CCRCCREdmonton, 24 May 2007Edmonton, 24 May 2007
Mr Vincent Cochetel Mr Vincent Cochetel Department of International ProtectionDepartment of International Protection
UNHCR, GenevaUNHCR, Geneva
UNHCRUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
I- I- Basic Facts about UNHCR and Basic Facts about UNHCR and Resettlement ActivitiesResettlement Activities
II-II- Canada’s contribution to Resettlement Canada’s contribution to Resettlement ActivitiesActivities
III-III- Global Trends & Challenges for UNHCRGlobal Trends & Challenges for UNHCR
Who are the 20.8 million people falling under Who are the 20.8 million people falling under competence UNHCR’s competence?competence UNHCR’s competence?
Stateless people
4,032,000, 19%
Returnees, 1,100,000, 5%Internally
displaced persons,
6,600,000, 32%
Asylum seekers,
668,000, 3%Refugees,
8,400,000, 41%
Refugee population 8.4 millionsRefugee population 8.4 millionsDistribution by area in June 2006 Distribution by area in June 2006
Asia & the Pacific
825,600, 10%
Africa, 2,571,500, 31%
Europe, 1,965,800, 23%
Americas 564,300, 7%
CASWANAME, 2,467,300, 29%
Durable Solutions for Durable Solutions for RefugeesRefugees
Facilitation/Promotion of Voluntary Facilitation/Promotion of Voluntary RepatriationRepatriation
Facilitation/Promotion of Local IntegrationFacilitation/Promotion of Local Integration
Promotion of ResettlementPromotion of Resettlement
The objectives of The objectives of ResettlementResettlement
To save/rescue individuals/families with To save/rescue individuals/families with specific protection needsspecific protection needs
To activate this durable solution in absence or To activate this durable solution in absence or in parallel with other durable solutionsin parallel with other durable solutions
As an element of burden/responsibility-sharingAs an element of burden/responsibility-sharing
To create protection dividends for refugees To create protection dividends for refugees who are not going to be resettledwho are not going to be resettled
Resettlement Resettlement SubmissionsSubmissions
Submissions by dossierSubmissions by dossier
Submission during selection missionsSubmission during selection missions
RESETTLEMENT RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIESCOUNTRIES
(“current resettlement activities”):(“current resettlement activities”): 81,730 81,730
USA : USA : 50,000 50,000 CANADA: CANADA: 12,000 12,000 AUSTRALIA: AUSTRALIA: 13,000 13,000 (9) EUROPEAN COUNTRIES:(9) EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: 5,550 5,550 NEW ZEALAND:NEW ZEALAND: 750 750 (5) LATIN AMERICA COUNTRIES:(5) LATIN AMERICA COUNTRIES: 430 430
Total needs for resettlement in 2007:Total needs for resettlement in 2007:
53,100 refugees (individual submissions) 53,100 refugees (individual submissions)
24,000 refugees (submissions of groups)24,000 refugees (submissions of groups)
TotalTotal: : 77,10077,100 refugees refugees
= = 0.9 %0.9 % of the refugees world population of the refugees world population
UNHCR ESTIMATE CAPACITY AS REGARDSUNHCR ESTIMATE CAPACITY AS REGARDS
SUBMISSIONS:SUBMISSIONS:
Approximately: Approximately: 50,00050,000 refugees refugees
2006 Resettlement Departuresby Criteria of Submission
Refugees without Local Integration
Prospects38%
Legal and Physical Protection Needs
50%
Survivor ofViolence and
Torture5%
Child & Adolescent, 0%
Medical2%
Family Reunion1%
Women at Risk7%
Canada’s contribution to Canada’s contribution to Resettlement ActivitiesResettlement Activities
One of the “big three” resettlement countries in One of the “big three” resettlement countries in the worldthe world
A resettlement programme sensitive to A resettlement programme sensitive to protection concerns/priorities (e.g. Palestinian protection concerns/priorities (e.g. Palestinian refugees in Jordan)refugees in Jordan)
Canada’s significant support to several Canada’s significant support to several resettlement/protection-related programmesresettlement/protection-related programmes
A refugee resettlement program usefully A refugee resettlement program usefully complemented by the Private Sponsorship complemented by the Private Sponsorship Program (PSR)Program (PSR)
Canada’s readiness to use resettlement for Canada’s readiness to use resettlement for protracted refugee situations (e.g. Bhutanese protracted refugee situations (e.g. Bhutanese refugees in Nepal or Eritrean refugees in refugees in Nepal or Eritrean refugees in Sudan)Sudan)
Canada’s commitment to use resettlement in a Canada’s commitment to use resettlement in a strategic manner (i.e. protection dividends strategic manner (i.e. protection dividends arising out of resettlement activities) (e.g. arising out of resettlement activities) (e.g. support to MPA)support to MPA)
Consistent public supportConsistent public support
Strong involvement of NGOs, volunteers Strong involvement of NGOs, volunteers and local/central authoritiesand local/central authorities
Improved predictability in referrals in Improved predictability in referrals in 2005-20062005-2006
Global trendsGlobal trends
Impact of new anti-terrorist legislation (admission, Impact of new anti-terrorist legislation (admission, security screening, delays in departure…) security screening, delays in departure…)
Excessive use of a criteria of “local integration Excessive use of a criteria of “local integration potential” by certain countries of resettlement potential” by certain countries of resettlement
Increase in the emergency resettlement requests Increase in the emergency resettlement requests because of the deterioration of the situation in because of the deterioration of the situation in certain countries of first asylum certain countries of first asylum
Difficulties for resettlement countries of Difficulties for resettlement countries of considering various groups in many countries considering various groups in many countries of first asylum and temptation to turn to a mode of first asylum and temptation to turn to a mode of selection by group, with the risk of limiting of selection by group, with the risk of limiting geographical diversity in in-take. geographical diversity in in-take.
