2013 ANNUAL TRIPARTITE CONSULTATIONS ON RESETTLEMENT

Transcription

1 2013 ANNUAL TRIPARTITE CONSULTATIONS ON RESETTLEMENT The 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) bringing together government, NGO and inter-governmental bodies involved in refugee resettlement was held in Geneva from 1-3 July. Chaired this year by Canada, the ATCR was attended by 68 representatives of 29 governments, 47 NGO delegates from 19 countries, 3 refugee representatives from 3 countries, 48 staff of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 12 staff of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and representatives of the European Union and the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees. Australia was represented by three Australian NGO representatives (Paul Power, CEO, Refugee Council of Australia [RCOA]; Dr Melika Sheikh-Eldin, Manager, Settlement Delivery Support Services, AMES Victoria and RCOA Board member; and Cedric Manen, chairperson of Settlement Council of Australia), four representatives of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (Jim O Callaghan, Romany Nanayakkara, Kate O Malley and Susan Love) and refugee representative Alfred Kamara, a former refugee from Liberia who is Work Experience Coordinator with Access Community Services in Logan, Queensland. Involvement of refugee representatives The practice of including designated refugee representatives, developed during Australia s year as chair in 2012 at the suggestion of RCOA, was continued with three refugee representatives Alfred Kamara from Australia, Bertine Bahige from USA and Tehseen Ahmed from Canada given prominent positions on the agenda to speak about their own experiences and issues of concern to them. Mr Bahige, a former refugee from Rwanda resettled from the Democratic Republic of Congo, spoke about his life as a teacher, soccer coach and Spanish translator in Wyoming. Mr Ahmed spoke about his life as a gay man in Pakistan, the circumstances which forced him to flee to Afghanistan and his resettlement to Canada as a refugee. Mr Kamara outlined his flight from Liberia to Guinea as an unaccompanied minor, his eventual resettlement in Brisbane and his current work in employment support (see Attachment C). Each spoke as panellists in other discussions Mr Ahmed on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) refugees and Mr Kamara and Mr Bahige on engaging the media with the personal stories of refugees. Opening remarks by UN High Commissioner and Canadian Ambassador UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, spoke in the opening session of the ATCR, noting that, when he became High Commissioner in 2005, there were mixed feelings within UNHCR about resettlement because of the fear that it may work as a pull factor and a barrier to refugees accepting voluntary repatriation. However, Mr Guterres said, he never shared that view because of the way in which resettlement transforms the lives of refugees and its potential as a strategic protection tool. In his remarks, Mr Guterres: Appealed to states to increase their commitment to resettlement. Stressed that it was very important that resettlement represents an opportunity for all and that restrictive practices are not a factor in the selection of refugees for resettlement. Each refugee is a person not a member of a nationality that may be regarded as a potential security threat, he said. Spoke of the multiplication of new crises and the failure to resolve old ones, with the international community demonstrating little capacity to resolve conflicts. Said that it was possible to forecast greater forced displacement with population growth, food insecurity, water shortages, climate change and urbanisation all contributing to increased movement. He suggested that, at some point, it might make sense to look at what role Suite 4A6, 410 Elizabeth Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia Phone: (02) Fax: (02) info@refugeecouncil.org.au Web: Incorporated in ACT ABN The Refugee Council of Australia represents non-government organisations and individuals working with and for refugees in Australia and around the world

2 resettlement might play in relation to complex matters of forced displacement, referring to the Nansen Initiative (which looks at issues of disaster-induced cross-border displacement). Supported the need for resettlement to be used not only in protracted situations but also in emergencies, citing the Syrian refugee crisis as one where states and UNHCR could work together on resettlement strategies which could be used for future conflicts with the same level of brutality. Expressed his enthusiasm for efforts to develop a more comprehensive plan to resettle Congolese refugees, supporting the goal of resettling 50,000 refugees in total over six years from Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Appealed to resettlement states not to forget Somali refugees, saying that they were suffering greater discrimination in countries of asylum, including in South Africa. The Canadian Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Elissa Golberg, followed Mr Guterres, noting that the average length of displacement for refugees had grown from nine years in the 1990s to an average of 20 years today. She spoke about refugees being unable to seek wage-earning employment, women and girls being subjected to violence and the tragedy of the unrealised potential of refugees in protracted situations. Systematic approaches to resolving protracted refugee situations remained elusive, Ms Golberg said, stressing the importance of leveraging solutions for refugees who remain in countries of asylum while others are resettled. The negative discussion about refugees playing out in some countries was a cause for alarm, she said. She then recounted the story of her grandmother and mother, Polish Jews who fled to France in the 1930s and were sent into hiding by her grandfather who was arrested and ultimately executed in Auschwitz. Ms Golberg s mother and grandmother were resettled in Canada, receiving their resettlement papers on 10 December 1948, the day the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. NGO statement The NGO delegates worked together in developing a joint statement, coordinated and presented by the NGO Focal Point, Chris Friesen of the Canadian National Settlement Council. The NGO statement (see Attachment B) highlighted: The desperate need to expand the number of global resettlement places, praising Australia s expansion by 6000 places as a positive example for other countries. NGO concern about some states playing off resettlement against asylum and positioning resettlement as the preferred or right way to seek protection, noting that public denigration of people seeking asylum was undermining public support for all refugees. The need for a more flexible definition of family by resettlement states, stressing the importance of extended families being resettled to the same country. Concern about barriers to citizenship in some resettlement countries which put resettled refugees and their children at risk of becoming stateless. The importance of planning for resettlement of Syrian refugees. The need for greater resettlement of Rohingya, Colombian, Congolese and Eritrean refugees and unaccompanied minors. The value and importance of refugees being centrally involved in all aspects of resettlement, from program planning to service delivery. Main themes The three-day meeting focused on a series of themes: Reporting on trends in resettlement in the past year and providing states and NGOs with an overview of UNHCR perspectives on resettlement needs in the coming year. Discussing progress on a series of selected priority refugee situations to which UNHCR and states are attempting to respond through resettlement. Sharing information on issues related to the planning of resettlement programs and pre-departure processing. Discussing strategies for post-arrival support of resettled refugees. Resettlement trends in 2012 During 2012, 69,252 refugees from 79 countries of origin were resettled from 80 countries of asylum to 26 countries of resettlement through UNHCR s referral processes. This figure does not include RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 2

