Time Schedule. Welcome dinner 20:00 22:00

Transcription

1

2 Time Schedule Sunday, April 20 th Time Scheduled Activities Remarks 08:30 09:00 Registration Opening Ceremony on Regional Refugees Protection 09:00 09:10 - Reciting Quran and National anthem 09:10 09:20 - Welcome remarks and symposium report HAMI Chair representative: Ms. Fatemeh Ashrafi 09:20 09:40 - Dr. MostafaZahrani Director of Study Political and International Department of Ministry of Foreign Affaires 09:40 10:00 - Speech of the UNHCR country Representative in Iran: Ms. Fathia Abdalla and delivering the message of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Mr. António Guterres 10:20 10:40 - Afghanistan Ambassador in Iran: Dr. Ahmad Nasir Noor 10:40 11:00 - APRRN President: Dr. Gopal KrishnaSiwakoti 11:00 11:15 Tea / Coffee break Plenary Session : Expert Agencies Presentations, Overall perspective of Afghan Refugees situation in the Region 11:15 11:40 - BAFIA. Tehran Province. Deputy: Mr. Mojtaba Hashemi 11:40 12:00 - UNHCR. Iran Operation Report: Annhely Aldhammar 12:00 12:20 - Iranian NGOs Representative : Ms. Fatemeh Ashrafi 12:20 12:40 - Pakistani NGOs Representative: Mr. Sayed Liaqat Banori 12:40 13:00 - Q & A 13: 00 14:00 Lunch break 14:00 16:00 Working Group 1: Health 14:00 16:00 Working group 2 : Education 14:00 16:00 Working group 3 : SSAR 14:00 16:00 Working group 4 : Livelihood 14:00 16:00 Working group 5 : Repatriation 16:00 16:30 Working Groups Reports to Expert Panel 20:00 22:00 Welcome dinner

3 Monday, April 21st Plenary Session : Afghanistan At Risk Overall perspective of Afghanistan situation 08:30 09:00 - Speech of Ms. Homaira Saqeb, Director of the Afghanistan Women s News Agency from Kabul 09:00 09:30 - Iranian NGOs Representative: Ms. Fatemeh Ashrafi 09:30 09:55 - Relief International Regional Director Asia: Mr. Pascal Arthaud 09:55 10:15 - Q & A 10:15 10:30 Tea/Coffee break 10:30 13:00 Working Group 1: Health 10:30 13:00 Working group 2 : Education 10:30 13:00 Working group 3 : SSAR 10:30 13:00 Working group 4 : Livelihood 10:30 13:00 Working group 5 : Reintegration 13: 00 14:00 Lunch break 14:00 16 Continuing Working Groups Discussion 16:00 16:15 Tea/Coffee break 16:15 17:00 Closing Ceremony including: - Working Groups Reports to Expert Panel - Iranian Vice President :Ms. Shahindokht Mowlaverdi 18:00 21:00 "Milad Tower" Visit and Dinner at the Tower

4 Preface Over the past 35 years the Islamic Republic of Iran has received more than four million Afghan and Iraqi refugees, making it the second largest refugee hosting country in the world. Despite the existing economic, social and political obstacles, Iran has aimed to provide necessary services to meet the needs of refugees residing in the country. On the other hand, against the background of 35 years of migration and refugee hood Afghanistan remains the world s leading country of origin of refugees, in spite of the political system change taking place in the country since Furthermore, recent concerns over the lack of sustainable security have made refugees and asylum seekers increasingly unwilling to return, while those residing in the country now feel more eager to leave. This in turn may prompt a growing undocumented migration movement to neighboring countries, mainly Iran and Pakistan, which currently host millions of undocumented Afghan migrants. One of the actual concerns which might further influence on the voluntary return of refugees residing in Iran and Pakistan is the fear of deteriorating security situation as a result of the withdrawal of NATO's military presence, due to be completed by the end of The First Regional Conference of NGOs was held in April 2013 and attended by over 100 local and regional participants from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The main aim of the meeting was to provide a platform to explore existing environments and capacities in the region and build regional cooperation between the participant NGOs sharing common goals. The topics discussed concerned the problems and challenges facing the comprehensive protection of Afghan refugees, asylum seekers and returnees. Now it is crucial to continue protecting and strengthening the obtained achievements in order to consolidate this position. This fact, in addition to the changed internal political space and more relaxed international situation at various fields, encourages us to take maximum advantage of the situation. For this reason the second conference solicited a broader participation of partners from regional networks and international and non-governmental organizations active in refugee work in the Asia and the Pacific region. This year s conference logistics were also provided in the shortest possible time. In view of strengthening regional and international relationships and making the most of the prestige and influence of other dominant actors in the world, we were pleased cooperating with

5 the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN), which is the largest network of NGOs in the Asia Pacific region with more than 280 operative national, regional and international members. Fortunately this network, prominent in Asia, responded positively to our request for interaction, and was also prompted to hold its annual member meeting in Tehran simultaneously with the Conference on Strengthening the Refugee Protection in the Region. Other aims of the conference can be briefly mentioned in the following themes: 1) To challenge international perceptions of the refugee situation and, particularly, Afghan refugees in Iran who unfortunately over the last years have been used as a human right instrument against our country. 2) To attract more attention and increase knowledge towards NGOs and civil communities currently active in the refugee field in regional countries and international community, and to provide a platform for further enhancing mutual interaction and more effective partnership at the transnational level. 3) Today s world is a world of inclusive interaction between a wide range of actors, including governmental and non-governmental agents, private sectors and universities. This is manifest at the micro- and macro-level policy- and decision-making and at the implementation of policies and activities both inland and overseas. Naturally this setting can be more effective when all the existing tools and opportunities are simultaneously optimized and utilized in the most timely manner possible. It is also noteworthy to acknowledge that countries have often ranked higher in international rankings, the more their governments have achieved success in the area of public diplomacy and the more effectively they have utilized the non-governmental sector. Unfortunately this issue remains a neglected and non-identified topic in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Consequently, in the absence of such capacity utilization the goals of Iranian NGOs and civil institutions have most often remained distinct from the national interest. 4) To move the responsibility for Afghan refugees in Iran from national responsibility to international one. Today the distribution of Afghan refugees in the world is no longer considered exclusively as a national and regional phenomenon but an international one. However, along with the fading international support for reconstruction and internal reform of Afghanistan, much needed to make the country more attractive to its nationals throughout the world, the issue of growing number of Afghan refugees and migrants moving to neighboring countries, such as Iran, seems to have been completely forgotten. This means that currently the main political, social and economic responsibility for the Afghan refugees lies on the shoulders of Iran s fragile national economy. In this regard, it should be acknowledged that NGOs active in refugee work are in the

