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25 September 2007
UNHCR welcomes Nordic NGO refugee campaign
Stockholm - Twenty non-governmental organisations are today launching the region wide campaign "Keep Them Safe", which aims to strengthen the protection of persons fleeing generalized violence and gross human rights abuses.
"The Nordic countries are in many ways examples to the world of good humanitarian practice and to UNHCR, they are very important and much appreciated partners in the refugee cause," says Hans ten Feld, Representative for UNHCR in the Baltic and Nordic countries. "As it stands, however, the international protection regime does not always ensure people fleeing situations of generalised violence the international protection they need. Not even in the Nordics, despite recent positive developments in some of the countries."
Protection gaps in relation to persons fleeing generalised violence and gross human rights abuses exist both in law and its interpretation. For instance, people fleeing widespread conflict in Iraq and Somalia cannot be sure to find protection as refugees in the Nordic countries. The consequence is according to Hans ten Feld that such people risk becoming victims of failed protection twice over - first in their country of origin and next in the country in which they seek asylum.
"UNHCR supports and welcomes this campaign as it aims to stimulate discussion on and identify solutions to a critical gap in international protection. A first step in closing this gap would be a full and consistent adherence to UNHCR's protection recommendations," says Hans ten Feld.
The NGOs joining forces in this campaign are Swedish Red Cross, FARR, Swedish Amnesty International, Caritas Sweden, Swedish Advice Center, Christian Council of Sweden, Danish Refugee Council, Danish Red Cross, The Danish Institute for Human Rights, Amnesty International Denmark, The Danish UN association, Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers (NOAS), Norwegian Refugee Council, Finnish Refugee Council, Finnish Refugee Advice Center, Finnish Red Cross, Amnesty International Finland, The Icelandic Human Rights Centre, The Icelandic Red Cross, Amnesty International Iceland.
For more information, please contact spokesperson Hanne Mathisen, UNHCR Regional Office for the Baltic and Nordic Countries, in Stockholm on telephone +46 8 457 48 86 or e-mail mathisen@unhcr.org
In the press
Denmark
25 September 2007
Berlingske Tidende
• Debate article (chronical) with 5 NGOs
http://www.berlingske.dk/article/20070925/kronikker/109241095/
• Interview article with Danish Minister of Integration, Rikke Hvilshøj (Liberals), general secretary of Danish Amnesty International, Lars Normann Jørgensen and general secretary of Danish Refugee Council, Andreas Kamm
http://www.berlingske.dk/article/20070925/politik/109241105/
• Article with criticism points on Nordic refugee policy
http://www.berlingske.dk/article/20070925/danmark/70925004/
Norden (website for the Nordic Council, the Nordic Minister council and collaboration)
• News article announcing the campaign
http://www.norden.org/webb/news/news.asp?lang=2&id=7170
DR (Danish state owned radio)
• Radio interview with general secretary of Danish Refugee Council, Andreas Kamm and Danish Minister of Integration, Rikke Hvilshøj (Liberals)
http://www.dr.dk/P1/P1Morgen/Udsendelser/2007/09/25/091249.htm
TV2 (Danish commercial TV-station)
• TV news announcing the campaign and interview with Danish Minister of Integration, Rikke Hvilshøj (Liberals)
http://sputnik.tv2.dk/?channel
26 September 2007
Dagbladet Information
• Interview article with Danish Minister of Integration, Rikke Hvilshøj (Liberals) and chairpersons of intergration; Henriette Kjær (The Conservatives), Jesper Langballe (Danish People's Party) and Morten Østergaard (Social Liberals)
http://information.dk/146938
27 September 2007
Berlingske Tidende
• Follow up on issues relating to the campaign
http://www.berlingske.dk/article/20070926/danmark/109261244/
http://www.berlingske.dk/article/20070926/danmark/109261243/
• Debate article by Peter Skaarup, vice chairman of the Danish People's Party in the
2nd section, p.15 (not available on website)
28 September 2007
Jyllands-Posten
• Follow up on issues relating to the campaign
http://jp.dk/arkiv/?id=1107620
Finland
25 September 2007
YLE Uutiset
• News article announcing the campaign
http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/24h/id70644.html
Norden (website for the Nordic Council, the Nordic Minister council and collaboration)
• News article announcing the campaign
http://www.norden.org/webb/news/news.asp?lang=4&id=7170
Iceland
25 September 2007
Morgunblaðið
• Debate article
http://www.mbl.is/mm/gagnasafn/grein.html?grein_id=1166627
• News article
http://www.mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/frett.html?nid=1293233
Norden (website for the Nordic Council, the Nordic Minister council and collaboration)
• News article announcing the campaign
http://www.norden.org/webb/news/news.asp?lang=5&id=7170
Norway
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Sweden
25 September 2007
Aftonbladet
• Debate article (chronical) with 5 NGOs
http://www.aftonbladet.se/debatt/article852990.ab
The whole article (in Swedish) can be downloaded as a PDF here.
Sveriges Radio (Swedish public service radio)
• Radio interview with Madeleine Seidlitz, lawyer at Swedish Amnesty International, Ove Bring professor in public international law and Hanne Mathisen spokesperson for UNHCR on issues relating to the campaign
http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/P1/program/artikel.asp?ProgramID=1637&artikel=1616840
UNHCR
25 September 2007
UNHCR website
• News article announcing the campaign
http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46f92d244.html
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