3 another 19,300 refugees resettled during the year by states without UNHCR making the initial referral. UNHCR s 2012 Global Trends document records 88,578 refugee arrivals in resettlement states, based on statistics provided by those states. As Table 1 illustrates, the number of resettlement departures of UNHCR-referred refugees was 12% higher than in 2011 but was 22% lower than the recent peak year of The number of submissions for resettlement from UNHCR to states has also declined, in the light of a backlog of resettlement cases still being considered and UNHCR s efforts to better match submissions to numbers of resettlement places available. Table 1: Summary of resettlement statistics UNHCR resettlement submissions 1 74,835 91, , , ,214 Resettlement departures 69,252 61,649 72,914 84,657 65,859 Countries of asylum Countries of asylum Countries of resettlement In 2012, the largest resettlement programs were from Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand and Turkey with the main beneficiaries of resettlement being refugees from Burma, Bhutan, Iraq and Somalia. As in previous years, the key resettlement states were USA, Australia, Canada and Sweden. Table 2: Top 10: UNHCR resettlement departures 2012 Rank Country of Refugees Country of Refugees Country of Refugees origin resettled asylum resettled resettlement resettled 1 Burma 17,359 Nepal 16,754 USA 53,053 2 Bhutan 16,674 Malaysia 10,489 Australia 5,079 3 Iraq 13,556 Thailand 7,274 Canada 4,755 4 Somalia 6,610 Turkey 5,929 Sweden 1,483 5 DR Congo 2,722 Jordan 3,534 Norway 1,137 6 Afghanistan 2,626 Syria 3,501 UK Eritrea 2,120 Lebanon 2,979 Finland Iran 2,059 Kenya 2,659 New Zealand Sudan 1,483 Ethiopia 2,618 Denmark Ethiopia 1,308 Tunisia 1,933 Germany 323 All others 2,735 All others 11,582 All others 627 TOTAL 69,252 69,252 69,252 UNHCR s 2012 Global Trends document records that the 88,578 refugee resettlement arrivals through UNHCR and non-unhcr processes were to: United States 66,289, Canada 9,624, Australia 5,937, Sweden 1,873, Norway 1,228, United Kingdom 1,039, New Zealand 781, Finland 731, Denmark 476, Germany 307, Spain 80, France 62, Brazil 39, Ireland 39, Portugal 27, Philippines 15, Iceland 9, Uruguay 9, Argentina 8, Chile 3, Hungary 1 and Liechtenstein 1. These figures are based on arrivals during the 2012 calendar year and, as a result, do not record the significant increase in resettlement to Australia, as the majority of the 12,000 resettled refugees granted visas during the financial year will arrive in the 2013 calendar year. Global resettlement needs in 2014 UNHCR estimates that 690,915 of the 10.5 million refugees under its mandate will be in need of resettlement in However, it anticipates that it will have a maximum of only 86,000 resettlement places available for referral by UNHCR next year. As a result, it is planning to submit the cases of 94,113 refugees for consideration by resettlement states in 2014, as Table 3 illustrates. The total number of refugees identified as being in need of resettlement is 20% lower than the number projected for 2013 (859,300 persons). This is a result of a more conservative approach by UNHCR to multi-year planning for resettlement and a significant revision of resettlement needs in large protracted situations in countries such as Pakistan, Turkey and Yemen. The 2014 estimate also does not include refugees from Syria, due to the rapidly evolving nature of the situation. However, UNHCR expects to 1 The number of resettlement submissions from UNHCR to states, and the number of refugees departed reflect the number of persons involved rather than cases or families. RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 3

