REFUGEE INFORMATION SERVICE RIS

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REFUGEE INFORMATION SERVICE (RIS)

• Josephine Ahern, Director
• Presentation on the role of NGOs in the
  integration and resettlement of refugees
• European Conference on Models of Integration and
  Resettlement of Refugees
• Madrid 9th November 2007

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Gandhi's Talisman
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in
doubt, or when the self becomes too much with
you, apply the following test. Recall the face of
the poorest and the weakest man woman whom you
may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you
contemplate is going to be of any use to him
her. Will he she gain anything by it? Will it
restore him her to a control over his her own
life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to
swaraj freedom for the hungry and spiritually
starving millions?Then you will find your doubts
and your self melt away." - One of the last notes
left by Gandhi in 1948, expressing his deepest
social thought. Source Mahatma Gandhi Last
Phase, Vol. II (1958), P. 65.

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My presentation will address the following today

• The context in which NGOs work
• Irelands resettlement programme
• The RIS as an NGO case study
• What we do!
• Snapshot from 2002 2006
• RIS participation in the MOST Project
• The contribution NGOs can make
• Where to from here?

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The context in which NGOs work

• The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of
  Refugees defines a refugee as a person who
• "owing to a well-founded fear of being
  persecuted for reasons of race, religion,
  nationality, membership of a particular social
  group, or political opinion, is outside the
  country of his nationality, and is unable to or,
  owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself
  of the protection of that country...
• Often refugees resettled under the UNHCR
  programme do not fit within this definition. They
  do however have protection needs.
• Ireland continues to be a strong supporter of the
  UNHCRs worldwide operations including the
  resettlement programme
• Section 24 of the Refugee Act, 1996 governs
  Irelands work in this area

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Irelands resettlement programme

• Ireland has a tradition of accepting people under
  emergency evacuation programmes
• The first of these groups (Hungarians) were
  admitted in 1956
• Irish Government agreed to participate in the
  UNHCR resettlement programme in 1998
• Since then Ireland has provided temporary
  protection and/or resettlement to refugees
  including people from conflict situations in
  Kosovo, Kurdistan and Burma

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The RIS as an NGO case study

• A non-government agency established in 1998 in
  response to increasing numbers of people seeking
  asylum and protection in Ireland
• A national organisation that specialises in the
  areas of protection and integration
• Provides an information, advice, advocacy and
  referral service for asylum seekers, refugees and
  people with permission to remain in Ireland
• Recently expanded to include a training service,
  family reunification integration service,
  communications, policy and research functions
• Governed by a Board of Directors with members
  from statutory and non-statutory professional
  backgrounds
• Funded by government and private sector

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What we do!

• Information advocacy service via information
  clinics, email, telephone information service,
  website www.ris.ie
• Support statutory and non-statutory agencies that
  come into contact with our client groups
• Inform and work with individuals, government, the
  public, media, academia, other service providers
• Raise awareness about the Irish and International
  protection systems and about issues that impact
  on successful integration
• Counter racism
• Conduct research and develop policy
• Develop initiatives that can be mainstreamed by
  government in the areas of protection and
  integration

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Snapshot from 2002 - 2006

• Close to 33,000 applications for asylum were made
  between 2002 2006
• We know that first instance decisions
  recommending refugee status by the Office of the
  Refugee Applications Commissioner in this period
  totalled 2,515
• In the same period the Government resettled over
  600 refugees
• The RIS conducted close to 12,000 client
  consultations (repeat and new) via casework
  queries
• More than 1/3 of our work concerned convention
  and resettled refugees

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RIS participation in the MOST Project

• Member of the Steering Group established by the
  Reception Integration Agency (RIA), Department
  of Justice Equality and Law Reform
• Steering Group comprises government and
  non-government organisations with direct and
  indirect involvement in Irelands resettlement
  programme
• Contributed to roundtable meetings, forums and
  the reports recommendations regarding the Irish
  programme
• Our service works with people resettled in the
  West of Ireland and participates in locally based
  networks to further develop community and
  organisational expertise

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The contribution NGOs can make

• Bring direct experience of working with refugees
  to service provision, research, policy and
  legislation
• Enable resettled individuals and families to
  develop their own capacities to act and rebuild
  their lives
• Capacity build and raise awareness among
  statutory and non-statutory agencies
• Work to ensure that the refugee determination
  system is fair, accountable, expeditious and
  efficient
• Work to improve the rights and entitlements of
  people in the asylum process
• Develop and implement innovative responses to
  assist people with integration including in the
  areas of language, education and employment
• Contribute to local, national, regional and EU
  strategy

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Where to from here?

• Establish ongoing dialogue and consultation
  between government and non-government agencies,
  and communities about resettlement
• Implement a coordinated and cohesive national
  approach to resettlement
• Commit to clear communications strategies to
  inform the broader public about resettlement
  programmes and why Governments participate
• Implement a national strategy to address the
  educational, employment, housing and healthcare
  needs of people resettled
• Ensure that safety nets are in place so that
  resettled refugees do not become socially,
  economically or politically isolated
• Further develop national programmes through
  comparative analysis of international practice as
  provided for by projects such as The MOST Project
• Commit to robust integration programmes
• Implement models for effective service provision
  partnerships between government and
  non-government agencies

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Just a thought to leave you with

• A whale!
• Down it goes, and more and more
• up goes its tail!
• Buson, Yosa. (1716-84).