6 capacity of mediating accurate and constructive information in order to attract world's attention to this issue and, accordingly, to the need of increasing international protection. 5) Knowledge and capacity-building of Iranian NGOs at the international level: Iranian NGOs in various specialized fields are least represented at the regional and international levels and, consequently, at governing transnational flow of information and decision-making in areas related to their activities. This in turn has practically deprived the country from utilizing the existing capacities within these NGOs. Even if political will for enabling a widespread presence of these NGOs at the international level would be achieved, the situation has unfortunately progressed to a point where the NGOs lack of technical skills and knowledge about technical environments would routinely prevent them from having any significant impact on the matter. The international meeting in Tehran thus provided an opportunity for Iranian NGOs to build closer regional and international relationships and prepare for the partnerships beyond the political geography of the country.

7 Description of the program The four-day meeting in Tehran was held from Sunday, April 20 to Wednesday, April , at Tehran Homa Hotel. The program consisted of the following parts: 1) Sunday April : The opening ceremony and a round table on Issues and Problems of Afghan Refugees in the Region that centered on the presence of the organizations from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia, all of them being host countries for one of the most protracted groups of Afghan asylum seekers. The issue was widely discussed, with a focus on the current situation of Afghan refugees in the areas of education, health, livelihood and return, as well as the challenges facing them. At the end, the participants in different working groups proposed solutions to the raised issues. 2) Monday April : The one-day session Afghanistan in Crisis discussed the main topics of the existing obstacles and problems in Afghanistan which, on the other hand, discourage refugees from returning to the country and, on the other, have caused, and will be causing, its nationals to flee outside the country borders. The participants also examined the failure of the foreign forces to bring about the promised peace and security, that is, the very minimum peace and security they had previously destabilized. In addition, the reasons for not further developing the document Solutions Strategy which was intended to play a more inclusive role in Afghanistan were exposed to scrutiny and discussion. The presence of the regional and international NGOs from Afghanistan in this session provided an opportunity for the participants to learn closely and concretely about the latest situation in the country. 3) Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April : The annual meeting of the members of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) with a presence of representatives from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia and Sri Lanka. This was a highly specialized and internal meeting during which the participants discussed the regional and international programs and strategies. For that reason, at the end of Wednesday all the foreign participant guests were taken to visit HAMI s educational center at Shourabad in Tehran where they were introduced concretely to some of the educational opportunities provided for migrant and refugee children in Iran.

8 Non-governmental and governmental organizations and institutions participating In the conference: - Authorities and representatives from international agencies based in Tehran, including UNHCR, UNAMA, UNICEF, IOM and FAO. - International NGOs in Iran: Danish Refugee Council, Relief International, Operation Mercy, MSF and IRAC. - Heads of the foreign agencies in Iran, particularly the European Embassies based in Tehran. - Relevant authorities of the executive agencies, including the Vice President of the Women and Family Affairs, authorities from the Presidential Institution, authorities from the Presidential Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Political and International Studies Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the Bureau of Aliens and Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA) of the Ministry of Interior and the Governor of Tehran, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, Judicature and the Medical Council Organization of the country. - Universities. - Representatives from Iranian NGOs. At the end, I need to express my gratitude for the collaboration of all the people and national and international organizations which have assisted us to organize this conference, in particular, the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Planet Wheeler, Danish Refugee Council, and Zanjireh Omid Charity. They have offered us a truly comprehensive partnership, by supporting this invaluable opportunity for the HAMI Association to advance its work for the improvement of the situation of refugees. Fatemeh Ashrafi Association for Protection of Refugee Women and Children

9 Report of the International Conference on Strengthening the Refugee Protection In the Region April , Tehran The Second International Conference on Strengthening the Refugee Protection in the Region was held in Tehran and hosted by the Association for Protection of Refugee Women and Children (HAMI) in cooperation with the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN). The conference was attended by authorities and representatives of the executive agencies, international agencies based in Iran, and more than 30 international and non-governmental organizations active in refugee work from Australia, United Kingdom, United States, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Iran. The first day of the conference was opened with the recitation of Verses from Holy Quran by one of the Afghan refugees, and singing the national anthem of the Islamic Republic. The program was followed by a speech by Ms. Fatemeh Ashrafi, Chairwoman of HAMI and responsible for the execution of the conference. She first welcomed the national and international participants to the symposium, and then introduced the program, as well as the objectives and reasons for holding this meeting in Iran. The conference was organized for the first time at the international level, and with the participation of NGO members of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network it took place in Iran, the world s second largest host country for refugees. The conference thus provided an opportunity to draw international attention to the issue of millions of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers who have lived in Iran for over three decades now, and who represent the most vulnerable group in the region.

