Addressing the Challenges of Fighters and Families Returning from Conflict Zones
Following the territorial defeat of Da’esh in 2019, an estimated 70,000 persons, including fighters suspected of having committed crimes as well as women and children who are victims, found themselves detained in camps and prisons in the conflict zone where today, more than four years later, most remain. The conditions of the prisons and camps are below human dignity, and the situation poses significant challenges to return. While some Member States have increased efforts to protect, rehabilitate, reintegrate and, where appropriate, prosecute their nationals, many continue to face operational and technical barriers.
This side event will bring together Member States and civil society organizations with direct experience working with those returned from conflict zones to discuss their successes and challenges, so that others may seek ways to overcome these challenges in their particular context. Support available to Member States will also be discussed.