Annual Report 2014 UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Newsletter, 2015 - Volume 3 ช ำระค าฝากส งเป นรายเด อน ใบอน ญาตพ เศษท 55/2555 ศฟ. บด นทรเดชา 10312 /K.Park
/A. McConnell 2 unhcr.or.th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, meets with Syrian refugee children in Lebanon No-one is winning in the wars of today; everyone is losing. Conflicts just go on - some forever, others until they end in compromise that could just as well have been achieved as the beginning, without fighting. It is time to stop this senseless violence. Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees In 2014 UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency witnessed a large-scale movement of people not seen for many years. Millions of people who thought they had found safety and security were frequently forced to flee again and again due to violence, fear of persecution or natural disasters. Syria continued to hemorrhage children, women and men. The rise of powerful insurgent forces and their sweeping brutality through the Middle East have worsened the situation. We watched as conflict escalated in Central African Republic and long cohesive communities fell apart along religious lines. We also watched the world s newest country, South Sudan, descend into conflict leaving their people living on the edge of famine. In Thailand, there are more than one hundred thousand refugees in need of humanitarian assistance, many of them are children, refugees with disabilities, women and the elderly. With so many humanitarian crises taking place around the world, there would be an inevitable decrease in funding from overseas for refugees living in camps in Thailand. This means that your continued support plays an even more significant role in helping refugees here. Thank you very much for your great compassion and generosity. Together with you, UNHCR can respond, protect, assist refugees, secure their hopes and encourage their desires for a return to a normal life. Refugee children in Tham Hin camp present UNHCR s symbol. / Suchada Bhukittikul
World Refugee Day 2015 What s going on? Refugees and UNHCR staff enjoy World Refugee Day activity at Ban Don Yan refugee camp, Kanchanaburi Province. Children at Tham Hin refugee camp, Ratchaburi Province, performed traditional dance. Children enjoy painting at Ban Mai Nai Soi refugee camp, Mae Hong Son Province. 9 camps celebration On World Refugee Day this year, UNHCR and partners organized activities in refugee camps across Thailand to celebrate the strength of the refugees who have been through extraordinary times. There were a variety of activities such as traditional dance performance, painting, singing, running competition, and free hair dressing. /B.Denton The 5 th Refugee Film Festival Thank you for your participation in the 5th Refugee Film Festival in June 19 th -20 th, 2015 at Paragon Cineplex, Siam Paragon. UNHCR was honored to meet and talk with 190 donors at the festival. We will come back again with great films in 2016. Angelina Jolie Pitt calls for action UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt has been commemorating World Refugee Day with Syrian refugees in Turkey, the world s largest refugee-hosting nation with more than 1.77 million people in urban areas and government-run camps. It is due time for people to respect the plight of refugees and see their value. We must protect them, and invest in them. They are not a problem, they are part of the solution to this global crisis. They are the potential for the rebuilding and restabilization of countries. said Jolie Media support To introduce and emphasize refugee issues, a short video presenting the life of a 14 year old Syrian refugee and presented by Cate Blanchette, a UNHCR supporter, was broadcast on various media channels in the month of June 2015. Thank you for the generosity of PPTV, GMM Channel, True Vision, Channel 3, Modernine TV, Chill FM 89 radio station and Plan B Media who donated the media space for UNHCR.
4 unhcr.or.th 365 Days /K.Park Birth Registration As nationality is the legal relationship between a person and a state, it protects the person s rights and prevents him or her from being statelessness. Your donation has helped 3,391 new born refugee children in nine refugee camps to receive a birth certificate. The document helps refugee children to prove their nationality and gain access to education, health care and employment in the future. It also protects them from being exploited such as through early marriage and human trafficking. /B.Manser Child Protection Almost half of refugees in Thailand s camps are children. Many of them were separated from their families and have been living by themselves. They are at a greater risk of being exploitation. In 2014, your long term donation has supported 4,000 refugee children without parents to receive child protection. The Child Protection program activities support social workers, psychologists and staff to take care of the children closely and maintain and regain children s well-being. Stop Violence Against Women Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent denial human rights. With your donation UNHCR has been able to actively respond to survivors of sexual violence with assistance as access to the Thai justice system and safe shelters. In sexual abuse prevention, UNHCR has worked with the American Refugee Committee, a humanitarian international nonprofit organization, to provide knowledge and trainings and work with men to reduce violence against women and girls. Sanitary Kits Sanitary Kits are UNHCR s basic and essential services for women refugees in the nine camps in order to protect them from the risk of disease and illness through unsanitary conditions. With your long term donation, we have successfully distributed 36,000 sanitary kits in 2014. /R. Arnold Verification Exercise The aim of the Verification exercise is to physically verify and update existing records of Myanmar refugees living in the camps to find durable solutions and better coordinate future humanitarian assistance. With your ongoing support, 110,000 Myanmar refugees in Thailand have successfully received a card with their bio data. /M. McClellan Resettlement Refugees in Thailand cannot go home because of continued conflict, wars and persecution. Resettlement is one of the durable solutions for them to have a new life in a third country. With your continuous support, 745 individuals with serious protection or medical needs were accepted to resettle through UNHCR resettlement program in 2014.