10 Dr. Mostafa Zahrani Director of Study Political and International Department of Ministry of Foreign Affaires The keynote speaker of this international conference was Dr. Mostafa Zahrani, Director General of the Institute for Political and International Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He began his speech by congratulating the conference organizers for answering the need to strengthen such civil society and NGO activities that promote humanitarian affairs. He further pointed out that naturally these activities and actions can impact on creating and protecting international peace, and showed his appreciation to a great number of preventive measures by these NGOs which directly and indirectly represent the national and international public opinion more effectively than the official diplomatic apparatus of the countries in the area of preventing escalation of regional and international violence, or even in challenging concepts related to human rights at multiple levels. He then continued: I participated in this conference, as a representative of the Institute for Political and International Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to show my support for increasing such meetings and humanitarian activities which are organized by civil society institutions at the national, regional and international levels. I hope that we and the other governmental departments, together with NGOs, are able to take effective steps forward in the path of the maximum realization of human rights of refugees. These meetings, in addition to highlighting the necessity and importance of supporting the fundamental rights of refugees, also demonstrate the efforts made by the Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the largest asylum countries in the world, for improving the living conditions of refugees, particularly the Afghan ones.

11 Message of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The message from Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, was read by Ms. Fathia Abdalla, UNHCR country Representative in Iran, as part of the inaugural program of the conference. In this message Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, made following remarks: Friends, as most of you know, I was recently in Iran and met with many governmental and nongovernmental partners. I have always been impressed by the hospitability of Iranian government and Iranian people who over these years have hosted millions of Afghan refugees, one of the largest and most protracted refugee populations in the world. Although approximately 5.8 million Afghan refugees (nearly one quarter of the population in Afghanistan) have returned to Afghanistan since 2002, there still remain some 2.5 million Afghans living around the world. Of this number more than 2.4 million Afghans are currently hosted by the neighboring countries, that is Iran ( ) and Pakistan (1.6 million), in addition to an estimated 2 million undocumented Afghans residing in these two countries. In view of the elections in April in Afghanistan and the existing complexities, economic problems and social and humanitarian challenges, the year 2014 is going to be crucial in determining future changes and development taking place in Afghanistan. We believe that these challenges may have a significant impact on the prospects of peace, security and development of the country. Therefore, finding a solution to the situation in Afghanistan will be one of the priorities of UNHCR, and this will be realized through implementing the regional process Solutions Strategy

12 for Afghan Refugees (SSAR), approved at the International Conference in Geneva in The aim of this process is to stabilize the situation of Afghan society by investing in programs for sustainable return and reintegration, with a strong support of the international community. Year 2014 will thus be the third year of the process Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees. National Steering Committees for implementing this program will be established in each of the three countries, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and, with the support of UNHCR, initial projects have been set in order to survey the needs of refugees and host communities. While highlighting youth empowerment through technical training and education, these initial projects will simultaneously also provide an information source for the three governments, UNHCR and other participating organizations, with one of the objectives being to engage the international community to support the outcomes of this project. During my last visit in Iran I had the honor to be introduced to a set of projects planned for the refugee protection, particularly in the areas of education and livelihood. Both the national and international NGOs play an important role in implementing projects of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees. These projects will involve nine member NGOs, of some of which, such as HAMI, will be leading the discussions of this conference. I am honored to acknowledge that this document is officially recognized both at the international and national levels as a regional document that aims to meet the needs of Afghan refugees and offer solutions. Surely, Afghanistan requires continuous and strong support from the international community in order to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees and help them to rebuild their lives. Support for the two host-countries, Iran and Pakistan, is equally crucial. Simultaneously, the Governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan have advanced policies for preserving the asylum space for Afghan refugees in their respective countries, for which they deserve to be appreciated and thanked. In the Islamic Republic of Iran the Government also provides refugees the opportunity to access educational, subsistence and health insurance services. Currently some refugees are studying in governmental schools, and over the past three decades the literacy rate among Afghan children has risen from 6 to 60 percent. In addition, the Government has launched a comprehensive identification scheme for paperless Afghan migrants under which they are provided an opportunity for temporary stay with renewable residency permit. This document also allows them to obtain temporary work. While 97 percent of refugees in Iran live in urban areas, reaching them represents a major challenge.

13 Establishing partnerships is vital in order for UNHCR to provide protection, assistance and solutions to a huge number of displaced persons in the world today. In addition to our partner governments, our partnerships include other UN agencies and NGOs whose expertise and knowledge are critical for achieving the objectives of UNHCR. At the end, I would like to acknowledge that the UNHCR's Annual Consultations with NGOs, which has participants also from Iran, has always been an important platform for in-depth discussions, consultations and cooperation on common issues. The Structured Dialogues with NGOs and the Red Cross, which I launched in 2012, culminated in a shared vision of strengthening our cooperation within the framework of the Partnership Principles. The symposium in which you are participating today will also be an extremely effective step on this way, and I hope you will have fruitful discussions. I thank you, and wish you a successful meeting.

14 Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Iran Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Iran, Mr. Nasir Ahmad Noor, was the second speaker of the opening ceremony of the conference. He began by congratulating the organizers for the initiative to strengthen the protection of Afghan refugees and migrants in the region. He then briefly explained reasons for Afghans abandoning their homes a migratory process which originates from the occupation by the USSR Forces, then followed by arduous civil wars and Taliban s dark presence in Afghanistan. He further emphasized that the main reason for migrating the country was to obtain opportunity to fight against aliens, and to protect freedom and independence of the country. We migrated in order to fight against the Soviet. If we hadn t migrated we wouldn t have lost our hundreds years old achievements, we wouldn t have become dependent on our neighbors, neither would have we dispersed to 70 countries. And our homes wouldn t have been ruined. If we hadn t fought, the map of the world and the map of the region might look different today. If there hadn t been our fight, Afghanistan would have remained materially intact, however, this way it is possible our neighbors would now suffer the problems of today s Afghanistan. We are aware that our neighbors have spent enormous expenses to welcome and protect the migrants, but it should be noted, that if there hadn t been this migration and fight, it is possible these expenses would have been much higher. Today Afghanistan, with all the difficulties, is at the forefront of resistance against dark thoughts. If one day Afghanistan would be diminished, all these difficulties would certainly plague the region. Yet, although migration has its problems, it also has its opportunities, and the Afghan youth has proved it has high potential. We are grateful for the host countries, and it will stay in our country

