives and asked them to continue providing education in war-affected areas.

IRCS among strongest communities

The IRCS, established in 1922, is one of the first and oldest members of the movement and is currently one of the top societies in the world due to its significant activities in the national and international arenas.

In 2005, the IRCS received the Henry Davison Award for outstanding humanitarian services, and the IRCS initiative of volunteers was selected as the best project (out of 50 projects from 45 national societies), by the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In March 2022, in a meeting with Pir- Hossein Kolivand, IRCS head, Francesco Rocca, the president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, expressed satisfaction with the high number of volunteers of the IRCS worldwide and said that IRCS is one of the strongest communities in the world, which brings hope back to people’s lives after every incident.

Stating that IFRC will support the IRCS in implementing its programs, he announced readiness to strengthen the Iranian Red Crescent Society’s relations with other national communities because those communities can use Iran’s experience and knowledge to deal with and prevent the incidents

Recent services

In September, the IRCS sent a consignment of relief items as an aid to those affected by the devastating flood in Libya.

Also, the IRCS announced readiness to assist Morocco in the ongoing relief operations following the powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the North African country, on September 8.

In August, the IRCS organized the third international congress on health in Arbaeen in Tehran.

Rocca, appreciating IRCS efforts, said, “The role of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), in providing relief and rescue activities during one of the largest religious gatherings is of utmost importance.”

Moreover, the IRCS manages several hospitals, polyclinics, as well as hemodialysis and rehabilitation centers in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

The centers are self-governed and their humanitarian activities are funded by receiving the costs of medical services from patients and collecting aid from philanthropists.

The post ICRC, IRCS welcome inking co-op MOU appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Sathya Doraiswamy, the UNFPA representative in Iran, and Yaqoub Soleimani, the IRCS secretary general, inked the agreement in Tehran on Tuesday.

“On the occasion of World Refugee Day (June 20), we appreciate the efforts of the (Iranian) Red Crescent Society in the field of helping refugees and we seriously put cooperation with the Red Crescent on the agenda,” Doraiswamy said.

Soleimani, for his part, said Iran is a leading country in the humanitarian treatment of Afghan refugees and respect for their rights.

“Last year, we faced many incidents inside and outside the country, but the Red Crescent Society rushed to help the people as soon as possible.”

A clear example of these incidents was the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, for which the timely service of the Iranian Red Crescent Society earned the recognition of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Soleimani highlighted.

For over four decades, Iran has been hosting one of the largest and most protracted refugee situations in the world and has provided asylum to refugees, mostly from Afghanistan.

The recent fast-paced turn of events in Afghanistan has the potential to create additional population movements; internally displacing families and potentially driving them to neighboring countries to seek refuge.

Iran is home to over 800,000 registered refugees and some 2.6 million undocumented Afghans. Today, more than 500,000 Afghan children- including undocumented Afghans and those who have newly arrived in Iran are benefitting from Iran’s inclusive education policies, one of the most progressive in the world.

Despite the sanctions and economic pressures, Iran continues its comprehensive policy of providing services to refugees, and this is appreciable, UNHCR’s Officer in Charge, Inna Gladkova, said in November 2022.

The best solution and the most stable support system for refugees is that have access to schools and education just like Iranian nationals, she stated, IRNA reported.

Iran has taken effective and continuous measures to include all refugees, and the UNHCR also declares its readiness to fulfill its obligations, she noted.

In the provision of educational services, there are different aspects, she said, adding, school construction, equipping schools, providing teachers and human resources, and providing quality educational services are the main and important work done by the Ministry of Education.

There are many needs in the field of education, but in the last 10 years, the High Commissioner for Refugees has built only 95 schools in Iran, but the need is definitely more than this, she also said.

In June 2022, Maha Kashour, head of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Mashhad, said Iran’s efforts and activities in the last 40 years have been commendable to refugees, and in the past year, after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, has reached its peak.

Iran has so far been able to provide decent services to refugees in the fields of health, livelihood, and vocational training in cooperation with UNHCR, she noted.

