Press Statement

Istanbul, Turkey - 6 September 2022

In light of the escalating conflicts around the world, and the economic and social challenges that affect the lives of people in different areas in need, the initiatives to empower the youth and poor families have declined despite their significance. According to international law, the International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights recognizes the right of everyone to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family including food, clothing, shelter, and continuous improvement of his living conditions by working systematically and gradually to shift from the philosophy of fighting poverty through relief programs towards developmental initiatives. In addition, the new approach should invest in economic empowerment and building the capacities of poor and marginalized families, enabling them to become self-reliant.

In light of the difficult humanitarian reality we live in today, depicted in areas in need around the world, and considering the evidenced positive and sustainable impact of the development and empowerment process on poor families, we aim through this press conference and in partnership with various donor institutions around the world to launch the humanitarian campaign titled “Let’s Empower Them”. The campaign aims to empower poor and needy families through integrated interventions to become self-reliant and end their dependence on aid. Such initiatives include:

• Restoration of the uninhabitable family home
• Providing the necessary treatment for family patients
• Supporting the education of family members
• Qualifying and employing a family member to provide a permanent income that stops the family's dependence on aid.

Accordingly, we invite the donor institutions around the world to participate with us in this campaign and direct the donations of countries and philanthropists to an integrated development and empowerment framework that preserves human dignity, supports resilience, and improves life quality. This can be fulfilled through serious and urgent steps, which include:

• We call on international and donor institutions to enhance and integrate their efforts through well-coordinated development interventions that can contribute to empowering poor families in needy areas around the world.
• We call on international institutions and donors to pay special attention to refugees in their areas of refugee and to work on improving their living conditions by focusing on development and empowerment projects for poor families in particular.

Finally, yet importantly, we extend our thanks and appreciation to all the institutions that have contributed to alleviating human suffering everywhere, especially those that have effectively contributed to leaving a positive and sustainable impact on the lives of poor families. The conditions of needy families in areas of need require all of us to integrate our efforts to empower them.

Press Statement of the Launching of the International Humanitarian Campaign

“Let’s Empower Them”