Together unhcr.or.th 5 Stateless Persons The UNHCR mandate includes the prevention and reduction of statelessness around the world, as well as to protect the rights of stateless people. In November 2014, UNHCR supported the Ministry of Interior to fund the publication of a handbook to be distributed to district officials involved in processing nationality applications, to support training for registrars and the deployment of Mobile Teams to Tak and Chiang Rai Province, where nationality applications would be processed. Vocational Training With your valuable support, UNHCR provided vocational training to 706 refugees to have training on hair dressing, cooking, baking, basic electrical appliances repair, small engine repair, basic computer and basic and intermediate sewing. These courses; certified by the Office of the Non-Formal and Information Education, Ministry of Education; help create skills for self-employment. Rohingya Rohingya refugees have experienced horrific abuse and deprivation by smugglers on boats. In Thailand, UNHCR provided immediate relief; distributed 2,696 hygiene kits, 181 sanitary kits, 926 clothing items, 180 sleeping mats, 288 blankets and other materials in 18 locations. UNHCR staff also conducted interviews to help reunite 30 families who were split during the journey and identified possibilities of resettlement to third countries. Revisiting of Angelina Jolie /R. Arnold UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie spent time on World Refugee Day 2014 with Karenni refugees from Myanmar living in Ban Mai Nai Soi camp, Mae Hong Son Province of Thailand. She had an important message for them: At the end of the day, you will need to make the choices that are right for your families. UNHCR is here to listen to you, to guide you, and to help you prepare for life beyond the camps. Food Insecurity in Africa /C. Fohlen Thai people donated 261,385 Baht to support UNHCR s operation in Central African Republic, Chad and South Sudan. Donations will be used to provide food and water for severely malnourished refugee children. Lack of funding Limited budget has forced the closure or reduction of many UNHCR projects in the camps such as the program for people with disabilities. We are able to support the project in two camps only. Almost all of UNHCR s humanitarian work in Thailand relies on donations thus, your ongoing support is extremely vital for us to continue our work. Your increased donation will be highly appreciated. To discuss how you can help, please contact us at 02-665-2523.
6 unhcr.or.th Revenue and Expenditure in Thailand Source of Income Thai Bath Percentage Income from Abroad Income from individual donors in Thailand* Total 330,009,452 134,414,183 464,423,635 71% 29% 100% *100% of donations from individual donors in Thailand is used to benefit the refugees in Thailand Programme Management Stateless Persons 7% in Thailand Livelihoods 5% 4% Stop Violence Against Children and Women 17% Outstanding Payment 1% Basic Needs and Essential Services 30% Protection 29% Resettlement 7% Expenditure Basic Needs and Essential Services Protection Stop Violence Against Children and Women Resettlement Programme Management Livelihoods Stateless Persons in Thailand Outstanding Payment Total *Exchange rate 1 $US = 32.5 Baht Thai Baht 140,036,227 134,814,133 77,388,228 33,559,896 30,315,743 25,197,705 16,871,035 6,240,668 464,423,635 We need your long-term support! Funding shortage has an effect on discontinuous UNHCR s programme implementation and limited number of beneficiaries. These are why we need you continued support /B.Manser
Your Donation in Action Life of a single mother, Moo Ra Win unhcr.or.th 7 A rainy day may seem very depressing for most people but not for Moo Ra Win, a 21 year old single mother with two young children who were granted an opportunity to resettle in the United States of America with the support of UNHCR donors like you. Moo Ra Win and her family are Karen and fled their hometown in Tanintharyi, Myanmar due to the armed conflicts. She was only three years old when she became a refugee. Even though she couldn t remember what happened at that time, that incidence has changed her life ever since. After her mother died giving birth to her last child, Moo Ra Win grew up with her father and grandparents. Later at the camp, she got married with Ku Htoo, a refugee who lives in the same camp. They have two children; Eh De Moo Ku Paw Hen, three year-old daughter, and Roe Bay Htoo, two year-old son. Unfortunately, in