15 and nation s historical memory which countries have opened the doors of education and specialization for our children, so that in the future they can play a role in the construction of the country. While this will provide a firm base for building friendship, it will also be borne in mind which countries have brought explosions and destruction to our children, and forced our youth to first kill each others, and then destroy others. We have so lot in common with the countries in this region that you cannot imagine. These common features can influence on creating a shared civilization and culture, and for this reason, we all have to seek protection for our common culture and faith, focus more on the borders of peace and cooperation, and open doors of interaction and cooperation for the mutual benefit of the citizens. Some days ago in Afghanistan we witnessed elections which surprised everyone and went against all the predictions. We witnessed that, despite all the security threats and even explosions, both men and women came out in the streets in high numbers and formed long lines to vote. This was a conjunctive moment for us which showed the maturity of Afghan people to create positive change in the country, and that we desire to build relationship with the international community in an equal space, in cooperation and peace.

16 Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network Dr. Gopal Krishna Siwakoti, Chair of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network, which interacted closely with HAMI to organize this international conference in Iran, was another speaker in the opening ceremony. He commended HAMI Association for taking the initiative for organizing the International Conference on Strengthening the Refugee Protection in the Region, and for inviting APRRN to organize its own meeting in Iran for the first time. He further congratulated the conference participants and particularly the Iranian women on Iran s Women s Day, which was a national celebration in the country. In the continuation he introduced his organization by following remarks: The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network is a widespread network formed of more than 280 actual and legal members. The common intellectual basis for all the members is that we are convinced no refugee wants to be a refugee, but instead, various problems impact on that they become necessary to look for ways out and leave for a better life. Unfortunately, in the aftermath of September we witnessed far-reaching changes taking place which have created chronic violence and conflicts in the world. This has naturally intensified forced migration and refugee hood of innocent people which is why our responsibility for protection has increased. By observing the statistics we can see that the demands in this sector are on the increase. This is the reality we are facing which means that we, HAMI and the civil institutions, carry a heavier burden on our shoulders. We have made lot of efforts until now, but there remains the need to increase protection. Specifically, the girls and women in risk should be protected more. As we can see, HAMI has been implementing programs for protection of this vulnerable group. But we should also treat the people who have been forced to leave their countries with more tolerance, and try to understand the difficult realities of their lives and guarantee their access to the fundamental human rights. We are hoping to offer reports on the actual situation of these refugees, although at the same time I am also acknowledging the inappropriate and disturbing situation in Afghanistan.

17 There exist fears and concerns that the opportunity to solve problems will be lost. This is why we need to have close cooperation with the donor and host countries and other humanitarian organizations so that we can find a way for the repatriation of refugees to their country. When looking at the issue from this angle, first the question of security in Afghanistan should be examined as a strategic challenge and a matter of great importance. The second issue to be considered is the country s infrastructure which is expanded day-to-day to meet the needs of people. The third issue is that if refugees get involved in host countries internal politics, more problems would follow, and therefore, it is important that in the future they can continue living in their own country. Another point is that organizations active at various dimensions and levels of this field possess knowledge and experience which should be exchanged with others in order to find best ways to protect refugees is an important year for Afghanistan and attention should now be paid to the conditions of the Afghans. It is possible that upon return their property has been confiscated. Return of these people should thus be assisted through detailed programs and they should be properly prepared. The current situation in Afghanistan is not sustainable, and therefore, there is a need for capacitybuilding for those refugees for whom the return poses problems under the current conditions. Another point is the transparency of policies by the host countries that can be another important issue. It is time for the countries to prepare bills that will set specific standards and solutions in order to foresee problems ahead.

18 All agree that protection is certainly the first priority issue in the context of refugee affairs. One of our key messages to our partners has been that these protective services should be continuous and continued. National security and social and economic capacities are important issues which means that changing domestic laws would offer an extremely effective step in this regard. My final message concerning Afghanistan is that the refugee protection is a humanitarian act and not just a political value. From now on it should also be considered as such.

19 Plenary Session: Expert Agencies Presentations, Overall perspective of Afghan Refugees situation in the Region After the opening ceremony there was a small break which was followed by specialized study sessions about the Afghan refugee situation in Iran and Pakistan. These sessions were attended by officials and experts from the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants of Tehran province, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Iranian and Pakistani NGOs. The participants first shared information and their experiences about the Afghan refugee situation in their respective countries. In the continuation, national and foreign participants divided into working groups to examine more closely the Afghan refugee situation from the perspectives of health, education, livelihood, and sustainable return and reintegration. The working group participants engaged in professional discussions which concerned the most serious challenges ahead of refugees and, at the end, exchanged their views on the document Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR).

20 Speech of Ms. Homaira Saqeb, Director of the Afghanistan Women s News Agency from Kabul At the beginning I would like to express my thanks and appreciation of your presence in this important conference. I hope this international conference will be effective and helpful in the direction of cooperation between the stakeholder countries in the area of refugee and immigrant affairs. I would like to express special thanks to the representatives of the Afghan NGOs for their collaboration and to our hosts for their efforts for this great program. At this point, I find it necessary to express our gratitude to the honorable officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stakeholder organizations and institutions and the noble people of this country who have hosted millions of Afghan migrants and refugees for more than three decades and in the most sensitive political moment and crisis in Afghanistan. This will be remembered with good, and this emotional and humanitarian support will be acknowledged as the highest manifestation of what the following verse stands for: Human beings are members of a whole; in creation of one essence and soul. Without doubt, the commonalities of culture, civilization, language and religion of these two territories and the ethical teachings adjoining the nations are good examples of their reflective selfawareness and tolerance. Today Afghanistan is based on ideas, talents, initiatives and creativity of a firm generation which desires to build civilization and valuable understanding within, and considers this as an essential factor for solving the existent problems. Today Afghanistan is strongly determined with its efforts to prove the world that it can reach peace, stability and strength, and with confidence in that the country affairs can be rescued from the sinkhole of war, destruction, ruin and disbelief.