4 issue an appeal for resettlement of Syrian refugees to resettlement states once it has adequately assessed the need. Table 3: UNHCR projected global resettlement needs, 2014 Region or sub-region of asylum Total 2014 projected resettlement needs UNHCR submissions planned for 2014 Central Africa and Great Lakes 43,648 11,517 East and Horn of Africa 272,271 19,675 Southern Africa 18,655 5,440 West Africa 5, Africa total 340,267 37,466 Americas total 30,288 2,114 East Asia and the Pacific 140,614 20,523 Southwest Asia 114,110 8,000 South Asia 10,249 7,936 Central Asia Asia total 265,447 36,833 South-Eastern Europe 20,500 8,475 Eastern Europe Europe total 21,075 9,050 Middle East 28,577 6,355 North Africa 5,261 2,295 Middle East and North Africa total 33,838 8,650 TOTAL 690,915 94,113 Priority refugee situations The Working Group on Resettlement, which brings together UNHCR, states and some NGOs between annual ATCR gatherings, has progressively identified a series of priority refugee situations in which enhanced cooperation between UNHCR and resettlement states might maximise protection solutions for refugees, including through more effective cooperation with countries of asylum. Current priority situations are: Somali refugees in Kenya; Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan; refugees of different backgrounds in Turkey; Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon; Colombian refugees in Ecuador; and Congolese refugees in Africa. For each situation, ATCR delegates discussed recent achievements, current challenges and future plans. Among matters discussed were: Somalis the difficulties in obtaining security clearances in resettlement countries for Somali refugees, the impacts of the Kenyan Government s attempts to force Somali refugees out of Nairobi into refugee camps, and the changes within Somalia which are improving the prospects of voluntary return for some refugees. Afghans the formation in December of a Contact Group in Pakistan (chaired by Australia) to increase dialogue between resettlement states and the Government of Pakistan; the fears of Afghan refugees about the prospect of forced return from Pakistan and the implications of the 2014 withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan; and the role that the modest resettlement of refugees has played in improving dialogue with the Government of Iran. Turkey the abolition in April of fees for residence permits for asylum seekers and refugees and improvements in access to medical care; and the greater pressure in Turkey caused by the recent influx of 500,000 Syrian refugees. Iraqis in the Middle East the expanded use of videoconferencing by some resettlement states (most notably Australia) to ensure that resettlement interviews for Iraqi refugees in Syria continue despite the states inability to get visas into Syria for their staff, with UNHCR staff and interpreters in Syria putting themselves at considerable risk to continue the videoconferencing in the face of a brutal civil war in the country. Colombians in Ecuador the increasing difficulties Colombians who have fled their country s civil war are experiencing in getting a fair hearing for their claims of refugee status, with the refugee recognition rate falling from 89% in 2009 to just 4% in the first quarter of 2013 despite no significant changes in the profiles of new arrivals or the conditions in their country of origin. RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 4

5 Congolese the decision of the Working Group on Resettlement in February 2013 to designate the situation of Congolese refugees in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa as a priority situation in view of the continuing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the complicated nature of past displacement, with many refugees displaced for 14 or 17 years. Planning of resettlement programs and pre-departure issues Among the matters discussed relating to resettlement planning prior to departure were: Operational tools, challenges and guidelines for Best Interest Assessments for children and youth, including complex cases involving unresolved custody issues, abandonment of fostered children and protocols on contacting the other parent in cases involving domestic violence and children born of rape. Strategies to prepare for the resettlement of refugee groups which are new to resettlement states, with discussion focusing on Congolese refugees and Chin refugees from Malaysia. Jim O Callaghan of DIAC shared Australia s experience with Chin refugees as part of Australia s efforts to encourage other states to become involved in resettlement from Malaysia. The discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) refugees in their countries of origin and asylum, with discussion focusing on strategies to support LGBTI refugees who are isolated by their communities and to train national and international UNHCR staff and interpreters to understand the protection needs of LGBTI individuals. Post arrival support of resettled refugees The post-arrival support issues discussed included: Strategies for assisting refugees into employment, with presentations including video links with Robert Mulas, principal of Fairfield High School in Sydney, Gerry Meleady of the Australian Business and Community Network and Par Larshans of Sweden s Max Hamburger restaurant chain. The settlement of vulnerable groups of refugees, with workshops focusing on women and girls at risk, unaccompanied and separated children and refugees with mental health issues. As part of the workshop on women and girls at risk, Dr Melika Sheikh-Eldin shared AMES experience in working with this group. Experiences with settling refugees in states with new and small-scale resettlement programs. The development by IOM of common cultural and health profiles on refugee communities to be shared with domestic resettlement partners. Engaging the media in covering issues of resettlement and building awareness in communities where resettlement is taking place. Further reading UNHCR Projected Global Resettlement Needs Documents from ATCR meetings Other key UNHCR documents on resettlement The Integration of Resettled Refugees: Essentials for Establishing a Resettlement Programme and Fundamentals for Sustainable Resettlement Programmes, a UNHCR guide for new resettlement states RCOA media release Australia s doubling of Refugee Program praised in global resettlement forum, 4 July Refugee Resettlement: 2012 and beyond, UNHCR research paper by Margaret Piper (University of Sydney), Paul Power (Refugee Council of Australia) and Graham Thom (Amnesty International Australia) Paul Power CEO, Refugee Council of Australia July 2013 RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 5

