UMCOR Azerbaijan

Displaced for a decade

07 July 2003

Nearly a decade after the cessation of hostilities in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, there are still over half a million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Azerbaijan. The situation is further exacerbated by a large asylum seeker and refugee population, predominantly originating from war-torn Chechnya, but also from places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and other Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries.

Internally displaced Azeris often live in appalling conditions, in tents and other makeshift shelters, in temporary accommodation and in the crowded houses or flats of friends and relatives. They are often subject to extreme poverty with inadequate facilities, insufficient education and high unemployment. Over 50% live below the poverty line. Many IDPs cannot return home because, not only is there still no peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but also the land they lived on is heavily mined and the buildings lie in ruins.

UMCOR Azerbaijan opened its offices in 1995, starting with needs assessments and initiating implementation of relief programs in the spring of 1996. UMCOR Azerbaijan currently offers health care programs which provide medical assistance to both IDPs and refugees residing in the Yasamal, Nizami, Khatai, Azizbekov, Karadag, Binagadi, Sabail and Nasimi districts of Baku, along with Central Districts Aly-Bayramli, Kurdamir, Udjar and Azrdob.

Internally displaced Azeris face an uncertain future. Resources are limited and current international funding is scarce. The sheer scale of the problem is daunting. UMCOR Azerbaijan is committed to the provision of humanitarian and development assistance.