UN DAILY NEWS from the
UNITED NATIONS NEWS SERVICE
1 August, 2008
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CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN IRAQ’S SECURITY SITUATION, BAN REPORTS.

A combination of political and military efforts has led to continued improvements in security across Iraq in the past three months, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writes in his latest report to the Security Council on the United Nations Assistance Mission to the country (UNAMI).

Mr. Ban cautions that the gains made so far need to be sustained through meaningful political dialogue and national reconciliation.

“Time is of the essence, and Iraq can no longer afford continued delays in finding viable political solutions,” the Secretary-General says in the quarterly report, released today.

The Secretary-General also highlights the issue of disputed internal
boundaries in the country and says it remains a priority for the UNAMI. He
strongly encourages the Iraqi authorities and political stakeholders to
explore opportunities created by the mission’s work on this delicate issue.

UNAMI will also continue to assist Iraq’s independent electoral commission
in planning for governorate elections, Mr. Ban says, but warns that unless
a new electoral law is passed in time Iraqis will be deprived of the chance
to vote this year, which could alienate various communities.

According to the report, rising levels of oil income offer an opportunity
to improve the management and accountability of the country’s financial
resources, but Mr. Ban says that essential services are still lacking and
fuel shortages remain widespread in a country with vast oil reserves. He
stresses that job creation is vital.

“Although Iraq forecasts around 7 per cent growth for 2008, the new wealth
has not lifted many Iraqis out of poverty or reduced unemployment levels,”
he writes.

While welcoming new commitments to assist people displaced inside the
country, the Secretary-General also calls on the Iraqi Government to
develop ways of helping the Iraqi refugee community in the region, in
cooperation with neighbouring host countries.

Mr. Ban says the fact that a growing number of Arab States have expressed their willingness to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Baghdad is a positive development, and the decision by the United Arab Emirates to forgive Iraqi debt is a strong step that he hopes is taken by others in the region.

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IRAQI REFUGEES LEARN THE VALUE OF LAUGHTER AT UN-BACKED WORKSHOPS.

Dozens of Iraqi refugee women living in Syria are learning how to build
their self-confidence, develop relaxation techniques and hone their
communication skills thanks to innovative workshops organized by the United
Nations refugee agency and the group Clowns Without Borders.

So far, more than 50 Iraqis have participated in workshops in Damascus, the
Syrian capital, that involve theatre, humour and communications, according
to a press release issued by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
on Wednesday.

The workshops, part of a UNHCR pilot project, have been conducted by three
Spanish members of the international organization Clowns Without Borders
and aimed at some of the most vulnerable and neediest refugees from Iraq.
The group has also trained three Iraqi clowns who offer daily shows for
children at the agency centres in Damascus.

Within a few weeks, UNHCR reported, results are already being noticed: many
participants say the workshops have allowed them to laugh again for the
first time since the war in Iraq began in 2003.

One participant said she used to come home from work each day so angry and
wound up that she would ask her family to leave her in peace.

“But this course has really affected me,” she said. “When I go back home
after the workshop my children say, ‘Wow, you have really changed, you
smile at us, you play with us.’ Even my young son is saying, ‘Please, I
want to join this course with you.’ ”

Some participants have been recruited as outreach workers, going house to
house in the refugee areas of Damascus to seek out other women to attend
the workshops or receive intervention from UNHCR staff for their problems.

More than 215,000 Iraqi refugees are registered with the agency in Syria,
and about a fifth of them suffer from severe medical conditions. Many
others are unregistered, often turning to prostitution or child labour to
support themselves.

Cristina Aguirre, the team leader of Clowns Without Borders for the
project, said many participants had told the clowns that the class is not a
“normal” situation.

“Normally they are surrounded by noises, screams and people,” she said.
“But we want to give them the opportunity to listen to themselves, to feel
themselves, in a relaxed environment. By doing this they can gain
self-confidence and spread it to others around them.”