UN High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) Hannah Casey, Johanna Danas, Dana Ibrahim History of UNHCR The High Commission on Refugees was organized in December 1950 during the aftermath of World War II to aid individuals of Europe who had been displaced due to the War. Though the original committee was only supposed to last a total of three years, the committee continued its work by aiding Hungarian refugees after its failed revolution. The UNHCR defines a refugee as a displaced person who has been forced to cross national boundaries and cannot return home safely. Throughout the last half century, the committee has aided refugees in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, totalling aiding over 50 million refugees. The Committee has also grown to aid with internally displaced persons, which is an individual who has been forced to flee his or her home, but remains within the country. Our headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. Since our existence, we have won two Nobel Peace Prizes. UNHCR now has more than 16,765 personnel, which is shocking increase from its original 34 staffers at the time of its founding. We work in a total of 138 countries and our budget, which in its first year was US$ 300,000, grew to US$ 6.54 billion in 2016. 1 Today, the UN High Commissioner on Refugees affects over 35.8 million people; including 10.5 million refugees, 17.7 million internally displaced persons, 525,940 returnees, 3.3 million stateless people, and 936,740 asylum-seekers. 2 The UNHCR is a programed that is governed by both the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and brings immense cooperation within the United Nations. The General Assembly strives to bring many countries together by backing refugees, and determining refugees are treated in the most humane way possible. Functions? 1 United Nations. History of UNHCR. UNHCR, www.unhcr.org/en-us/history-of-unhcr.html. 2 History of UNHCR Humble Origins - UNHCR Central Europe. UNHCR, www.unhcr.org/ceu/169-enabout-ushistory-ofunhcr-html.html.
The goal of this committee is to ensure any individual displaced or at risk of being displaced by war has the resources and aid needed to find a home in another state, or return home safely to where they fled from. During times of displacement, the committee strives to provide humanitarian aid in forms of clean water, sanitation needs, shelter, and food, all of which are crucial to the health and wellbeing of these people. In addition HIV prevention, reproductive services, and hygienic resources may also be provided. The committee also advocates for and raise awareness of displaced peoples, and provides protection and shelter. Providing protection to displaced peoples can prove to be difficult, yet the UNHCR strives to both provide and promote protection to minimize physical violence, including sexual assault. Long-term, the committee hopes to return these people to a safe home, or find a new home for them to resettle. However, when the option to return these people home is not readily available, the UNHCR returns to setting up camps to provide shelter as a last resort. 3 A global needs assessment is also used, which is basically a blueprint for planning an action. The committee analyzes which crisisies in the world are most damning, and allocates funds accordingly to provide all the necessary aid listed above. In the 2015 mid-term report, the UNHCR estimates a number of almost 58 million people who fell under the mandates of the commission. This increase from 21 million people in 2007, is linked with high-crisis situations such as the Syrian Civil War, and crisis in the Middle East and North Africa. Though it is important to note that not all these individuals are receiving aid from the UNHCR. 4 Partnerships The UNHCR partners with over 900 NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to aid the efforts to bring protection to displaced people. These partnerships have existed since the creation of the committee, and prove to be crucial to the work done, as 40% of the committee's annual expenditures rely on these NGOs. These NGOs provide the implementation of protections, food resources, and health sources needed to support displaced people. 5 One of these partnerships is with Doctors without Borders. This organization provides medical aid in conflict zones, refugee settlements, and countries that have been affected by endemic diseases. 6 Terms to Know Refugee - A displaced person who has been forced to cross national boundaries and cannot return home safely. Internally displaced person - An individual who has been forced to flee his or her home, but remains within the country. 3 United Nations. What We Do. UNHCR, www.unhcr.org/en-us/what-we-do.html. 4 United Nations. What We Do. UNHCR, www.unhcr.org/en-us/what-we-do.html. 5 United Nations. Non-Governmental Organizations. UNHCR, www.unhcr.org/non-governmental-organizations.html. 6 Principles. MSF USA, www.doctorswithoutborders.org/who-we-are/principles.
