ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian parliament on Thursday ratified a legislation that gives employment and education rights to the estimated 906,000 refugees living in Ethiopia.
The legislation allows refugees to apply and receive educational opportunities and gives refugees the right to travel and work across Ethiopia. However, refugees are prohibited from being employed in Ethiopia's intelligence, defense and diplomatic sectors.
The approved refugee rights legislation is part of Ethiopia's commitment towards the implementation of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF).
Launched in 2017, the CRRF aims to transform the socio-economic condition of refugees in Ethiopia through the provision of education, training and employment opportunities.
The framework, among other things, aims to enhance refugee self-reliance and inclusion, provide refugees with better possibilities for solutions to their plight, and ease pressure on host countries.
According to the UNHCR, Ethiopia is host to refugees from around 26 countries, including Eritrea, South Sudan, Somalia and Sudan, according to figures from the Ethiopian government.