21 That said it is now necessary to return our focus to the challenges, problems and opportunities of the Afghan returnees. With regard to the priorities in the national program of Afghanistan, the existing opportunities of the repatriation can be outlined as follows: 1) Returnees access to facilities such as health, training, environment, drinking water, electricity, agriculture and irrigation, and transportation. 2) Including returnees in the development and the Afghan National Solidarity programs at rural and urban levels. 3) International support for national country programs of Afghanistan at all the existing fields. 4) Forming electoral government. 5) Existence of a comprehensive Constitution which will observe the rights of all people. 6) Awareness-raising of people in all areas related to the past years. Despite these beautiful and enabling opportunities, unfortunately Afghanistan continues to suffer from a high social fragility and unstable economic structures. In other words, Afghan returnees are faced by various and serious challenges. These can be briefly mentioned in the following: 1) Nonexistence of security and peace (Opium war and insecurity are the most crucial problems for Afghans returning to their country. Naturally the war and the lack of relative security can be serious threats to returnees. Many of them have been the country s main victims of the war, meaning that when an Afghan family returns to the country the family members immediately encounter with a bitter experience of insecurity along their several-day long journey to reach their destination.) 2) Lack of proper shelters and housing for returnees. Providing housing for a large number of returnees is not a major problem only for the Government of Afghanistan but the international institutes and institutions have neither being able to comprehensively issue this question. Due to this issue we have so far witnessed another migration

22 movement among returnees inside the country. As a consequence, the problems of internally displaced people are on the increase. 3) Lack of access to the most basic living facilities. Returnees with the most basic problems, such as the lack of proper access to safe drinking water, food supplies and other necessities of life, live with extremely low and basic standards. This causes them numerous problems, the first victims being the children and women who are suffering from diseases caused by malnutrition, unfortunately the leading cause of death in under-five children. 4) Lack of employment opportunities. Lack of employment and job opportunities is one the main factors returnees are facing. Thus, after a short period of unemployment the thoughts about migration return. Naturally this issue poses a serious risk for their livelihoods, there being families who live in tents even during the hardest seasons. Unsurprisingly international institutions have registered a high annual death rate among these children. 5) Lack of health services and access of returnees to specialized and experienced doctors. This is an urgent problem for the poor returnees, and forces them to migrate again for their to neighboring countries such as Pakistan and India. lives 6) High cost of private education and training in the country. Although the public education and training in Afghanistan is provided free of charge, the quality of private education is of a better standard and provides better educational opportunities both at schools and universities. Due to the economic weakness and the penetration of capitalist programs in the administration of these schools, the returnees cannot practically beneficiate from these services which thus leaves them in a vicious circle. 7) Toxic propaganda by foreign media about the situation on the course of and after What has prompted a new migration movement from Afghanistan is the toxic propaganda by foreign media and some media affiliated with it, which is creating an atmosphere of fear and panic about the beginning of new ruinous wars: something that is remembered in the historical memory of the people of Afghanistan. Although this propaganda targets the majority of people, returnees who are burdened by unstable economic and social conditions, are more affected by mental pressure which causes them serious problems. 8) Secondary displacement of returnees from villages to cities due to the lack of basic facilities to meet the necessities of life in the rural areas. 9) Economic weakness of migrants and low material opportunities in the host countries impacts on their (in) ability to return.

23 With regard to the raised issues, my suggestions for the representatives of the Afghan NGOs in this conference are: 1) Conducting a comprehensive research which apprehends the needs of returnees in a way outlined below: 2) This research can recognize the real and objective needs of returnees. 3) Defining the priorities of the needs of returnees and internally displaced persons. 4) Recognizing the people in true need, and delivering immediate aid for them. 5) Continuing and focusing on humanitarian assistance for returnees in cases when they continue to require this aid. 6) Designing a long-term plan to solve problems of displaced people, and to integrate them and returnees. 7) On the other hand, in the context of repatriation of Afghans we shouldn t require only the host countries, Government of Afghanistan and UNHCR to pay attention to returnees, but other organizations active in this field can also provide an effective step in the process by utilizing the professional and skilled strengths of the returnees, particularly of them residing in the neighboring countries. Similarly, by cooperating with economic organizations and employment agencies, these organizations can create sustainable job opportunities for them, that in turn could have a direct impact on their sustainable livelihoods. Naturally, the international organizations involved and

24 active in the issues concerning children and women can tackle problems of women and children returnees with the type and scope of their work. 8) The host countries, particularly the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, should not execute the repatriation process of Afghan returnees in a hasty and instantaneous manner, because this could put too much pressure on the Government of Afghanistan and the society. Such a massive number of returnees could weaken many of the natural and normal structures of Afghanistan. This is why we are requesting for a gradual and slow repatriation plan based in friendship, sympathy and kindness of the two neighboring brother countries. We are hoping that our neighbors could, along with considering these raised issues, perceive the presence of Afghans as an extension of Islamic and humanitarian process in their countries. 9) Furthermore, it has been suggested to establish a joint commission in order to create a reasonable and appropriate mechanism, in cooperation with the host countries, Government of Afghanistan, UNHCR and other international institutions active in this area. By uninterrupted involvement this commission could have efficient and effective activities in the sectors of return, job creation, specialization and building livelihoods, and thus, it could further meet the proposed expectations of this conference. At the end, I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for your attention. I am hoping that the human societies would find a reason for their action from their humanitarian thinking, so that no citizen would have to leave his or hers home in order to migrate or seek refuge elsewhere, and that there would be a time when the people could consider all the countries and territories as their home, Afghanistan being no exception. I hope all of us will seek for a world characterized by humans, ethic and values.

