Seven Recommendations for Communities Welcoming Refugees

Campaign created to coincide with World Refugee Day is being released early to provide valuable information for everyone welcoming refugees, including the millions fleeing Ukraine, Syria and the Middle East.

Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights has worked for two decades with refugees and survivors of war violence. These recommendations to communities around the globe currently welcoming and hosting refugees, including the millions who are fleeing Ukraine, Syria, and the Middle East, are based on our experience in supporting survivors of war, genocide, terrorism, trafficking, and human rights violations.

The seven recommendations offered by the Jiyan Foundation are:

Supporting Refugees and Displaced People in Kurdistan-Iraq, Iraq, and Syria

Art therapy is one of many techniques used by our pscyhotherapists to provide holistic recovery to refugees and IDP's across the regions.
Children in northeast Syria survive winters often without proper footwear or clothing. In addition to our psychotherapy services, Jiyan Foundation seeks to provide these basic necessities.

In Syria, Qamishli’s mobile team provides psychological, legal, and relief to IDPs and locals in the region. Ongoing projects include providing food, clothing, medication and other relief to families struggling during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jiyan Foundations mobile teams bring support to the regions it’s needed most. 

Our branches in Alqosh in the Nineveh plains, Duhok, and Erbil  provide psychological and medical support in seven IDP camps – Mamrashan camp, Essian camp, Shekhan camp, Khanke camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Domiz camp for refugees, Dibaga camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Qushatpa camp for refugees. 

These camps house more than 41,000 people who would otherwise have no access to mental health services.

From our treatment center in Kirkuk Jiyan Foundation provides psychological, medical, and social services to locals and IDP’s in seven rural regions in and around Kirkuk.

Jiyan team in Qamishli, Syria distributed 300 food baskets and 200 bags of educational supplies to internally displaced families. (2022)

What can I do?

Through mobile teams Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights doctors, psychotherapists and legal representatives travel to refugee and displaced peoples camps throughout Kurdistan-Iraq, Iraq, and Syria to provide much-needed mental health, medical and legal support.

Mental health and medical support are some of the most needed services for people who have faced years or decades of violence. In addition, without basic necessities, refugees and internally displaced people, will suffer from sickness, dehydration, and other preventable conditions.

Refugees and displaced families living across northern Iraq and Syria need immediate assistance. When you donate to Jiyan Foundation, you know your gift goes directly to supporting refugees and internally displaces persons (IDPs).

Donations here will provide the following:

$25 – will provide one session of psychotherapy to refugees or IDPs living in a camp.

$50 – will provide one-time medical support to refugees or IDPs living in a camp -or- one month of food or medication.

$150 – give the gift of sustained psychotherapy treatment for one month in individual or group sessions to refugees or IDPs living in a camp.

$300 – cover the transportation costs of a Jiyan Foundation mobile team for one month allowing psychotherapists, doctors and relief workers to provide life-saving services to some of the most vulnerable people in the region.

$500 – provide up to ten months of treatment to an individual for a chronic disease.

Make the most impact – Monthly gifts allow us to better plan our services and save money in the process. Please consider giving just $3 a month to provide sustainable relief and support to refugees and internally displaced people living in camps across Kurdistan-Iraq, Iraq, and Syria.

Our work follows the core values set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We believe in human dignity and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms set out in the Declaration. We serve survivors of human rights violations, regardless of their age, gender, ethnic or religious affiliation.