Tehran – Director of Iran’s national immigration agency Nedayal Ahmadi and interim president of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Monica Oretzka Nielsen, discussed ways to enhance collaboration in a variety of areas, including health, education, nutrition and natural disasters.
The two officials met in Tehran on Monday. Nielsen has announced the preparations for UNICEF to work with the Ministry of Home Affairs, celebrating Iran’s efforts to host refugees over the past 40 years and highlighting the organization’s experience in providing education, health and nutrition services in countries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs and Afghanistan.
Referring to the two-year work plan signed by both parties in December 2024, Nielsen said cooperation on refugees would be an important part of the signed MOU.
Officials have also announced a new UNICEF Supported Education Program for female students who have been deprived of schooling due to political and social issues. To promote access to education for this group of students, UNICEF is willing to increase cooperation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, as is Iran’s educational institutions.
On his part, Yar-Ahmadi emphasized the importance of education for foreign students, especially Afghans, saying that around 700,000 Afghan students are studying in Iran. However, there is no adequate educational space in the country, and the support of international organizations is needed to improve education infrastructure.
Referring to illegal (foreign) students in the country, authorities said the Ministry of Home Affairs is developing an educational online platform to promote education. Additionally, those returning to their homeland can benefit from virtual education platforms. Authorities also emphasized that the Ministry of Education will work with the private sector to issue permits to provide schools to these refugee students.
During the meeting, authorities also discussed ways to reduce the impact of natural disasters in areas where hazards are prone to occur.
Two-year work plan
In December 2024, we signed a two-year work plan aimed at reducing poverty, mitigating disaster risks and strengthening humanitarian assistance to refugees and host communities, a step towards addressing the key challenges facing children and their families in Iran, UNICEF and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Nielsen and Mehdi Javaheri are ministers’ advisors and heads of international affairs, and signed a two-year work plan.
The collaboration is set up on the UNICEF website, released in a press release on December 8, 2024, to strengthen the resilience of the communities of vulnerable children across the country and improve outcomes.
By strengthening disaster awareness and risk mitigation at the community level, this work plan will help protect children from the devastating effects of natural and artificial disasters.
Additionally, it aims to streamline the identification and support processes of vulnerable households and provides important support under the poverty alleviation pillar of the United Nations Framework for Sustainable Development Cooperation (UNSDCF).
This partnership paves the way for expanded relationships for collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs, such as the Social Affairs Agency, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMO), CAFIA (Centre for Foreigners and Foreign Immigration Affairs), and national NGOs. This networked approach is expected to amplify the reach and impact of UNICEF’s programs, ensuring that no children are left behind.
The implementation of the work plan will begin soon, focusing on high-priority areas identified through months of collaboration. The partnership results will be reviewed at the end of 2025 to assess progress and determine further steps to strengthen the impact of these initiatives.
The partnership highlights UNICEF’s dedication to supporting Iranian children and communities, and works with national partners to build a resilient and inclusive society.
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