Introduction to Frameworks and Approaches for Refugees and Internally

Displaced Persons (IDPs)

Module 1.3

Benjamin Petrini

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Learning Objectives

Gain overview of (re)integration of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons’ frameworks, programmes, and approaches. Outline of specific issues in protracted situations, in host countries.

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Outline

• Definitions• Trends and Data• Impacts of Forced Displacement• Frameworks and Approaches: Durable Solutions• Development Challenge• Key Resources

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• Forced displacement: Experience of being forced or obliged to flee or leave homes or places of habitual residence in order to avoid the effects (or fear) of armed conflict, situations of generalised violence, or violations of human rights.

• No environmental / natural disaster displacement, no economic migration (although sometimes hard to distinguish).

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Definitions

Definitions (cont.)

• Refugee: Someone 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; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to.” (UNHCR 1951 Refugee Convention, Art. 1A(2)).

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Definitions (cont.)

• Internally Displaced Person (IDP): Those who “have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalised violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognised state border.” (UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement).

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Definitions (cont.)

• Protracted displacement: Situations which have moved beyond the initial emergency phase (in terms of time and dynamics), but for which durable solutions do not exist in the foreseeable future.

• Threshold: More than 25,000 people are forcibly displaced for more than 5 years. (UNHCR def.)

• According to this definition 6.2m refugees in 2004, 7.2m in 2010, 10.3m in 2013.

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Trends and Data (end of 2013)

8SOURCE: UNHCR. Global Trends 2013: War’s Human Cost

(1989)

Most displaced people are in a protracted situation.

Forced Displacement Trends

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SOURCE: IDMC Website

Trends: IDPs• With 8.2m new IDPs, 2013 is worst year ever • 33.3m total IDPs in 2013 - highest ever• Largest crises and regional breakdown: – 63% of total IDPs are from 5 countries: Syria, Colombia, Nigeria,

DRC, Sudan. (Iraq has 2.9m IDPs, as of Oct. 2014).

– Sub-Saharan Africa - 12.5m (Great Lakes Region, Horn of Africa)

– Middle East & North Africa - 9.1m (Syria, Iraq, Libya)

– Europe, Caucasus & Central Asia - 2.2m (Turkey, BiH, Cyprus)

– South & East Asia - 3.2m (India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar)

– Latin America - 6m (Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras)

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SOURCE: IDMC. Global Overview 2014

12SOURCE: De Berry & Petrini. Forced Displacement in Europe and Central Asia. World Bank, 2011

Forced Displacement in ECA

Trends: Refugees• 2.5m new refugees in 2013- highest since 1994.• 16.7m total refugees in 2013 - highest since 1995. • Top origins (2013): 66.7% of total refugees are from Palestine (5m)

Afghanistan (2.56m), Syria (2.47m) & Somalia (1.12m).• Top hosts (2013): Pakistan (1.6m), Iran (0.86m). Syria crisis (Oct

2014): Turkey (1.1m), Lebanon (1.1m), Jordan (0.6m). • Regional breakdown (host countries):– Sub-Saharan Africa - 2.9m (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Chad)– Middle East and North Africa - 7.6m (Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq)– Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia - 1.8m (Turkey, France, Germany)– Asia & Pacific - 3.5m (Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh) – Latin America - 0.8m (USA, Venezuela)

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Syrian Refugees

SOURCE: UNHCR. Syrian Refugees: Inter-Agency Regional Update. Oct 20, 2014

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Impacts of Forced Displacement• Forced displacement is a humanitarian crisis, with important political

and developmental dimensions

• In fragile and conflict affected countries, displacement puts added strain on weak national and local institutions

• Displacement can be a breeding ground for grievances leading to conflict, crime, violence, and political instability

• Displacement has negative developmental impacts on human and social capital, economic growth, poverty reduction, MDGs, and environmental sustainability

• The negative impacts of displacement may be less pronounced where the displaced are able to develop their skills and use their coping mechanisms to their own and the host community’s benefit

Durable Solutions• Founding principle of the refugee regime• Permanent, lasting or durable solutions are part of

