Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- Women refugees can be community leaders and offer fundamental help to solve specific community problems the Jesuit Refugees Service said in a statement issued today 8 March, UN International Day for Women’s Rights and Peace in the World
“Women can be wonderful community leaders”, says JRS, “if measures are taken to guarantee them access to education and jobs and decision-making with regard to their own life”. JRS calls on governments to fund programmes to help women take an active part in organising a running life in refugee camps.
JRS gives the example of a group of women in Laine camp in southern Guinea: “Tired of widespread corruption in the camp a group of women refugees decided to take things in their own hands. Nancy Washington who presented the camp directors with an anti-corruption plan was elected president of the community” says Sr Maria Irizar head of JRS in Guinea. Out of 27 elected camp leaders 16 were women.
However what happened in the camp in Guinea is an exception not the rule. Women always suffer from discrimination, they are denied education, work, the right to own property. Women refugees forced to leave their community cannot have recourse to the extended family.
JRS has various programmes to promote respect for women’s rights. In Uganda, for example JRS has a programme to help more girls attend school.
JRS operates in 50 different countries with a staff of 1,000 lay people, Jesuits and other men and women religious who provide assistance, education, medical care and other services for over 450,000 refugees and displaced persons of whom more than half are women. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 8/3/2006, righe 28, parole 320)
