About 140 disabled refugees currently living in a refugee camp in
northern Kenya, have been resettled in the USA since the beginning
of the month by IOM in partnership with the US State Department and
UNHCR.

The resettlements are part of a collaborative effort between the
three parties to assist about 1,500 disabled refugees of mainly
Somali origin, and their family members, in moving from the Dadaab
refugee camp to the USA to begin a new life.

In 40 per cent of the cases, it is the head of the family who is
disabled, while more than 23 per cent of the families being
resettled have more than one disabled person. Disabilities include
mental, visual, aural as well as the physical. 

Most of the disabled refugees face serious protection issues
such as limited access to jobs combined with a very poor resource
base in and around the refugee camps. In addition, many are
ostracized, physically abused, and exploited because of their
disabilities, making it very difficult for them to attain any level
of self-sufficiency.  

The plight of disabled refugees and the need to provide them
with international protection is widely recognized under
international human rights law. Numerous human rights instruments
recognize the special situation of disabled refugees and call upon
the international community to provide them with protection.

As well as providing escorts to give the refugees personal,
emotional and medical support necessary during the flight to the
US, IOM will be working with the US-based resettlement NGO (JVA)
and UNHCR to facilitate their resettlement.

It is anticipated that majority of the refugees will be
resettled by the end of the year through this US State Department
funded programme, with the remainder being assisted in 2007.

For further information, please contact:

Rose Ogola

IOM Kenya

Tel: +254 20 4444167/174

Email: "mailto:rogola@iom.int">rogola@iom.int