6 ATTACHMENT A UNHCR STATISTICS ON RESETTLEMENT SUBMISSIONS In its Projected Global Resettlement Needs 2014, UNHCR provides a series of statistics on resettlement submissions and departures in 2012 which provide insights into how resettlement states are responding to UNHCR requests to resettle refugees. 2 Table 4: Acceptance rates of UNHCR submissions in 2012, by country of origin Country of origin Cases submitted 3 Cases accepted Bhutan 2, % Burma 10, % Iraq 4, % Eritrea % Iran 1, % Sudan 1, % Democratic Republic of Congo 1, % Somalia 2, % Afghanistan 1, % Colombia % All others 1, % TOTAL 28, % Table 5: UNHCR resettlement by priority category, 2012 UNHCR priority category Persons submitted Cases accepted 4 Persons departed Normal 67, % 62,574 Urgent 6, % 6,253 Emergency % 425 TOTAL 74, % 69,252 Table 6: UNHCR resettlement by submission category, 2012 Category Persons submitted Cases accept a ccepted ed Persons departed Legal and/or physical protection needs 31, % 26,518 Lack of foreseeable durable solutions 19, % 24,565 Survivors of violence and/or torture 12, % 9,521 Women and girls at risk 8, % 5,307 Medical needs 2, % 2,084 Family reunification % 663 Children and adolescents at risk % 351 Older refugees % 243 TOTAL 74, % 69,252 Table 7: Submissions under the Women and Girls at Risk Category, 2012 Asylum country Persons submitted Persons departed Iran 1,207 1,006 Malaysia Turkey Kenya Ethiopia Egypt Rwanda Thailand Syria Nepal All others 3,157 1,669 TOTAL 8,709 5,307 2 Note that submissions, acceptances and departures do not necessarily occur within the same calendar year. 3 Cases refer to an individual or a family unit, with many cases involving more than one person. 4 Acceptance rate is based on cases submitted (often more than one person) rather than persons submitted. 5 Older refugees was removed as a separate submissions category in These represent cases commenced prior to this change. RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 6

7 Table 8: Protracted refugee situations where resettlement takes place, Comparison of UNHCR resettlement submissions and departures Submissions Departures Country of origin Country of Total asylum population Afghanistan Pakistan 1,701, , Iran 840, ,453 1, ,427 Somalia Kenya 517,666 8,143 8,439 2,170 2,776 2,102 1,442 Burma Thailand 88,148 11,142 7,766 6,532 10,825 9,214 6,845 Malaysia 81,146 12,291 13,217 15,103 7,888 8,274 10,308 Iraq Syria 100,254 12,918 8,708 2,061 6,419 4,270 3,293 Lebanon 8,491 2,920 3,138 1,698 1, ,807 Jordan 32,197 5,909 3,378 1,481 3, ,229 Bhutan Nepal 54,995 20,617 13,092 9,922 14,809 18,068 16,674 Eritrea Sudan 68, DR Congo Tanzania 61, , Burundi 35, Rwanda 54, ,315 2, Uganda 81, , Colombia Ecuador 54,243 1, , Mixed population Turkey 14,465 6,682 6,472 7,913 5,335 4,388 5,929 6 Population of UNHCR assisted refugees, as at 31 December 2011 RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 7

