One of the most important areas of state policy in the field of work with internally displaced persons is the effective organisation of their social protection. Furthermore, in accordance with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, ensuring the comfort and safety of former internally displaced persons returning to their native homeland is among the priority issues. The Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Social Protection of Internally Displaced Persons and Persons Equated to Them” provides for a number of social protection measures for former internally displaced persons. One of these measures is the unified monthly allowance, financed from the state budget and provided to internally displaced persons in need of social protection.
As part of the awareness-raising, outreach and educational activities carried out by the State Committee for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan among people preparing to return to their native homeland and those settled in newly established residential settlements in the territories liberated from occupation, detailed information is also provided on social protection measures, including the statutory periods applicable to the unified monthly allowance, the calculation of the relevant period, as well as matters concerning its legality and necessity.
During the event, it was announced that the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan had declared the period from August 21 to September 21 as the “Month of Peace”. It was noted that the purpose of the Month of Peace is to raise public awareness of the interrelationship between peace and human rights, strengthen an environment of mutual respect and trust in society, expand opportunities for dialogue and understanding, and encourage the participation of state bodies, local self-government authorities, civil society institutions and the wider public in activities carried out in this direction.
In accordance with the First State Programme on the Great Return, the video prepared by the State Committee as part of its awareness-raising and outreach activities concerning the threat posed by landmines calls on people to remain vigilant and comply with the requirements of warning signs. Alongside the relevant clearance operations carried out in the territories liberated from occupation to eliminate the threat posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war, awareness-raising activities among the population are also being conducted. In this regard, the next event was held among families returning to the city of Khojavand.
At the event held at the State Committee, internally displaced persons were provided with information on social protection measures, including the fact that the unified monthly allowance remains in effect for a period of three years for persons who have returned to their permanent place of residence. Video materials prepared on the threat posed by landmines were also shown to the internally displaced persons.
