Supporter: Ramil Maharramov & Vafa Asadova

Today is World Refugee Day, a day designated by U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to bring attention to the plight of millions of refugees and displaced people around the world.

Nearly eight percent of Azerbaijan's total population of eight million has been left homeless as a result of the war with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. Fighting between the two countries first erupted 15 years ago, yet hundreds of thousands of people still live in mud-brick shelters, railroad boxcars and abandoned buildings. Political instability and unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a peace treaty have exacerbated the plight of Azerbaijan's displaced citizens. Despite a cease-fire agreement signed in 1994, a formal peace treaty remains elusive.

Fifteen years have passed since the outbreak of war, yet inhuman living conditions persist in internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugee communities. Poverty and unemployment is endemic, access to education is limited and sanitation is problematic. According to the Report of the Norwegian Refugee Council (www.idpproject.org) on Internal Displacement in Azerbaijan, unemployment among the displaced population is extremely high, with only 20 percent of the displaced population employed and earning regular wages. State programs provide financial assistance to IDPs, but their average income remains lower than that of other citizens. 63 percent of the displaced population, including refugees, lives below the poverty line.

Mercy Corps began work in Azerbaijan at the end of 1996 with the goal of helping people recover from the devastating effects of war. Today, the focus of Mercy Corps' work is managing the Azerbaijan Human Assistance Program (AHAP). The Program, funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is an umbrella grant designed to create and increase community development efforts to integrate, resettle and provide economic opportunities to internally displaced persons and conflict-affected populations. To date, Mercy Corps has awarded over $37 million to partner organizations for 32 projects. Together, they have disbursed over 15,482 loans, organized 220 community groups to implement 682 micro-projects; refurbished 114 Primary Health Clinics to meet WHO standards; and established 16 community clusters to manage regional level issues. The projects cover 23 cities and districts of Azerbaijan.

The vast majority of Azerbaijan's displaced people continue to live in substandard shelters, the most noticeable indicator of their destitution. As of early 2003, 135,000 internally displaced persons live in tented camps, makeshift huts, uncompleted buildings and railway wagons.

Poor housing conditions, with insufficient water supply and dilapidated sanitation facilities have contributed to the deterioration of the health of IDPs. It is estimated that 26 percent of IDP households suffer from malnutrition, compared to 10 percent nationwide. Infant mortality among displaced children is three-four times higher than in the rest of the population (Government of Azerbaijan 2003).

The lack of educational infrastructure obliges displaced and local children to attend schools in shifts, due to the lack of classrooms. The literacy rate among IDPs is high, but the proportion of IDPs without secondary education is significantly higher than in the rest of the population. In recent years, school attendance has been falling among displaced children, particularly among girls, with the distance to school having been identified as one of the obstacles to school attendance. Women and children are considered the most vulnerable subgroup of IDPs, with 200,000 IDP children; of which more than 86,000 are under school age and about 98,000 are schoolchildren.

The future of Azerbaijan's displaced citizens is uncertain. Due to limited resources, the government of Azerbaijan has been unable to respond and donor fatigue has cut into international assistance. Even if a peace treaty were signed today, IDPs and refugees would not be able to return to their places of origin as the conflict-area is littered with landmines and homes lay in ruins. Despite the overwhelming challenges, Mercy Corps remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance that addresses the needs of Azerbaijan's conflict-affected population.

Read more ▸

BAKU, Azerbaijan - On June 25, 2002 Mercy Corps, a US-based International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) jointly with the State Commission on Humanitarian Assistance organized a seminar on "Establishment of Standard Legal Framework for all INGOs Operating in Azerbaijan." The event brought together a wide range of government, donor and INGO representatives to discuss problems and improvements in the sphere of international relief and development activities in Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani government was represented by Ali Hasanov Ð Vice Prime Minister and Head of the State Commission on Humanitarian Assistance, Fazil Mammadov -Minister of Taxation, Fikret Mammadov - Minister of Justice, Alim Quliyev - Deputy Head of the Council of Directors of the National Bank and many other government officials. Bill McKinney, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) coordinator and representatives of all diplomatic missions and INGOs in Azerbaijan also took part at the seminar.