8 ATTACHMENT B NGO STATEMENT 2013 ANNUAL TRIPARTITE CONSULTATIONS ON RESETTLEMENT Current state of refugees and resettlement The number of people currently in situations of displacement has hit 45 million worldwide, the highest figure for 14 years according to the UNHCR. While the global resettlement needs now stands at almost 700,000, not including the massive outflow of refugees fleeing the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic, the number of annual quota places for UNHCR submissions sits at 86,000, roughly 1/8th of the actual need. Under these mind numbing statistics are an equal number of personal stories of perseverance and resilience after facing life changing atrocities that the average citizen in our respective countries cannot and will not fully comprehend. Whether it is a 15 year old young man fleeing rebel forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo after being kidnapped, a Pakistani university student fighting for human rights for the LGBT community or a young boy an unaccompanied minor, who fled his home country of Liberia, after having lost his entire family and spending 7 years in a refugee camp these are among the millions of stories of refugees worldwide. The difference that resettlement can make in one s life is not only a moral imperative on the grounds of international protection but as you will hear first hand over the next three days, contributes to the rich diversity of civil society not to mention the enormous contributions resettled refugees can make in their new homeland when given the chance, as current and future citizens. NGOs continue to urge both traditional and new and emerging States to reaffirm their commitment to resettlement, but equally important, increase the number of resettlement spaces in order to lessen the growing numbers of refugees found in protracted situations and other acute protection risks, without any possibility of local integration or repatriation. While there remains a significant gap between resettlement spaces and needs, we want to applaud Australia, which increased their resettlement target by 6,000, essentially doubling the number of spaces, while encouraging other resettlement States to follow. We are disappointed that some States who have made resettlement commitments are not meeting their established targets. We welcome the beginning of resettlement programs and/or the initial arrival of resettled refugees to Germany, Spain and Belgium. To date 27 States have heeded the call and maintain some form of resettlement schemes. We are particularly encouraged by a number of smaller States that have embarked on resettlement schemes for the first time, including Bulgaria, and hope that the Republic of Korea will join the resettlement community in the near future. We also urge States to consider other resettlement avenues to increase the number of resettled refugees, such as the private refugee sponsorship program that directly engages civil society actors in refugee resettlement, from the beginning of the process to successful integration. We would like to commend States for their commitment to resettling Iraqi refugees, etc from Syria despite the many practical problems, through conducting interviews by videoconference, accepting referrals from UNHCR on a dossier basis and using the Emergency Transit Centre in Romania. We applaud Canada s extension of their multi-year resettlement commitment of Iraqi refugees out of Turkey and Syria. The Syrian crisis has once again highlighted the critical importance of continuing and expanding resettlement because of the high protection risks faced by refugees. Syrian refugee situation The world watches on the sidelines the horrors of the daily plight of Syrian citizens fleeing their homes and country at an ever-more-alarming rate over 1 million people in the last 6 months alone. NGOs express our collective appreciation for the inclusion of a lengthy discussion on the Middle East situation including Syrian resettlement in this year s ATCR agenda. As we know, an estimated 3,000 Syrians cross international borders on a daily basis in search of safety, and it is thought that the number of Syrian refugees in neighboring countries will reach the astronomical number of 3.45 million by the end of We remain supportive of the current practice of States resettling small numbers of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees, and we are also encouraged by the overtures of several States to begin to consider larger scale resettlement for those for whom there is no other options at this time. However, NGOs would also like to use the opportunity presented by the ATCR to engage in strategic, tripartite discussions with our State and UNHCR colleagues about what planning needs to start happening now RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 8

9 for potential significant resettlement in the near future. Starting the coordination for this effort is essential, particularly because of the challenges that security concerns and the high numbers of Syrian refugees with medical cases could present. With no immediate solution to the conflict in Syria in sight, it is now the time for the global resettlement community to come together to ensure that we are prepared and ready to resettle Syrian refugees who will need to start their lives anew in our respective countries. Pre-arrival planning moving towards new information tools In way of pre-arrival planning for future resettled Syrians but also for other current and future multi-year, multi-lateral resettlement commitments it is now time to move forward and finalize two planning tools/templates refugee health profile and refugee cultural profile that brings together the best of what is currently available from our US and IOM colleagues into a generally accepted new international standard. The integration process of resettled refugees begins with better advance planning by various resettlement partners in conjunction with other local community stakeholders. Having systematic advanced key information on specific refugee populations, as outlined in a proposed health and cultural profile template, following our earlier Working Group on Resettlement discussions, will provide much needed advance information on a consistent and better-coordinated manner among States and resettlement partners. NGOs want to stress that the overarching goal of these proposed information templates is to ensure support, programs and resources are in place in advance to refugee arrival in order to better facilitate their integration outcomes. One must never use these proposed information tools as a means to exclude refugees needing protection as a durable solution. Refugee resettlement must remain first and foremost a tool of protection and protection must be the main motivation for States resettlement schemes and subsequent, refugee selection. Often the most vulnerable are also the most marginalized in terms of education, training, health and social capital. Having critically important advance information sets the foundation for better support and integration. Naturalization and Citizenship While the path to citizenship for resettled refugees is clear in some States, NGOs wish to express deep concern about the barriers to naturalization still found in many other States. For a refugee to remain stateless even after resettlement is unacceptable. The lack of a clear pathway to citizenship perpetuates the next generations into statelessness and hinders a refugee s ability to integrate and fully contribute to their new home country. We applaud the focused discussion on labour market integration within ATCR. However, with honest intent and respect, we are struck by the irony that while States become increasingly concerned by the lack of labour market outcomes for some resettled refugees they do not necessarily see the correlation or impact between labour market outcomes and the lack of naturalization. The lack of opportunity to apply for citizenship in one's new homeland can create systemic barriers used by some employers to discriminate refugees wanting to join the labour market. Compounding this situation is also the fact that many refugees in this situation may experience a sense of exclusiveness within society prolonging their desire for integration. As UNHCR and states prepare for next year s 60th anniversary of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, all receiving States must commit themselves to providing accessibility to citizenship for all resettled refugees and resolve once and for all the statelessness of previously resettled refugees and their children. Keeping with the issue of citizenship, Canadian NGOs are concerned that the recent regulatory changes to Canadian citizenship have created new barriers that significantly disadvantage refugees with limited formal education and language skills to apply for citizenship. Efforts must be made to recognize their special challenges and facilitate refugees complete social inclusion. Definition of Family within resettlement schemes NGOs wish to express our concern regarding extended families which are being separated by resettlement to different countries. The application of a very narrow definition of family is leaving many resettled families quite isolated and struggling to integrate into a new society without the practical and financial support extended families are able to offer. This definition of family is resulting in young adult family members being left behind in countries of asylum which, at its worst, has resulted in young women being forced into prostitution to survive. We urge states to review the impacts of their current definitions of family and also to consider ways in which family members separated by resettlement can reunite. We also suggest that as states consider multi-year, multi-lateral resettlement programs that, RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 9