May 2003, Moo Ra Win and Ku Htoo got divorced. Moo Ra Win has been the head of household since then. Being a single mother who has to take care of young children is a difficult task. She also has to look after her parents. To take good care of her family, she does everything to earn a little income such as sewing pillows, selling rice congee and other part time jobs. She said, to be single mom is difficult but I have to be strong and never give up for my children. Since she learnt about the UNHCR Resettlement Program, she decided to apply for resettlement to the United States of America immediately. This decision was not easy for her as she doesn t know the country and language but she did it for her family. I do not know what it would be like to live in the United States of America but what I know is my children will get better opportunity and education, and my hope is that I would be able to work and send back the money to my grandparents, Moo Ra Win said. I am excited and happy but I don t feel quite ready because I can t speak the language. What I hold on to is my children s education and the opportunity they will receive. They are the reasons why I want to resettle, Moo Ra Win said with smiles. The successful story of Moo Ra Win and the family is a great proof of how meaningful your regular donations are. Your support not only helps protects and assists refugees in their daily life, but also gives them hope for a better future.
Pray for Nepal Two massive earthquakes hit Nepal during April and May 2015. The effects have been absolutely devastating with nearly 30,700 people killed and injured and over 2.8 million left with no home. UNHCR is on the ground in Nepal through the support of people like you across the world, offering support to the survivors and refugees and providing critical aid items such as 41,000 plastic sheets and 8,000 solar lanterns. The tarpaulin we received has made our life easier. I am happy for my baby as I am able to keep her away from the heat, rain and dust, said Beli BK, 30, Sindhupalchowk district Thank you for your kind donations Thai people donated the total of 1,055,855 Baht to UNHCR to help provide vital relief to the survivors of the deadly earthquakes. Refugee from Bhutan preparing rice to give to Nepal earthquake victims. Paying forward The group of nine refugees from Bhutan rushed to earthquake affected areas to support the victims with rice, lentils, oil, medicines, etc. Over two decades ago we entered Nepal in desperate need for food, shelter and clothes, said Yubaraj Sampang who led the group from refugee camp, We thought and immediately decided to dedicate ourselves to pay back to Nepal government and Nepalese people for their generosity and support they gave us at that time. EYELAB supports UNHCR to provide lights and safety to the survivors in Nepal. EYELAB, one of leading optical retailers, has donated 300,000 Baht to UNHCR to provide the life-saving assistances to survivors and refugees in Nepal. /K.Suntayodom News & Events /P. Tonjunpong Ms. Ramita Ms. Rattiya Best Fundraisers performance Congratulation to Ms. Ramita Noppakhuntong and Ms. Rattiya Thanthadawanich who won excellent performance awards for their efforts in Face to Face fundraising between March and June 2015. T-shirt signing activity at EmQuartier and Mega Bangna T-shirt signing activity To bring Thai people close to refugees who have been in the refugee camps for 30 years, UNHCR creates a t-shirt signing activity at fundraising booths offering an opportunity for donors and shoppers to send inspiring message to refugees in camps. The signed t-shirts will be presented to the refugees in the nine camps. Thank you to EmQuartier department store who has granted a space for UNHCR fundraising booth. Fundraisers gave t-shirt which was full of messages from donors to Head of Camp Committee Camp visit at Tham Hin camp UNHCR fundraisers visited Tham Hin camp, Ratchaburi Province, to gain more knowledge about refugees and the UNHCR activities which support them for better communication to the Thai public. I now realize how refugees live in the camp, what they had to face before entering the camp. I also learn that in grief, desperation and fear, there is also hope to start new life. said Ms. Rattiya Thanthadawanich, the fundraiser. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) P.O. Box 2-121, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200 Donor Service Hotline: 02 665 2523 UNHCR.or.th UNHCRThailand UNHCR.Thailand