RESETTLEMENT BASICS Durable solutions Core functions Stages Identification and Assessment of Needs C

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RESETTLEMENT BASICS Durable solutionsCore
functionsStages Identification and Assessment
of NeedsChallenges

• Ajmal Khybari
• Resettlement Service
• Division of International Protection Services,
  2008

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• What is Resettlement?
• Resettlement involves the selection and transfer
  of refugees from a State in which they have
  sought protection to a third State which has
  agreed to admit them as refugees.
• The status provided should ensure protection
  against refoulement and the local integration of
  the resettled refugee and his/her family or
  dependants

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DURABLE SOLUTIONS

• Comprehensive approach
• Voluntary Repatriation
• Local Integration
• Resettlement
• There is no hierarchy of durable solutions

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Complementary nature of durable solutions

• A comprehensive approach to durable solutions
  within a framework of protection strategy
• Resettlement as a complement to asylum enhances
  refugee protection and facilitates the
  application of other durable solutions
• The immediate and long term function of
  resettlement

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Core functions of Resettlement

• Instrument of protection
• Durable solution
• International responsibility and burden sharing
  mechanism

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Objectives of resettlement

• To quickly save/rescue individuals/families with
  specific protection needs
• To address major protection problems, Provide
  effective protection to vulnerable individuals
  secondary movements etc.

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• Objectives of Resettlement (ctd)
• Strategic use - To activate this durable solution
  in absence, or in parallel with another durable
  solution or to unlock another durable solution.
• As an element of burden/responsibility-sharing

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Stages in the resettlement process

• Identification of refugee(s) in need of
  resettlement consideration
• Assessment of eligibility / need for
  resettlement refugee claim, resettlement
  criteria (e.g. women-at-risk), viability of other
  solutions, continued need for protection
• Prepare documentation and RRF (consider priority
  of submission)
• Submission decision (quality assurance /
  oversight / responsible officer / regional hubs)

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Stages in the resettlement process

• 5. Submission of RRF to resettlement country
  (consider resettlement country criteria, dossier
  / in-country selection)
• 6. Decision of resettlement country (accepted /
  declined / deferred)
• 7. Pre-departure processing (counselling /
  medicals) and travel
• 8. Reception and integration in the resettlement
  country

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Case Identification

• Identification of an individual refugee in need
  of resettlement consideration is the result of a
  identification process by UNHCR, organizations
  external to UNHCR, or refugees themselves (i.e.
  internal, external and direct referrals)
• Identification systems should aim to ensure
  access to the resettlement process for those most
  in need in a proactive way

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Case Identification

• Especially acute in protracted and / or prima
  facie refugee situations
• Active identification by UNHCR and its partners
• Early identification of vulnerable refugees
• The identification procedures and their
  safeguards

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Gaps in service delivery
Community Services
Protection
Program
Resettlement
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Comprehensive service delivery
Community Services
Community Services
Protection
Program
Protection
Program
Resettlement
Resettlement
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The Identification Initiative

• To improve refugees access to resettlement by
  promoting protection profiling and group
  resettlement methodologies, refugee participatory
  assessments and age, gender and diversity
  mainstreaming, and maximizing the effective role
  of key NGO partners.
• To brainstorm the need for - and possible ways of
  improving - the identification of refugees in
  need of resettlement.

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The Identification Initiative

• To complement the important work undertaken at
  the UNHCRs Regional Strategic Planning Meetings.
• Strengthen the expertise of staff to proactively
  plan resettlement in the lead-up to the 2009
  Country Operations Planning process.

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Heightened Risk Categories

• women and girls at risk
• unaccompanied and separated children /
  adolescents and other children at risk
• older persons at risk
• survivors of violence and torture
• health needs and disability
• legal or physical protection needs / other

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Assessment of Resettlement Need

• A comprehensive assessment of the individual case
  (protection solutions)
• Establishing / confirming UNHCR Mandate status
• Protection safeguards and managing refugees
  expectations
• The Resettlement Needs Assessment Form

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Assessment of Resettlement Need

• The refugees prospects for voluntary
  repatriation or local integration
• return in safety and dignity
• quality of asylum
• respect of basic human rights
• self-sufficiency

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Assessment of Resettlement Need

• The situation of the refugee in the country of
  refuge
• protection needs (e.g. security, legal status)
• specific needs (e.g. WR, UAM, SVT)
• durable solution needs

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Assessment of Resettlement Need

• 1. UNHCR resettlement criteria is the primary
  criteria that guides decisions by UNHCR staff on
  the need for resettlement intervention
• 2. Resettlement country criteria normally does
  not influence UNHCRs decision on resettlement
  eligibility, but is considered in the context of
  submission decision

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Assessment of Resettlement Need

• Consistent application of resettlement criteria
  and equal / fair access to resettlement
  consideration (note the universal imperative)
• Transparency and probity at all levels
• Needs driven, not numbers driven
• Management of risks

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Challenges

• Integrity of UNHCR Registration Database
• Fraud / Misrepresentation
• Managing / Adjudicating Complex Cases
• Impact on Resources / Staffing / Time
• Magnet Effect / Pull Factors
• Cooperation of Stakeholders
• Flexibility of Resettlement Countries
• Managing Expectations (refugee communities and
  resettlement countries)

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• Thank you.