10 whenever possible, they resettle the entire extended family at the same time. From the recent Bhutanese resettlement program out of Nepal, we have seen noticeable positive impact when States resettle when families are together, the entire extended family intact. The Bhutanese resettlement process with UNHCR, IOM and States working together more efficiently has emerged in our opinion as a best practice for future multi-year, multi-lateral commitments elsewhere in the world. Unaccompanied Refugee Minors NGOs are encouraged by the inclusion of discussion on Best Interest Determinations and integration of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors in this year s discussions. We strongly encourage States to explore the expansion of Best Interest Determinations for this population and to expand the possibility of resettlement of these extremely vulnerable refugees within their resettlement and integration programs. Link between the Annual NGO Consultations and ATCR Several weeks ago the Annual NGO Consultations were held in Geneva but not all NGOs that wished to attend could due to budgetary constraints, as they had to decide whether to attend the ATCR or NGO Consultations. Ensuring that NGOs can participate at both the Annual NGO Consultations and ATCR is of paramount importance to us. We must strive for closer links and specifically, review the timing of these two events in the very near future. A formal linkage between the ATCR and the NGO Consultations can serve as an important tool to better engage civil society in increasing support for resettlement. We believe that not only is it important for the Consultation participants to be aware of the discussions that take place at the ATCR, it is also very important that ATCR delegates have the opportunity to learn what resettlement issues are raised at the Consultations. These dialogues can help to inform our deliberations through the incorporation of the perspectives of the broader NGO community that works on displacement issues around the world. We would recommend that future ATCR deliberations include as a core agenda item a report from the NGO Consultations. Emerging Priority Refugee Situations Innovative responses to reach nontraditional resettlement sites With the understandable world-wide focus on the Syrian crisis, we must not lose focus on other UNHCR current and emerging priority refugee situations. Some refugee populations continue to face insurmountable barriers in accessing resettlement. We need to urgently explore new and innovative ways to overcome these barriers such as the use of video conferencing or transferring refugees to another part of a country as is the case with the US decision to transfer Somali refugees from Dadaab to Kakuma refugee camp as the situation of insecurity, risk of arrest/detention, restricted freedom of movement and intransigent governments heighten refugee s need for resettlement. It is also important to NGOs that resettlement is considered for refugees who are scattered in urban areas or remote, neglected locations from where resettlement has not historically taken place. We encourage States and UNHCR to support resettlement for refugees who do not live in traditional resettlement sites. We recognize that doing so will likely require additional collaboration between UNHCR and NGOs in order to help identify refugees for resettlement. Rohingya Crisis NGOs would like to see future WGR and ATCR agendas include time for strategizing on how best to address the protracted Rohingya crisis. In spite of the political reform process that the government of Myanmar is undeniably making, it is clear that until sustainable resolutions are found that will allow the Rohingya to live in peace and security in Myanmar, resettlement must be prioritized as a durable solution for this population. Following the inter-communal violence that rocked Rakhine State last year, and the continuing deterioration of the protection space for Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Myanmar, increasing numbers of women and children are now also joining the stream of asylum seekers as the overall number of boat departures increases. In short, the situation for Rohingya, both in and outside of Myanmar, has not only not improved, it has significantly worsened. NGOs urge UNHCR to continue to support resettlement of Myanmar refugees in Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia. Colombian refugees in Ecuador NGOs are also appreciative that Colombian refugees in Ecuador remain a priority population for ATCR deliberations. We believe that increased resettlement of Colombians out of Ecuador is extremely important as the protection space for refugees in Ecuador shrinks, and Colombians seeking safety RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 10