Effective access employment market in several Effective access employment market in several countries of resettlementcountries of resettlement
Challenges for Canada’s Challenges for Canada’s Resettlement ProgrammeResettlement Programme
Ensure better synergies between the Ensure better synergies between the Government-Assisted Refugee Government-Assisted Refugee Resettlement program and a strategic Resettlement program and a strategic use of the Private Sponsorship Programuse of the Private Sponsorship Program
Pilot the use of dossier places and/or Pilot the use of dossier places and/or interviews by remoteinterviews by remote
Improve and shorten the length of Improve and shorten the length of security screening by CBSAsecurity screening by CBSA
Build upon group resettlement Build upon group resettlement experiencesexperiences
Improve the functioning / responsiveness Improve the functioning / responsiveness of the UPPof the UPP
Enhance the role of NGOsEnhance the role of NGOs
in needs identification processin needs identification process
in case preparation and referrals to UNHCRin case preparation and referrals to UNHCR
in verification exercises (group processing)in verification exercises (group processing)
in cultural orientation/language/literacy in cultural orientation/language/literacy courses in countries of asylumcourses in countries of asylum
Challenges for UNHCRChallenges for UNHCR
To improve planning, predictability, coherence To improve planning, predictability, coherence in the resettlement submissions in the resettlement submissions
To make the resettlement accessible To make the resettlement accessible ::
to larger number of refugeesto larger number of refugees,, from more countries of first asylum from more countries of first asylum and towards a broader number of countries of and towards a broader number of countries of
resettlementresettlement
to promote the implementation of durable solutions to promote the implementation of durable solutions strategies in particular for the protracted situations strategies in particular for the protracted situations
Implementation of the conclusion No. 105 of the Implementation of the conclusion No. 105 of the UNHCR Executive Committee on women-at-riskUNHCR Executive Committee on women-at-risk
to document country-by-country benefit resulting to document country-by-country benefit resulting from a strategic use of the resettlement from a strategic use of the resettlement
to give a “human face” to the resettlement to give a “human face” to the resettlement activities as effective way to combat xenophobia activities as effective way to combat xenophobia and to promote this solutionand to promote this solution
To promote harmonized approaches for refugees To promote harmonized approaches for refugees in order to ensure equitable access to this in order to ensure equitable access to this solution and to reduce secondary movements solution and to reduce secondary movements
To establish “temporary transit facilities” for To establish “temporary transit facilities” for refugees having an immediate need for evacuation refugees having an immediate need for evacuation
To broaden the base of resettlement countries in To broaden the base of resettlement countries in Europe and Latin AmericaEurope and Latin America
To draw lessons from the group resettlement and To draw lessons from the group resettlement and other forms of simplification of proceduresother forms of simplification of procedures
To encourage the harmonization of the programs To encourage the harmonization of the programs of cultural orientation before the departure to of cultural orientation before the departure to resettlement countriesresettlement countries
To roll-out UNHCR resettlement anti-fraud To roll-out UNHCR resettlement anti-fraud programprogram
To collect and disseminate “ best practices” To collect and disseminate “ best practices”
To further engage NGOs in the promotion of To further engage NGOs in the promotion of resettlement activities resettlement activities