Returnees - A person who returns to a place, especially after a prolonged absence (i.e. a refugee or internally displaced person returning home). Stateless person - A person who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law. Asylum seeker - A person who has left his or her home country as a refugee and is seeking asylum in another country. https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/ https://www.unrefugees.org/ https://www.refworld.org/docid/3efc4b834.html https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ Helpful Links Topic 1: Addressing the Persecution of Minority Groups in Syria How did the Syrian Crisis develop? Starting in March of 2011 as civil, and peaceful protests, the Syrian war and refugee crisis has now developed into an all out eight year civil war full of bloodshed, torment, and death. According to the Syrian Center for Policy Research, 470,000 people were counted dead in 2016. 7 A toxic gas attack occurred in Aleppo that killed 100 people on November 24th 2018. This is additionally important because use of chemical warfare violates international law, including United Nations treaty 2138, Protocol for the prohibition of the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of bacteriological methods of warfare which Syria acceded to in 1968. While this war started in 2011, it still rages on into 2019. The killings of 446 civilians took place from September 19th 2016 to October 18th 2016 due to airstrikes from a Syrian-Russian coalition. 8 While March 15th 2011 marks the start of the war, it also marks the day of rage. Internationally recognized as the day that marked the civil war, Syrian citizens were protesting high unemployment rates, government corruption, and insufficient political freedom prior to the conflict. Protests started under the presidency of Bashar al-assad. President Assad took the title of president after his father, Hafez al-assad passed away in 2000. The presidential age requirement was lowered in order for Bashar, and he was elected July 11th 2011. 7 How Syria s Death Toll is lost in the Fog of War https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/world/middleeast/syria-death-toll.html 8 HRW Syria https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/syria
Refugee Waves As of August 2018, 364,371 victims are dead and 156,900 are presumed dead or missing, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syria had a pre war population of 22 million people, and now 55% of Syrians have been removed from their homes. There are currently estimated to be 5.6 million refugees and 6.6 million are internally displaced. 9 There are many European countries and many neighboring countries aiding and offering refuge. The top ten European countries offering refuge are as follows; Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Bulgaria have more than 100,000 refugees. Next is Hungary, Greece, and Czech 9 UNHCR https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35806229
Republic that are hosts to between 70-80,000 refugees. Denmark, France and Austria are hosting between 48-60,000 refugees respectively. Neighboring Syrian countries are hosting the largest amount of refugees with Turkey at 3,552,303 refugees. Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq are hosting between 976-130,000 refugees. In addition to neighboring countries and European countries, Northern Africa to the south west of Syria and Turkey are also hosting 33,545 refugees. 10 Ethnic and Religious Minorities within Syria Within Syria itself, there are many different ethnic and religious minority groups which further complicates the tensions within a country four times smaller than the state of Texas (for comparison). The first and biggest minority group within Syria consists of Sunni Muslims, supported by Saudi Arabia, this sect of Islam makes up close to 70% of the population in Syria. Although the Sunni sect of Islam is the majority, in Syria Shia Muslims maintain government control. Next, 12% of Syria s population consists of Shia/Alawite Muslims which is the sect of Islam President Assad adheres too. The Shia minority has maintained government control since past President Hafez al-assad took office in 1971. The hostility, and detestement of each group towards each other has played a role in further progressing the violence of the war. Another ethnic group within Syria is the Kurdish population, or the Kurds. The Kurds make up around 7-10% of the Syrian population, and have sought for freedom as an autonomous group in the country, independent from ethnic Syrians. The Kurdish minority separates themselves by affirming the rights of women, and for separating religion and state. Turkey sees the Kurds are enemies, another complicated battle in the war. Ethnic Turks or Turkmen make up a small percentage of Syrian population at 1% however they are against ISIS and Assad. 11 Assyrians in the region make up 4% of Syria s population. Assyrians are Christian and have endured religious persecution but have fought back by protecting themselves and taking up arms. Lastly, another minority group in Syria are the Druze. They make up around 3% of the population and although they are followers of a Shiite offshoot, they live among Sunnis so they are said to remain neutral with difficulty. 12 10 Why is there a war in Syria? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35806229 11 The Ethnic and Religious Groups of Syria https://syriancivilwarmap.com/ethnic-and-religious-groups-of-syria/ 12 Syria s Druze maintain difficult neutrality https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/syrias-druze-maintain-difficult-neutrality
