The Muslim world hosts approximately 52 percent of persons of concern to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (comprising refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees and stateless persons), the largest number in the world.
This figure does not include the Palestinian refugees, who fall within the specific mandate given by the United Nations General Assembly to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Aware of these facts, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is organizing an international ministerial conference on “Refugees in the Muslim World” in cooperation with UNHCR in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on May 10-11, 2012.
The main objectives of the conference are to highlight the role of OIC host and donor member states in assisting protracted situation of large-scale refugee populations as well as the mandate and responsibility of UNHCR towards refugees.
The conference also aims to promote awareness of the scope and nature of the refugee problem in OIC member states, as well as the broader refugee situation globally; particularly encourage the international community including OIC member states in promoting and creating condition for sustainable voluntary repatriation and reintegration in their country of origin.
How They Live
According to statistics by UNHCR, the 57 member states of the OIC host approximately 17,761,399 persons of concern to UNHCR as of the end of 2010. Iran and Pakistan alone host to over 30 percent of the world’s refugee population, before the large-scale repatriation movements to Afghanistan commenced.
Many other states are hosting immigrants originating from countries where, in view of prevailing insecurity, return is not feasible, thus offering them a sort of de facto asylum.
In the majority of cases, refugees in Muslim countries are staying in refugee villages and urban areas and enjoy a large degree of self-reliance and participation rather than being confined to closed refugee camps.
Equally significant is the fact that most refugees in the OIC member states remain close to their geographic area of origin, which means that there are countries close to home that are willing to accept them and to offer them shelter and safety.