25 Closing Ceremony of the International Conference Strengthening the Refugee Protection In the Region Monday April The closing ceremony took place on Monday evening following the specialized working group activities, and it was attended by Ms. Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, Vice President and Head of Center for Women and Family Participation Affairs. At the beginning of the ceremony, Mr. Siddig Yousif Abuagla, Ambassador of the Islamic Inter-Parliamentary Union in Iran, described his experiences with asylum seekers and refugees in Sudan, and explained causes of the conflicts in the area. Most of the Sudan s asylum seekers were from Ethiopia, Uganda, Chad and Eritrea, and they had migrated due to natural catastrophes and political issues. origin, otherwise they would come back. Operation Sudan was good in a sense that in 1972 laws were formulated on the treatment of refugees. In 1991 and 1992 we in the Sudanese Refugee Ministry monitored the repatriation process of Ethiopian and Chadian asylum seekers which was a successful process. Naturally, if the asylum seekers were aided after their return they would stay in their country of The greatest problem in today s Africa is the rising number of asylum seekers which, of course, has various different reasons. However, the most serious problem is the entry of politics, which ignore the fundamental human rights, into human affairs. Perhaps the most important work we can do is to make the issue of asylum seekers and refugees a human one.

26 In the continuation, Dr. Gopal Krishna Siwakoti, Chair of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network, summed up the addressed issues, and welcomed the Vice President to the conference: We at the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network are glad to be participating in this conference. I would like to thank everyone for their participation. We have talked lot about the principles and doctrines concerning refugees, but for now I would like to talk about the tactical actions. Two days ago we heard the outcomes and final statement of the conference, but the points I would like to add here are the methods and mechanisms. We have talked about the voluntary repatriation, yet the security guarantees of the returnees after they return to their country of origin is another crucial issue, because refugees don t want to stay displaced neither they any longer have the capacity to tolerate this circumstance. We are talking about their protection and support. On basis of the moral and international obligations we have this duty to protect their rights, and we should have protocols and methods which everyone agrees to. In this new millennium we have seen a change in concepts, and one of these has been the substitution of the concept of charitable for the concepts of generosity, freedom and human rights. Iran is also among the countries which have welcomed refugees even though, perhaps, it hasn t had sufficient capacities in reality. On that account we are welcoming the repatriation process of asylum seekers, of course along with the protection, so that they could return back to their country of origin. I think now it is time for us to change the concept of refugee hood and to take more responsibility. It is time to return this concept refugee hood back to its human meaning because refugees certainly deserve it. There are also wealthier countries but their borders are closed. Therefore, these countries need to pay more attention, take more responsibility, and not to exploit asylum seekers. I think it is time to proceed with establishing a regional framework for refugee protection. We need to have an inter-governmental agreement, along with the sense of safety and protection, and I feel that there is a need for a new mechanism. We need to respect ourselves, increase the very cooperation itself, and return the sense of security for asylum seekers. Therefore, approving a series of things is important but at the practical level these should be coupled with some mechanisms. The securitization of migration needs to be changed. Again we need to commend HAMI, and on behalf of APRRN I would like to congratulate all the participants. At the end, I thank the Secretariat of Bangkok which has worked hard and been with us for many weeks now.

27 Speech of Ms. Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, Vice President of Iran s Center for Women and Family Affairs Greetings and a wish of success to the Conference on Strengthening the Refugee Protection in the Region. This meeting coincided with the birthday of the Prophet s daughter which I take as a good sign and thus hope that this conference achieves to increase protection of refugee women and children. Although the phenomenon of war and violence doesn t recognize women and men, who both become its victims, the nature of this victimization is not identical between these two genders. It is clear that the most victims are women and children, although their share in creating this violence is generally low. This circumstance should direct us to increase protection programs for women and children. As an outcome of these conflicts women might have to leave their homes and become displaced in other countries. In these conflicts women are subjected to violence, and the role of international organizations can be effective in reducing this suffering. Therefore, in cases when the governments cannot and don t want to act, NGOs can play an effective role by getting involved in the areas of protection and development. Their partnership in these programs should also attract the governments attention.

28 Afghanistan is among our friend and neighbor countries. Due to this partnership we have become the second largest refugee hosting country, and we are honored to host them. Of course, we wished they wouldn t have had to leave their fatherland, and enter the difficult era of migration and refugee hood. We are glad that there are currently better processes underway in Afghanistan, and we are hoping that, with the improvement of the general situation in the country, we will witness a dignified return of the noble people of Afghanistan back to their country. During the last three decades, the governmental and non-governmental sectors in Iran have made all the efforts in order to provide living facilities for millions of Afghan refugees and migrants. HAMI has surely been among the most important NGOs which have been active in this field and worked effectively. Because a high percentage of the refugees has consisted and consists of women and children it can be acknowledged that this migration has fell more on women s shoulders. However, according to the United Nation statistics only ten percent of the peace negotiators are women. Women are thus not given this space, even though such peace agreements where women have been involved have turned out to be more durable and less fragile. If we look at the role of women as architects of peace from the perspective of motherhood and a key role of mothers in raising children, definitely we will see that peace and solving disputes are at the top of their attention. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 similarly proposes that women should be assigned more seats and space at the peace negotiations and processes in every region. This would help to improve the situation because women need to have an enabling environment, and wars and violence are preventing this from happening. We wish that this kind of meetings would bring forth serious and sustainable achievements for the regional and global peace consolidation. We are convinced this particular situation wouldn t have been possible if the women had been provided a proper space within the peace processes. We are hoping to overcome wars so that there wouldn t be any more warfare. Following the appeal of the President Rouhani he made about the struggle against all forms of extremism and an effort to create a world free of violence, regional and even international convergence needs to be achieved. Naturally, women can be vanguards in achieving this goal. Women s participation in planning and executing different activities at the national, regional and even international levels could also have such an outcome. At the Women s Department we are ready to sign memorandums of understanding and specific programs, and to provide special support for NGOs. The Government of Prudence and Hope consider NGOs as friends and not as competitors, and it is hoped these NGOs would truly become effective at all the levels where society needs them.