What countries are unwelcoming to Syrian refugees? With the flow of refugees streaming into different countries since the war started in 2011, there has been eight years of resettlement for Syrian refugees. However, not every country has been equally welcoming about accepting refugees. Some countries refuse to take in any refugees, and other countries are accepting far less than they are capable of supporting. Countries within Eastern Europe have a strained relationship with Syrian refugees, however in March 2016, European Leaders signed a deal into law that would effectively close the Balkan route that allowed refugees access from Greece to Germany if they had not applied for asylum. This resulted in a majority of Syrian refugees to resettle in Turkey. The country with the highest anti-refugee sentiment 13 is Hungary which as of 2017, built border walls in order to keep refugees from coming into Hungary. Additionally 70% of Hungary s population believes no refugees should be allowed at all. In terms of religion, countries that already have a larger Muslim population majority were more accepting to the idea of Syrian refugees, such as Bosnia and Albania. In regards to aid and accepting refugees, according to data the United States is not equally contributing to aid efforts for displaced Syrians. In 2015, the United States gave $1.56 billion dollars in aid, however as the largest economy a fair contribution should be over $2 billion dollars 14 according to the Washington Post. While the relationship with Syrian refugees in the United States has been contentious, as of 2018, 6,000-7,000 Syrian refugees were living in the U.S under TPS, or temporary protected status. This program was created in 1990 by congress to provide temporary reprieve for immigrants whose home countries face disaster or conflict. 15 TPS was then expanded to include Syrian refugees by Barack Obama in 2012. 16 TPS protection was extended 18 months in January 2018 if you re a Syrian refugee who arrived between August 1st 2016, and if you ve been physically present in the country since October 2016. 13 Syrian Refugees not welcome in Eastern Europe https://news.gallup.com/poll/209828/syrian-refugees-not-welcome-eastern-europe.aspx 14 These are the countries letting down Syrian Refugees https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/02/01/these-are-the-countries-letting-down-syrianrefugees/?utm_term=.60e9e7d944cc 15 Syrians with temporary U.S protection brace for Trump decision https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-immigration-syria/syrians-with-temporary-u-s-protection-brace-for-trump-decisioniduskbn1fe1hr 16 U.S renews temporary protection status for some Syrians https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/01/31/581544841/u-s-renews-temporary-protected-status-for-some-syrians
UNCHR Response In 2013, UNCHR addressed refugees in countries such as Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. UNCHR has seeked the needs of refugees and seeked the needs of host countries. They have advocated for shelter, education, sanitation, food, health, and basic needs. UNCHR has also set up the 3PR, or the Regional Refugee and Resilience Framework which has formed a group of 270 partners from the U.N system including NGO s and private sector partners in order to address needs. UNCHR has appealed for 4.4 billion dollars to be allocated to support national efforts. 3PR consists of two components, the humanitarian and refugee component, and the resilience/restabilization development component. Questions to Consider What can be done to give more funding and humanitarian aid to Syria? How can be encourage more countries to accept more refugees? What can be done to protect the refugees who cannot renew their TPS status? Topic 2: Economic Refugees A refugee does not have a choice to go back to his/her country of origin. However, an economic refugee is an individual who leaves his/her country of origin in search of better job prospects or improved living standards elsewhere. Economic refugees are the people who see little opportunity to escape poverty in their own countries. According to the UNHCR the economic refugees are immigrants that moves across the international borders looking for a different livelihood for variety of reasons. 17 The main difference between a refugee and an economic refugee is choice. Simply speaking, a migrant is someone who chooses to move, and a refugee is someone who has been forced from their home. Traditionally, a refugee is granted asylum in a foreign country due to life-threatening political or religious persecution in his or her home country. However, both refugees and immigrants use the same routes, models and network. The main different is the rights, responsibility and protection. Point of entry The UNHCR respects sovereignty of the countries as individuals, it also encourages strong policies at the point of entry to each country. 18 This will allow refugees to declare a refugee status at the borders and obtain the legal documentation to become legally certified to stay in the country. Since most countries have border controls that restrict who may enter, work and reside there, a person cannot simply move to the country of his or her choice. One must either be granted permission by the government or try to enter and live in the country illegally without adversely meeting the law. The delegates are expected to understand their countries policies and stands on the point of entry requirements and immigration/ refugees process. As listed 17 https://emergency.unhcr.org/entry/250459/migrant-definition 18 https://www.unhcr.org/resettlement.html
on Article 14(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which was adopted by the end of 1948 to guarantees the right to seek and enjoy asylum in other countries. 19 The journey of the refugees from their country of origin to the country of entry used to be simple and not costly. However, things changed to the worst because of the increase on the number of people who are immigrating over the years. The UNHCR requested a $8.2 billion that is needed to support the resettlement and replacement for refugees in 2018. 20 For example, since the drug dealers took over the roads and control the path to the United States borders the cost to travel to the United States is $10,000- $12,000. 