THE EDITOR: The San Juan Muslim Ladies Organisation joins with the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association, the many religious leaders, organisations, NGOs, CBOs, women's organisations as well as Human Rights Watch and other international human rights organisations that are calling on the Government to expedite the repatriation, reunification and reintegration of 72 children and 25 women who are all citizens of TT and are languishing in refugee camps in Syria.

International Women's Day 2023 is being commemorated at a time when the national community here in TT has been receiving shocking details of the plight of these internationally displaced people in certain refugee camps and detention facilities in the northeast part of Syria and Iraq.

These children and women are all citizens of TT who are languishing in camps under horrendous conditions.

Recently, the reputable independent international organisation known as Human Rights Watch published and presented a report on the plight of these displaced nationals and called on the Government to expedite their repatriation, reunification and reintegration.

As we celebrate the significant strides being made by women globally in this digital era and we remind ourselves of the need to promote gender equality, we must take stock of the suffering being experienced by these very vulnerable citizens.

The San Juan Muslim Ladies Organisation is a non-governmental organisation that has been in existence since 1958 serving the communities of El Socorro, Aranjuez, Barataria, San Juan and environs. Our focus has been on the empowerment of girls and women.

We recognise that these displaced people are victims who have been exposed to traumatic events and will need tremendous love, support and care in their reintegration into society.

We are willing to collaborate with the national authorities, the relatives, civil society and all the critical stakeholders to ensure a dignified and expedited repatriation and reintegration effort.

Since 2019, there have been news reports about the Government's willingness to repatriate. However, we believe there is no need for legislation as we have participated in numerous activities that led to a modernised legal framework that is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the many other improved administrative frameworks that exist with respect to families and, more so, children.

Political will is all that is required and we are aware that the relatives have already developed a social contract and are willing to collaborate with the state agencies and other stakeholders to ensure a process that can even be a model for the rest of the world.

We recognise that this is a humanitarian crisis of global proportions and these women and children should be brought back home with dignity and speedily. The reunification with families is in the best interest of these children, 56 of whom are below the age of 12 years

The holy month of Ramadan is on our doorsteps and as we celebrate International Women's Day, we pray for a speed