29 The Final Statement of the International Conference in Tehran Tehran, April At the beginning we would like to express our hearty and sincere thanks for the valuable remarks and collaboration by all the participants in this symposium, and particularly the Executive Board and members of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network. We would similarly like to thank the government officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran for participating in this conference, and the other involved national and foreign supporters for their engagement in improving the situation of refugees in the region. The draft of this statement has been prepared by consulting a large number of non-governmental and international organizations participating in this conference, and as such it reflects a variety of perspectives within these NGOs. The problem of refugee hood is one of the defining factors of the world today. To exemplify this point, in 2012 the number of those who became newly displaced due to armed conflict or persecution reached 7.6 million persons worldwide, including 1.1 million new refugees the highest number of newly displaced persons in one year since Some 6.5 million of them became displaced within their own country, so that at the end of 2012 the total number of IDPs reached its record during more than two decades. In other words, in 2012 on average of 3,000 people per day left their homes to seek refuge from other countries. In 2012, women constituted 48 percent of the refugee population a percentage which has been consistent over the past decade and children below 18 years constituted 46 percent. Since 2002, voluntary repatriation program for Afghan refugees has been implemented in Southwest Asia, the area of this conference. The 5.7 million Afghan refugees who have returned to their country of origin represent nearly a quarter of the country s population. Even so, the Afghan migrants residing outside their country borders remain as the largest displaced group in the world, and also as the largest beneficiary group of the UNHCR refugee program. Approximately 1.6 million Afghan refugees reside in Pakistan and more than in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In addition to refugees approximately one million undocumented Afghan migrants live in Pakistan and more than 2 million in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This international conference was the second meeting, following the First Regional Conference in 2013, and it was hosted by the Association for Protection of Refugee Women and Children (HAMI) with a focus in the Afghan refugee population in Southwest Asia. The 92 participants from 55 national and foreign institutes and institutions aimed to achieve two objectives: first and foremost, to reflect and focus on the concerns and issues of the Afghan population, including undocumented

30 migrants, and second, to prioritize sustainable strategies and solutions from the perspective of non-governmental and international organizations, United Nations agencies, government officials present at the conference and other participants involved. As organizers and participants of the first and second regional conference, we are honored of everyone s commitment to achieving the principles outlined in the final statement which was adapted from the First Regional Conference 2013 in Tehran and which was prepared and issued with an aim to promote and improve the conditions of the target population. We are aware and thus honored that we have found this opportunity for understanding and full implementation of some of the proposed activities in the first statement. Some of these are: - Establishment of periodic regional conferences with participation of relevant non-governmental associations and other actors, such as the host governments, embassies and other institutions. - Provision of basis for building a targeted network which involves local, regional and other international organizations active in the regional refugee work, and thus establishing coherent and constructive interaction with other specialized networks such as the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network in Southeast Asia. - Implementation of programs for needs assessment and holding training courses which meet the needs of the local community in Afghanistan. During this international conference, five specialized working groups were formed in order to examine concerns, real needs and priorities of the Afghan population. These covered issues of health, livelihoods, sustainable repatriation and integration, education and the document Solutions Strategy for Afghan refugees (SSAR). After two days of serious and long discussions the groups finally reached following conclusions: 1) The number of Afghan refugees who solicit voluntary repatriation from the neighboring countries to their homeland is on the decrease due to multiple obstacles, including security, political, economic and social concerns. Again grave concerns were raised about the serious factors for sustainable integration of returnees in Afghanistan. 2) The international sanctions have negatively affected the lives of a significant proportion of Afghan refugees in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Simultaneously as their living costs have increased, the costs of service provision have risen dramatically for the governmental and non-governmental organizations due to accelerating inflation. Furthermore, in a number of cases the lack of official channels for transferring financial resources to the country has meant, in effect, discontinuing projects and decreasing the provision of services for the vulnerable groups of Afghan refugees.

31 3) As a result of the complicated political challenges and unrest caused by religious extremist violence, ethnic disputes and augmented insecurity during the three first months of 2014 preceding the presidential elections of the Republic of Afghanistan, the space for humanitarian activities has been extremely limited. The access to some regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan has become difficult, and the possibilities for providing aid and relief services have been damaged in such a way that a number of non-governmental and international organizations have been obliged to discontinue their activities and leave Afghanistan. 4) Deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan poses a serious threat for the permanent return to the country and has so far manifested in increasing number of internally displaced persons. This in effect may further increase migration outside the country. 5) The widespread presence of Afghan population, who often suffer from social and mental disorders resulting from the undocumented migration and prolonged displacement, also put considerable social and economic pressure on the neighboring host countries. Accordingly the unfortunate social tensions between the host societies and migrants should be subjected to careful examination. 6) The recent political and armed conflicts in the region have shifted international attention away from the world s largest refugee and migrant population in this region. 7) Deficient resources and infrastructure, including electricity, housing and standardized health and education centers, along with the uncertain access to food and safe drinking water in Afghanistan have decreased the quality of life and thus the permanent voluntary return to the country. 8) One-sided reporting about the internal situation of Afghanistan by international media, which releases only negative news about this country, has simultaneously decreased return of the exhausted refugees and accelerated a new refugee movement from Afghanistan. 9) Unemployment caused by low demand for technical and skilled migrants has increased the number of low-wage workers. The resulted shortage of technical and professional jobseekers among the migrants both inside Afghanistan and the host countries creates obstacles for the permanent return to Afghanistan and for continuing living in the host countries. Moreover, the educated migrants who return back to Afghanistan are faced with a low demand for their skills due to the undeveloped structures of the country.