UNHCR’s core mandate• Def.: Processes through which to achieve the point at

which the displaced no longer require specific assistance or protection associated with their displacement and can enjoy their human rights (IASC Framework)

• Common feature: reconnecting to a state and benefiting from its protection

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Key Principles for Solutions

• National authorities bear responsibility• International actors to be granted access• Displaced to freely decide which solution to pursue• Return can be postponed if unobtainable• State protection and restoration of rights• Host communities’ needs not to be neglected

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1. Return• Voluntary repatriation of refugees to their country of origin:

– Free and informed decision– In and to conditions of safety and dignity– Full restoration of national protection– Followed by sustainable reintegration

• Sustainable return dependent on conflict resolution and contextual challenges addressed (economy, security etc.)

• 1990s mass returns took place: Cambodia (365k), C. America (150k), Mozambique (1.7m)

• UNHCR “most preferred solution” (UNHCR Excom 1996)• Steady decline in repatriation since 2004 (⅕ of 1990s levels)

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2. Local Integration

• Gradual process by which refugees legally, economically, socially and culturally integrate as fully included members of country of asylum

• De facto local integration may occur without an institutional formal process

• Local integration is durable if all parties commit: displaced, host communities, governments

• E.g. 162,000 Burundian refugees in Tanzania granted naturalisation (2014)

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3. Resettlement• Resettlement from country of asylum to a third country,

which accepts to provide the displaced with legal and physical protection:– Access to civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights

similar to those enjoyed by nationals.– Leading to naturalisation.

• 2013: 98,400 refugees resettled in 21 countries• Demand always exceeds supply• E.g. In 1990s, Cairo (Egypt) was primary destination for

refugees due to UNHCR large resettlement programme

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Criteria for DSs sustainability

1. Long-term safety and security2. Adequate standard of living3. Access to employment and livelihood4. Restoration of housing, land, and property5. Access to documentation6. Family reunification7. Participation in public affairs8. Access to justice (IASC Framework)

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Need for a Development Lens• In order for “solutions” to be “durable”, a development

focus is needed, addressing displaced + host communities

• UNHCR and humanitarian actors alone not equipped to address long-term (re)integration

• UNHCR and other actors pursuing comprehensive approaches to solutions: e.g. Transitional Solutions Initiatives (TSI); targeted area development programmes

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Development Challenge 1/4• During displacement, development challenges include

promoting conducive conditions early on in preparation for solutions, by:– Promoting maximum level of self-reliance, building & maintaining

skills– Promoting integration and mutually beneficial collaboration with

host communities and local economies– Guaranteeing information & application of displacement-related

rights • If the development challenges during displacement are

properly addressed, the displaced could develop and/or retain their livelihood capacities, contribute to the local economy and be better able to take advantage of durable solutions when they arise

• Displaced people may have positive contribution to host communities and local economies, including: – Expanded local markets for goods and services,

resulting in income benefits for host community– Increased value of agricultural production by provision

of cheaper labour– Business development and trade– Infrastructure investment

Development Challenge 2/4

• Or negative:– Distortion of labour market ( Declining salary

levels for unskilled labour)– Distortion of housing market ( Rising rental fees)– Competition over access to resources and services– Strained relations between the host population and

the displaced, resulting from preferential treatment toward the displaced

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Development Challenge 3/4

There are four key developmental barriers to achieve durable solutions for the displaced : •Access to lost land, housing and property Resolution of land, housing, and property disputes.•Restoration of livelihoods Income generating activities, access to markets.•Delivery of services

Health care, education, psycho-social services, security.•Accountable and responsive governance

Voice and participation, involvement in local planning.

Development Challenge 4/4

Solutions(return/integration/resettlement)

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Addressing Development Challenges through Comprehensive Approaches

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Durable Solutions

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Key Resources• IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for IDPs • UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement• UNHCR/UNDP Transitional Solutions Initiative (TSI)• World Bank’s Global Programme on Forced Displacement

(GPFD) • Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement• Solutions Alliance• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)• Danish Refugee Council (DRC)• Refugee Studies Centre – University of Oxford

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Thank you for listening!

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