By SPA
United Nations : The Arab League is set to work with the United Nations refugee agency and other international organizations on a fundraising and public awareness campaign to assist displaced Iraqis.
The campaign, announced in a statement by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is entitled “Arabs Hand-in-Hand with Iraqis.”
The initiative launched on Friday and coverage will be provided by Arab satellite television, including Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, and Egyptian satellite, UNHCR said.
“The Iraqi people have suffered extreme hardship. Women, children, entire families have witnessed terrible violence and despair. They have left behind families, homes, belongings, and memories – their entire lives,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres.
“The aim is to raise awareness of the refugees’ plight through advertising, feature stories, documentaries, refugee testimonials and call for donations,” UNHCR said.
A day earlier, a national survey conducted by the Iraqi government and the World Health Organization released a report that revealed around 151,000 Iraqis have been killed since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. The World Health Organization said that figure was up to three times higher than recorded by the media.