Miscellaneous
Canadian assistance for Bhutanese refugees
The Canadian government has announced a contribution of Canadian dollars 250,000 (Rs 21 million approx) to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Nepal to improve the access of Bhutanese refugees to essential services.The Canadian government has announced a contribution of Canadian dollars 250,000 (Rs 21 million approx) to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Nepal to improve the access of Bhutanese refugees to essential services.
Canada’s Deputy Ambassador to Nepal, Jess Dutton, on Monday announced the budget assistance during his visit to refugee camps in Jhapa, where he interacted with Bhutanese youth and women groups.
“We are grateful to the government of Canada for this generous contribution,” said Craig Sanders, the UNHCR representative in Nepal. “Canada has been a long-standing partner and such funding helps us to continue to provide vital services for the Bhutanese refugees in the two remaining camps.”
The donation comes at a time when maintaining camp services at a desired level is proving increasingly difficult due to limited resources and a funding shortage.
The grant will be used to provide various services including shelter, health, water, sanitation, education, protection and legal assistance for some 15,500 Bhutanese refugees who remain in Beldangi and Sanischare camps.
“We are pleased to support UNHCR Nepal in helping Bhutanese refugees with their essential needs,” said Dutton. “Our assistance reaffirms the importance we place on protecting the human rights of refugees.” The grant is part of the CAD $32.6 million support to the UNHCR announced by Canada earlier this year to assist and protect people of concern in 20 countries.
Since 2007, Canada has become home to over 6,600 resettled Bhutanese refugees. It is one of the eight resettlement countries that have accepted more than 103,000 Bhutanese refugees since the beginning of the third country resettlement programme in late 2007.