32 10) Women and young girls in Afghanistan continue to suffer domestic violence and deficient access to education and other facilities, economic recourses and employment opportunities. 11) With regards to the health sector, there is an urgent need for international support to host countries due to numerous factors, including limited existing opportunities and high cost of services, to mention but a few. 12) Lack of long term commitments by resource suppliers has affected negatively on the maintenance of projects and services. 13) Permanent return of refugees is one of the key objectives of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees, which highlights three crucial issues: - Need to effectively engage all the parties in the peace process in Afghanistan, including the elements opposing the Government of Afghanistan. In addition, the role of NGOs and civil society institutions needs to be strengthened within the framework of the Solutions Strategy because these organizations have the main responsibility of achieving the objectives of this document. - Need to increase legal opportunities and facilities that will allow Afghan refugee population to continue their residence in host countries. These measures should be coupled with different arrangements and programs targeted for the new generation of Afghan refugees born outside the country in order to increase its adaptability and knowledge towards Afghanistan and prepare it to arrive there better informed. - The process of developing programs within the framework of the Solutions Strategy in the region has faced serious challenges which may lead in questioning its credibility in the future. These shortcomings make it necessary to increase utilizing such potentials and opportunities which can enhance the development and reliability of the document. Certainly, among these measures security plays a crucial role. Outlined below are the strategies and solutions that were examined and prioritized by the working groups. Suggestions to be considered and executed by the governments, NGOs, international organizations and other civil society and humanitarian institutions in regional and international levels are: 1) Importance of developing regional cooperation networks and ensuring effective collaboration and information between local and international NGOs. This way the increased capacities of the

33 NGOs could thus be better focused on utilizing existent resources at the local and international levels. 2) Importance of respecting international legal framework that establishes standards for the protection of refugees, homeless and displaced persons, in particular, the main points of the Declaration of Refugees (the Refugee Convention) based on the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and human rights for all people. 3) Importance of continuous and regular interaction and continued cooperation between all the groups involved in refugee affairs in order to evaluate and modify programs related to the protection of refugees, displaced people and stateless persons. 4) Need to respect and protect human dignity of the refugee groups and allow them to take part in decisive decisions and programs that impact on them. 5) Need for cooperation between governments and civil society in order to promote human rights of refugees, condemn all forms of xenophobia and develop social protection in the host society in order to protect refugees, displaced and stateless persons. 6) Need to create new needs assessments both in the country of origin and host countries with an aim to provide basis for national and regional planning. 7) Need to develop training, technical and professional programs and capacity-building of Afghan refugees in the host countries based on their needs and with the aim to achieve permanent and sustainable return of refugees to their country. In order to reduce maternal and infant mortality and promote health in Afghanistan, different training programs, such as teacher training at different levels or training for local workers and midwives, should be provided both in Afghanistan and host countries. 8) Need to increase international partnerships along with coordinating long-term and reliable assistance in order to guarantee continuance of the projects and services at the national and regional levels. 9) Need to provide legal services and consultation for returnees in order for them to restore the property and estates they have lost during the period of migration.

34 10) Need to increase interaction and cooperation with religious and local leaders due to their mental influence on culturally sensitive issues among Afghan society. 11) Need to design cultural programs that will aim at increasing information of the new refugee generation and familiarize young Afghans with their country s language, history and culture. In effect these programs are expected to ease their identity crisis and mentally prepare them before their arrival to Afghanistan. 12) Need for every government to officially recognize the rights of every person and every nation, and develop effective mechanisms in order to prevent displacement. At the end we, the participants at the International Conference in Tehran, are acknowledging the situation of Afghan refugees and migrants who have lived in exile for more than three decades now. We are appealing that no effort that aims to improve their living conditions during their stay in host countries and that thus aims to protect their God-given human dignity should be prevented. Their dignified return to Afghanistan and sustainable integration in their homeland is one of the great aspirations for whose realization in the near future we are all praying for. Until then, we invite others to increase personal and social tolerance in the nations historical memory. Let us now follow the historical legacy and the recommendation by the great Persian poet Saadi: Human beings are members of a whole, In creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. If you have no sympathy for human pain, The name of human you cannot retain. Association for Protection of Refugee Women and Children (HAMI)

35 Participants International Name Surname Organization 1 Grant Mitchells 2 Najeeba Wazefadost 3 Hasan Tareq 4 Priyanca Mathur Velath 5 Sahana Basavapatna 6 Raveendra Hemadri 7 Florina Benoit 8 Mohd Saood Tahir SLIC 9 Rizka Argadianti International Detention Coalition Australian National Committee on Refugee Women/ Hazara Women Of Australia Dedication Bangladesh ST JOSEPH'S COLLEGE Ara Legal Initiative Development and Justice Initiative OfERR/Glo Foundation Functional Title Director Director/ President Program and Research Coordinator Assistant Professor Legal Advisor Director Board Member/Man aging Trustee Director, Refugee Right Country Australia Australia Bangladesh India India India India India Rachmah SUAKA Indonesia 10 Satish Sharma PPR Nepal Nepal 11 Lakshan Dias SANRIM Chairman Sri Lanka 12 Vivienne Chew 13 Linda Briskman 14 Caroline Fleay International Detention Coalition Swinburne University of Technology Centre for Human Rights Education, Curtin University Professor of Social Work Senior Lecturer Malaysia Australia Australia WG SSAR Education Repatriation Education Reintegration Livelihoods Livelihoods Reintegration Health Education Education Repatriation Reintegration Education Livelihoods Repatriation Reintegration Repatriation Reintegration Health Health Livelihoods Livelihoods