A seminar on the protection of the rights of internally displaced and stateless persons was held

A seminar on "Protection of the Rights of Internally Displaced and Stateless Persons" was jointly organized by the Ombudsman Office of Azerbaijan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Country Office.

The main purpose of the seminar, which was attended by staff from the Ombudsman Office, the Ombudsman’s Regional Centers, the Ombudsman Office of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and representatives from specialized UN agencies accredited in our country, was to enrich knowledge and skills in the relevant field.

In his opening speech, the Chief of Staff of the Ombudsman Office, Aydın Safikhanli, highlighted the goals and objectives of the seminar organized during the "Human Rights Month-Long Campaign" declared from May 18 to June 18 by the Azerbaijani Ombudsman.

While speaking, A. Safikhanli pointed out that for decades, the problem of internally displaced persons and refugees has been a topical issue in Azerbaijan, also saying that Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan had resulted in the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of people from their ancestral lands. In addition to this, he emphasized that the three-decade occupation has come to an end and the rights of our IDP citizens have been restored. Restoration and reconstruction projects are being implemented in the liberated territories, and the process of returning former IDPs to their native lands is underway. However, he also said that the widespread landmines planted during the occupation period have delayed reconstruction work and posed a threat to the lives and health of civilians.

It was also said that the Ombudsman has undertaken extensive activities within her mandate to protect and promote the rights of vulnerable groups, including IDPs and refugees, bringing attention to the issue of protection of the rights of those groups through appeals, statements, and reports on local, regional, and international platforms. 

Experts from the UNHCR Headquarters and the Country Office, including experts from the local representations of OHCHR and UNICEF, as well as experts from the Headquarters of the International Organization for Migration, made presentations at the seminar.

The presentations covered various topics related to international protection of refugees, the rights of refugees and migrants within the international legal framework, their integration, statelessness eradication, birth registration, and related procedural matters in this field.

The event continued in an informational and discussion format, where participants exchanged ideas and shared experiences on the topic.