11 continue to cross the border every day. However, we would also like to again encourage the inclusion of Colombian refugees in Panama into these discussions. We believe that Panama s asylum system continues to be characterized by an exceedingly restrictive protection environment and a lack of durable solutions. We therefore continue to advocate for the strategic use of resettlement for Colombians in Panama, particularly for cases erroneously denied refugee status, or those that will be made further vulnerable by applying for asylum with the current, largely dysfunctional, decision making process in place. We further recommend that resettlement should also be considered for those particularly vulnerable refugees in the Darien Gap for whom even eventual regularization (as well as those for whom regularization is not an option) will not adequately address their significant vulnerabilities. Congolese refugees NGOs applaud the commitment from UNHCR and States to engage in a significant resettlement initiative for Congolese refugees over the next five years. This is a population for which we have long advocated, and are deeply appreciative of the steps that are being taken to implement a coordinated, regional, multilateral resettlement program for up to 50,000 Congolese refugees in Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. We look forward to partaking in discussion during the ATCR about what gaps, including potential resource gaps, must be addressed in order to see the achievement of this laudable goal. In addition to the identification and referral processes that are currently underway, it is important to note that in the last year alone, an estimated 90,000 new Congolese refugees arrived in Uganda and Rwanda. With renewed fighting in the east, and the increasing instability of the Orientale province, this situation in the DRC is unlikely to improve in the near future. Given the magnitude of this problem, we therefore recommend an ongoing commitment to resettlement for Congolese refugees beyond the 50,000 we hope to see resettled in the relative short term. Eritrean refugees NGOs are deeply concerned about the extremely troubling trend of the kidnapping of Eritrean refugees from refugee camps in Ethiopia and Sudan. Untold numbers of these refugees find themselves sold to traffickers who take them to the Sinai where it is reported that hundreds are held for ransom while they are tortured, raped, and sometimes killed if they are unable to gather the ransom money from family members. Moreover, the recent construction of Israel s border fence with Egypt, and its new, strict asylum laws have resulted in those who are able to escape from the kidnappers being placed in horrific conditions in detention centers in Egypt. Those who make their way to Cairo, including unaccompanied minors, are forced to attempt to survive within the urban refugee population with very limited access to the services they need. We would like to see increased resettlement options for Eritrean refugees, as well as other refugees, in Egypt, and for expedited resettlement to be utilized for those with particularly urgent needs. Transportation and Medical Loans Some NGO s remain concerned that resettled refugees are being issued loans (interest bearing in one case) by certain States, to cover both the refugees' overseas medical examination as well as their transportation to their final destination. Laying a huge debt load on refugees shoulders is unacceptable and negatively impacts the humanitarian nature of resettlement. Besides immigrant loans, we are also disturbed by State changes to health care coverage in certain countries, such as Canada and specifically targeting privately sponsored refugees, which places the burden of paying for medical costs not covered by previous federal health care coverage from their meager household budgets. Engaging the Media Building more Welcoming and Inclusive Communities We support the ATCR agenda item on engaging the media. We believe this should be a starting point - a theme for on-going discussions under the broader focus on how we can collectively build more welcoming and inclusive communities that support the social and economic integration of resettled refugees through the sharing of new and innovative practices that might have some transferability to other States. We are also pleased that previous refugees are an integral part of our discussions in this area. We welcome the opportunity to discuss considerations of what we, as NGOs and states, need to consider when asking refugees to share their personal stories to media on our collective behalf. NGO s remain very concerned by the use of rhetoric by some politicians and media that criminalizes and RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 11

12 vilifies refugees who are seeking asylum in resettlement countries breaks down public support for all refugees. Furthermore, refugees who require more support over a longer period of time in order to integrate are often described by government and in the media as burdens on the taxpayer. Governments need to replace this kind of negative characterization with positive imaging that will build public support for full respect of the human rights of refugees and for resettlement as first and foremost a humanitarian program. Part of the repositioning of key messaging involves recognizing the assets, skills and contributions resettled refugees bring to society as a result of offering resettlement opportunities. UNHCR could also play a stronger role in combating negative discourse. Lastly, we remain concerned that many States continue to play off resettlement against asylum and position resettlement as the preferred or right way to seek protection. This attitude undermines the international system of protection by denigrating asylum; misrepresents the complementary role of resettlement in addressing protection needs; and ignores the fact that most refugees will never have access to resettlement. Inclusion of Previous Refugees as full ATCR Delegates NGOs applaud US, Australia and Canada for allocating resources to ensure that previous resettled refugees from these respective states can fully participate as ATCR delegates. Some of the most successful resettlement policies and programs are those designed, implemented and delivered by people from refugee backgrounds. For resettlement to be effective and sustainable, it is essential that refugees themselves are involved in all stages of the resettlement process, from program planning through to service delivery, not merely as beneficiaries but as active participants. We strongly encourage States and UNHCR to ensure that this principle is reflected in the way they approach resettlement. Looking Ahead As I stated at the February Working Group on Resettlement meeting, the tripartite nature of this global dialogue has never been more important. Our ability to come together as partners to openly discuss, share and learn from each other with honest intent and respect while tackling some of today s most complex challenges confronting refugee resettlement and protection, can and must enhance our collective responsibility to address the growing population of refugees worldwide. Chris Friesen ATCR NGO Focal Point 2013 Director, Settlement Services, Immigrant Services Society of BC National Settlement Council Canada RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 12