In his introductory address Ali Hasanov, the Vice Prime Minister stated that in the last 10 years INGOs have provided $520 million in support and assistance to IDPs and refugees within Azerbajan. In 2001 these agencies' assistance totaled $42 million. Azerbaijan has established the State Commission on Humanitarian Assistance in 1992 in order to create conditions for smooth implementation of relief and development programs. Since 1994 the government has begun to form the legal framework in this sphere. Haydar Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan has clearly stated in his speech at the conference "From Relief to Development" in 2000 that International Humanitarian Organizations shouldn't face any problem in the country. During the recent years the number of INGOs providing food aid to IDPs has sharply fallen. In order to fill the gap emerging as a result of ended humanitarian programs or departing organizations, the Azerbaijani Government allocates additional funds from the State Oil Fund or State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan, he added.

In his speech Bill McKinney, Country Coordinator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) office in Azerbaijan mentioned the positive steps taken since 1999 to create better conditions for the activities of international relief and development agencies in Azerbaijan.

"For the most part, the Azerbaijani government has opened its doors to numerous INGOs that are providing millions of dollars worth of assistance to the most vulnerable populations in Azerbaijan," said William Holbrook, chief of Party for Mercy Corps. "But we are here today to address the fact that there are still many obstacles that currently make it difficult for internationally recognized, respected, legitimate, and well established agencies to work effectively in this country. Establishing a standard, legal framework in the form of a Protocol, by which all international organizations may operate in Azerbaijan, will eradicate many obstacles and clear the path for smoother collaboration, coordination and communication between the Azerbaijani government and INGO community," he said.

Mr. Holbrook went on to say that, "In May 2000 the US and Azerbaijani governments signed a Bilateral Agreement that provided the legal framework for the relationship between the two countries. In January 2002, a regulation was formally agreed to by the two governments that now serve as the practical application of the bilateral agreement. The problem is that the Bilateral and the Regulation that goes with it, serves as a legal framework for programs that are funded only by the government of the United States, it does not protect the programs and activities that are funded by other countries or international organizations."

In concluding his remarks Mr. Holbrook said, "We hope that the international donor community and the international NGO community will be given an opportunity to work in Azerbaijan under the terms of a legal framework that represent the same standard that is provided for these programs and organizations all over the world."

Kishor Sharman, the representative of Save The Children, a US NGO, spoke about community development projects in Azerbaijan. Community Development programs enable communities to identify, prioritize and address their problems, he explained. The aim of these projects is not to provide only financial support to communities, but also to improve their leadership, participatory planning and organizational skills. Problems in the sphere of getting state registration for national NGOs, create difficulties in effective implementation of several humanitarian projects, he said.

Nazim Aliyev, a Deputy Director of FINCA in Azerbaijan, informed that there are 10 humanitarian organizations providing micro credit services to over 24430 clients in the country. These organizations have created 9163 jobs and currently they have $4 million outstanding loans to clients. Difficulties encountered in registration of non-bank credit organizations prevent them to create an association and to have a united voice, he added.

In their speeches other INGOs representatives also mentioned problems in the area of state registration of NGOs, the registration and licensing of micro finance institutions and the reimbursement of VAT.

To date, 51 international relief and development agencies have been registered with the Ministry of Tax, said Arif Musayev, the representative of the Taxation Ministry. Last year these agencies paid 1.3 billion Manats in tax. There are several exemptions for them in the Tax law and funds for the humanitarian purposes are free of any taxation. In addition international relief and development agencies are free of VAT. As to the reimbursement of VAT issue, it should take place in 45 days after the application of agencies. If the VAT reimbursement is delayed, the state should pay additional interest rate for each day, he added.

In their address, representatives of diplomatic missions of Turkey, Egypt, United Kingdom, France, Norway, Saudi Arabia, and Iran have committed their support and assistance to IDPs and refugees and activities of INGOs in Azerbaijan. All of them reiterated their willingness to see improvements in the legal framework regulating international relief and development activities in Azerbaijan.

Inspection of all INGOs should be done after informing the State Commission on Humanitarian Assistance and in line with the statute prepared by the latter, Ali Hasanov said. "The president said that INGOs operating in Azerbaijan shouldn't face any problem," he repeated and we should make the President's words real.

The seminar ended with the decision of organizers to hold special meetings of INGOs with relevant ministries in coming days to discuss problems and find proper solutions.

Read more ▸