The Ministry of Interior has announced to the Ministry of Education a list of 200,000 Afghan children who have the conditions to study in Iranian schools.

In May, Robin Nandy, the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Iran, said the country’s comprehensive program for the protection of refugee children is encouraging.

Making investments in programs and services to better care for and support children affected by migration and asylum will reduce costs in the future, he added.

Emphasizing the important role of non-governmental organizations in supporting refugee and immigrant children and teenagers, Nandy expressed hope that holding educational workshops will lead to the promotion of children’s rights and justice for children.

Over 670,000 students of Afghan nationals are studying in Iran, and the cost of educating these students is more than $352 million, IRNA reported.

However, international organizations have paid less than 3.9 percent of the cost of education for Afghan students in Iran in the last two years.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a decree in May 2015 that allows all foreign nationals, even those who have no identification and are living in Iran illegally, to attend schools in the country.

Relying on moral and Islamic principles, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has created equal conditions in benefiting from educational opportunities for Afghan students.

The post IRCS signs cooperation agreement with UNFPA appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Some 40,000 rescuers are on duty inside the eastern and northern borders and the communication axes of the western borders, and the rest, which include 2,800 medical personnel and 1,200 rescuers, are sent to Iraq, IRCS head Pir-Hossein Kolivand said.

In addition, 50 ambulances, 6 ambulance buses, rescue vehicles, and medicine trucks were also sent to the region, he added.

The IRCS relief and treatment bases as well as fixed and mobile hospitals are located in Najaf city, ready to provide services to pilgrims, he noted.

The Arbaeen pilgrimage, which is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Imam of Shia Muslims, and the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Each year, a huge crowd of people flocks to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rituals.

This year Arbaeen falls on September 17.

Before the outbreak of coronavirus, some 2 to 3 million Iranians attended annually in the Arbaeen march. However, last year, the rituals were held virtually to avoid the transmission of the disease.

The post IRCS forces dispatched to Iraq for Arbaeen appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Measures taken by the IRCS are exemplary in the region and the world, Lenin said, referring to IRCS’s great achievements in recent months.

He announced interest in using the experiences of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

Fortunately, there are good relations between the two countries, and the cooperation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent of the two countries can be a turning point, he explained.

Committees have been formed between Iran and Nicaragua to enhance cooperation, he noted, adding, “The IRCS’s high capacities are clearly evident and we are interested in using the medical equipment made by the IRCS due to their high quality.”

The Iranian Polyclinic in Nicaragua has provided valuable services to people, which shows the empathy between the two nations, and today the people of Iran and Nicaragua have good and brotherly relations with each other, which can be expanded, he emphasized.

Kolivand for his part said that we can also cooperate with the Nicaraguan Red Cross in the fields of medical equipment, textiles, pharmaceutical production, and food packages.

Human resource training and education is another important field of cooperation and sharing experience, he stated, adding that in recent years, IRCS forces have faced various incidents and have proudly come out of the assigned missions, so they can cooperate and transfer experiences in dealing with floods and earthquakes.

——–IRCS services worldwide

The IRCS, established in 1922, is one of the first and oldest members of the movement and is currently one of the top five societies in the world due to its significant activities in the national and international arenas.

In 2005, the IRCS received the Henry Davison Award for outstanding humanitarian services, and the IRCS initiative of volunteers was selected as the best project (out of 50 projects from 45 national societies), by the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In addition to offering services to the victims of natural disasters in the country, it has taken numerous missions in international disasters and incidents, helping the people of Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq, Southeast Asia earthquakes, Lebanon, Gaza, Somalia, and Yemen.

Moreover, the Iranian Red Crescent Society provides medical services to people in 13 Asian, African, and Latin American countries.

Currently, some 14 medical facilities are offering humanitarian, relief, and health services to the deprived people in 13 countries, including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Bolivia, Ivory Coast,

Sierra Leone, Ghana, Congo, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Niger, and Ecuador.

FB/MG
HIGHLIGHT: Committees have been formed between Iran and Nicaragua to enhance cooperation.

The post Nicaragua seeks to use IRCS experiences appeared first on Iran News Daily.