13 ATTACHMENT C PRESENTATION BY ALFRED KAMARA,, REFUGEE REPRESENTATIVE FROM AUSTRALIA Born 1974 in Liberia, West Africa, I fled my beloved country in 1989 as a result of civil conflict that lasted for approximately 14 years. I lost family and some of my close relatives. After 7 years in refugee camps in Guinea, I was placed as an Unaccompanied Minor in the care of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)-International Rescue Committee (IRC). I completed my secondary education through the IRC Refugee School system in The following year, I was sponsored by the IRC to undertake vocational studies in Secretarial Science, French and Computer Programming and obtained my Diploma in Secretarial Science and French in I then successfully obtained the Albert Astraim scholarship through the UNHCR to study at the University of Gamal Abdel Nasser in Conakry, Guinea in In 2002, I completed my Bachelor Degree in Telecommunication with Majors in Information Management Technology. It was now time to give back, so I worked with other Liberian refugees to share our experiences and knowledge with disadvantaged students who had limited or no knowledge of information management technology. We established a vocational institution in Guinea-Conakry the Africa School of Computer Literacy - where refugee students had the opportunity to improve their computer skills. To continue the cycle of giving back, teachers and students then assisted other Guineans by tutoring English. My work as an IT Trainer Coordinator spanned four years, teaching many students of refugee backgrounds and French native speakers. Then, once more for fear of persecution in my country of refuge, I had to be resettled again through the Humanitarian Program. In June 2006, I found myself moving to Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. A few months after my arrival, I was referred for English language classes by my settlement organisation and later to an employment services provider. While improving my language skills, I was put forward as a Volunteer IT Assistant at the Mater Hospital and was then recruited into Access Community Services - African Migrant Program to work specifically around building capacity within refugee communities. The project was funded by the federal Department of Education, Employment Development and Innovation. Upon completion of the project, I was employed by Access as an Employment Advisor and later promoted to a Team Leader role under the state government s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative. This role enabled me to work with up to 250 Nationalities per calendar year from refugee backgrounds as a Mentor on employment related issues. In 2009, I was appointed as an Employment Coach within Access multicultural specialist Employment Services Program funded by Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Currently, I am employed as a Work Experience Coordinator and have assisted over 500 job seekers from diverse backgrounds within the Logan/South East Brisbane region to gain work skills and experience through volunteer work, work trial and work experience. I am also very actively involved in my community as volunteer Secretary of the Liberian Association of Queensland, and a member of the Management Committee of the Queensland African Football Association; the peak African Sport and Recreation organisation providing socially inclusive recreational activities for multicultural youth. From my experience living in my first country of refuge, Guinea, where I had to learn French to facilitate my integration within that society, I know well that learning a second language is a huge task especially for the older generation. Living in refugee camps for me was about survival, we faced constant insecurity as a result of attacks by rebels groups from Liberia and continual interrogations by local security group in the camps. My experience working with refugees in the field of employment and labour market integration has shown that success comes down to a number of factors. These include their expectations of the country of refuge and the pathways to employment, which vary per individual. Barriers include lack of work skills and experience to meet the demand of labour market, language, lack of employment history and relevant qualifications, to meet employers demands, mental and physical, driver s licenses, and local work experience. RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 13

14 Since working in this employment role, I quickly learnt that language, local work experience, multi-skills and qualifications are very important in finding employment in Australia. These aspects are not gained in days or month but years. It is a privilege to assist wonderful people to achieve their dreams of a job or career, and to use my journey as an inspiration for gaining sustainable employment. The majority of the refugee population are very grateful for the assistance provided by their host countries, and want to meaningfully contribute to society through employment, paying taxes, and participating as mainstream citizens. They do not want to remain receiving handouts. The reason why I enjoy my role as a Work Experience Coordinator for refugees is the very real difference our team makes in overcoming barriers to employment, providing labour market information, delivering tailor-made employer training and awareness of the Australian work culture, and encouraging clients to apply for entry level positions. My job gives me the privileged opportunity to contribute to my clients self-development, not only for their future employment but for their sense of value within their new community. Also, refugee background people have strong family connections and will work hard to get regular income and support extended families overseas through reunification programs. From experience working with refugees, I have learnt that they are generally hard working, reliable and flexible, often willing to work outside their home area in regional and remote areas. However, a number of challenges come with many of the barriers, including mental health and torture and trauma issues, lack of language and work skills, limited or no prior history or work experience, negative public perceptions especially in the media, and lack of mainstream community awareness. I continue to work with refugees, and migrants and mainstream job seekers in organising work experience activities, including volunteer work, with employers, community organisations and institutions to enhance work skills, increase prospects, and address work experience barriers to avoid issues such as generation of unemployment. Despite the challenges in working with refugees to find sustainable employment, many employers agree with me that there are great benefits in employing a multicultural workforce. Such benefits include interpreting skills, use of transferable skills as assets for their employers, sharing their experiences with other workers, and generally increasing awareness of multiculturalism. I honestly believe if refugees are empowered by their host countries to find employment, and engage in life skills training, vocational and higher education, they will contribute economically, socially and culturally. To continue the valuable work that organisations such as Access achieve in the area of labour market integration, I would like to propose some recommendations: a. An international database where UNHCR and NGOs can compare refugee integrations, in terms of employment and social outcomes, so as to better support refugees in their resettlement process. Perhaps, a comparison of existing models for engaging refugees could be undertaken in the first instance. b. Education of refugees by Migration Organisations about the challenges and importance of learning the host language of the resettlement country to promote integration and full participation. Finally, I would like thank UNHCR, the organiser of Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR), the Australian government, NGO and refugee representatives, host countries of refugees and my organisation Access Community Services for giving me this very rewarding opportunity to share my experiences at this conference. RCOA report on 2013 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement page 14