21 In the lights of the government late announcement that domestic abuse and gang violence are no longer grounds for asylum, more and more people are forced to cross the desert and face death while crossing because they cannot enter legally through the boarders. it s impossible to look at domestic immigration policy without examining the foreign policy roots of the current crisis. the US does bear responsibility for its role in the circumstances that cause people to leave their home countries. Pros and cons There are different types of economic benefits these refugees are bringing to the country of refuge such as paying taxes and attending college at the same type of universities natives are going to. There is other obligation some people might consider which is the humanitarian aspect. They believe that every human has the right to safe shelter, an education and employment opportunities. To learn more about how large companies provide job opportunities to economic refugees. Another aspect is the diversity, these economic refugees may bring multiculturalism and diversity to their adopted country. They may introduce new foods and customs that enrich the existing culture. For example, an economic refugee may open a restaurant that features a traditional menu from his or her homeland. However, there is an argument against the rights for economic refugees such as employment, lack of assimilation and increased crime. Employment could lead to critics, the argument against economic refugees is that they may cause unemployment to rise and wages to decrease, particularly if they are highly skilled and seeking employment in a weak labor market. Lack of assimilation that means economic refugees may not embrace the local customs and traditions of their adopted country. Lack of assimilation might lead to additional pressure on the social welfare system. Increased crime is something often associated with economic refugees. Some people believe that economic refugees who fail to find employment may be more likely to become involved in crime, such as drug trafficking or smuggling illegal refugees. 22 The beginning of the crisis 19 https://ijrcenter.org/refugee-law/ 20 https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2018/10/5bbc57d94/refugees-bear-cost-massive-underfunding.html 21 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-declares-a-growing-humanitarian-crisis-at-the-border-in-demand-for-wallfunding-to-end-shutdown/2019/01/08/bdd2767e-1368-11e9-803c-4ef28312c8b9_story.html?utm_term=.771ca176fbf9 22 https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/economicrefugee.asp
The immigration process and the refugee seekers asking for asylum did not happened recently, it all started back in the 1950s and the 1980s. Countries like Guatemala had history with the CIA and signed agreement to support the people. The CIA and officials from the United States agreed to support the people to stand against the government that threatened to close the roads to export the fruits and vegetables to the United States back in the 1950s. 23 After years of war in Guatemala and 200,000 were killed in the subsequent 36-year-long civil war, people from Guatemala start seeking refuge in the United State to escape the war and look for a safe place to live. These refugees where not all welcomed in the United States nor able to apply to receive asylum. 24 This situation is not exclusive to Guatemala only, it is applied to many other central American countries such as Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador. The situation in Nicaragua in the late 70s was created by resistance group called the Sandinistas who overthrew the country s dictatorship that had been in power for over 40 years. the United States opposed the revolution, backed the dictatorship, and later supported the rebel group known as the Contras. In El Salvador the situation is almost the same, the United States gave billions to the government to fight the socialist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) and used Honduras as a base to hold military exercises. Throughout all these conflicts and civil wars, people from these countries tried to flee to safety and cross the northern borders where they can find work and their kids could go to school. 25 The population of immigrants in the United States has been decreasing since the economic crisis in 2008, however, the president was elected by people who believed there is more work need to be done to stop the immigration. 26 In 2017, Customs and Border Protection reported a 26 percent drop in the number of people apprehended or stopped at the southern border from the year before, which some attribute to the Trump administration s policies. At the same time, arrests of suspected undocumented immigrants jumped by 40 percent. According to the government records about one-third of the born citizens parents are illegal immigrants from south and central America. 27 In early 2018, it implemented a so-called zero-tolerance policy at the southern border, in which authorities arrested and criminally prosecuted all unauthorized immigrants. As a result, more than two thousand child migrants were detained separated from their parents or guardians. President Trump ended the family separation policy in June following widespread protests. Although Presidents Bush and Obama employed similar deterrence measures but did not separate families. The crisis increased when president Trump suggested to build the wall be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico, which caused the American government to be partially shut down for 33 days. 28 23 https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol44no5/html/v44i5a03p.htm 24 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc5794227/ 25 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc5794227/ 26 https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/nekkgx/new-trump-policy-means-domestic-violence-victim-will-likely-be-deported 27 https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qvnyzq/central-america-atrocities-caused-immigration-crisis 28 https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/nekkgx/new-trump-policy-means-domestic-violence-victim-will-likely-be-deported
Questions to consider Is there the possibility of economic refugees becoming a global crisis? How can we prevent it, and if it does happen, how can countries mitigate it? How are economic refugees being treated in their new countries? How can this committee help mitigate problems such as racism?