Nansen Refugee Award honours Kyrgyz lawyer for work with stateless people

Human rights lawyer Azizbek Ashurov speaks at the Nansen Refugee Award

The 2019 winner of the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award is Azizbek Ashurov, a lawyer whose work has supported the efforts of the Kyrgyz Republic in becoming the first country in the world to end statelessness.

On Monday night, IKEA managers from 24 countries were happy to witness Ashurov receive his award, as special guests at the ceremony in Geneva. The event was hosted by UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and supported by the IKEA Foundation and the Canton of Geneva.

Millions of people around the world are stateless, which means they are not recognised as a national of any country. Deprived of legal rights and basic services, stateless people are marginalised and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

The right to a future

Motivated by his own family’s difficult experience of achieving citizenship after arriving from Uzbekistan, Ashurov offered free legal advice and assistance to displaced, stateless and undocumented people in southern Kyrgyzstan. He said: “I realised that if it was this difficult for me, with my education, and as a lawyer, then imagine how hard it must be for an ordinary person.”

Through his organisation he has helped over 10,000 people gain Kyrgyz nationality after they became stateless following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Among them, some 2,000 children will now have the right to an education and a future with the freedom to travel, marry and work.

Opportunities for refugees

Earlier in the day, IKEA leaders gathered at the IKEA Geneva store to discuss how we can create a better everyday life and more opportunities for refugees.

Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO of Chobani, another company leading the way in making a stand for refugees, said: “Coming together in an IKEA store discussing this serious human issue is inspiring to me. There is magic in bringing people together to create opportunities for others to shine. When a refugee gets a job he stops being a refugee.”

Read more about Nansen Award winner Azizbek Ashurov.

Partner

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
https://www.unhcr.org/

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  • #DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
🌍 Today, more than 78% of the world’s refugees are trapped in protracted situations. Acknowledging this reality, we announce our partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

Together, we are committed to supporting forcibly displaced people on their path towards self-reliance. 🤝✨
We recognize the importance of empowering displaced individuals, improving livelihoods, and fostering resilient communities.

🔗 Follow the link in our bio to read the complete article.

#ForcedToFlee #Refugees
🌍 Today, more than 78% of the world’s refugees are trapped in protracted situations. Acknowledging this reality, we announce our partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). Together, we are committed to supporting forcibly displaced people on their path towards self-reliance. 🤝✨ We recognize the importance of empowering displaced individuals, improving livelihoods, and fostering resilient communities. 🔗 Follow the link in our bio to read the complete article. #ForcedToFlee #Refugees
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💡 Shifting the hospitals and clinics to clean energy helps cut emissions in a sector that accounts for about 4.4% of the global figure, according to a study by Health Care Without Harm (@healthcarewithoutharm)
 
☀️ We are proud to support SELCO Foundation’s ‘Energy for Health’ initiative, along with the Indian Health Ministry. This initiative aims to solarize 25,000 healthcare centres across the country by 2026.

Read the complete article by @apnews. Follow the link in our bio. 

@selcoofficial #EnergyForHealth #SolarPower #RenewableEnergy
💡 Shifting the hospitals and clinics to clean energy helps cut emissions in a sector that accounts for about 4.4% of the global figure, according to a study by Health Care Without Harm (@healthcarewithoutharm) ☀️ We are proud to support SELCO Foundation’s ‘Energy for Health’ initiative, along with the Indian Health Ministry. This initiative aims to solarize 25,000 healthcare centres across the country by 2026. Read the complete article by @apnews. Follow the link in our bio. @selcoofficial #EnergyForHealth #SolarPower #RenewableEnergy
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#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

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#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
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