Representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) visited Center for Human Rights and Justice (CHRJ) on 5th October 2017.
At present, with a refugee population nearing 1.5 million Pakistan is the host to world’s second largest refugee population. UNHCR is the UN programme mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and it assists in their voluntary repatriation and local integration. Pakistan was the world’s largest refugee hosting country for more than three decades and UNHCR has a continued presence in Pakistan, working in locations that have been impacted by the 37-year presence of Afghan refugees.
Mr. Dinesh Shrestha (Head UNHCR Sub-Office, Quetta) and Mr. Waseem ur Rahman (Legal Associate UNHCR) met with CHRJ Team to discuss how academia can work as a catalyst for social change. Director CHRJ, Ms. Amna Rashid, Faculty Advisor CHRJ, Mr. Umar Rashid chaired the meeting. RA CHRJ Mr. Usman Rafaqat and CHRJ’s student volunteer Mr. Daniyal Mughal were also present. Finally, Rector UMT, Dr. Muhammad Aslam shared his precious words with the guests and presented souvenirs to them.
This meeting opens up unique research opportunities for CHRJ, UMT students and faculty. With a healthy collaboration between UNHCR and CHRJ, UMT will be at the forefront of academic collaboration, research, workshops, seminars and conferences in Pakistan on issues pertaining to human rights. CHRJ is hopeful that this will create more opportunities for UMT in the future to build bridges between academia and international relief agencies.
We Stand With Refugees.
