UNHCR works closely with partners in Colombia including its Government counterpart Defensoria del Pueblo. 64 UNHCR Global Appeal 2011 Update

Transcription

1 64 UNHCR Global Appeal 2011 Update UNHCR works closely with partners in Colombia including its Government counterpart Defensoria del Pueblo.

2 Working in Partnership UNHCR / B. HEGER To day s forced displacement challenges are often too large and complex for any one organization to address alone. UNHCR recognizes that only by linking up with others concerned about the plight of the displaced will it be able to fulfil its mandate to protect and assist refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and stateless people. In 2011, the Office s efforts will focus on strengthening existing alliances with the three pillars of the humanitarian world: UN agencies, IOM and other international organizations; the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement; and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It will also pursue efforts to seek new partnerships, including with civil-society organizations and the corporate sector. COORDINATING WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS The regular meetings of executive headsofunagenciesandbretton Woods institutions enable UNHCR to contribute to the development of policy and resolution of management issues. At the UN Headquarters in New York, UNHCR advocates in various forums for the inclusion of displacement and statelessness issues within intergovernmental and inter-agency proceedings on peace and security, humanitarian action and development. UNHCR also works closely with the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Commission to ensure that they address the needs of returning refugees and displaced populations. Similarly, UNHCR lobbies the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations to ensure that the mandates of its missions reflect the needs of the displaced. Finally, the Office aims to develop close links with the newly established UN Women. At a more operational level, as part of the joint efforts of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) on the development of humanitarian policy and response preparedness, UNHCR either leads or co-leads the protection, camp coordination and camp management, and emergency shelter clusters in inter-agency responses to situations of internal displacement. The Office continues to seek ways to streamline cluster processes in the field, enhance inter-cluster coordination and overcome disparities between the treatment of IDPs living in camps and those outside. Driven by the awareness of the potential impact of climate change, UNHCR is participating in the IASCTaskForceonclimatechangeto consider the related humanitarian concerns including disaster-risk reduction, climate-induced displacement and migration. Strengthening ties with other UN agencies and international organizations Partnerships with key UN organizations, such as WFP ( ), UNICEF,UNRWA,OCHA,OHCHR, as well as with IOM, the ICRC and the IFRC will remain of crucial importance tounhcrin2011asitpursuesitsgoals in the areas of refugee and IDP protection, statelessness, humanitarian space and migration. The protection framework UNHCR contributes to the development of international human rights law and the strengthening of the legal framework on asylum by bringing issues related to persons of concern to the attention of the Human Rights Council, relevant thematic and country-specific Special Procedures mandate holders, and the Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Bodies. Close cooperation with OHCHR allows UNHCR to strengthen human rights approaches through joint advocacy, training and interventions. To ensure that stateless people are identified through population censuses, UNHCR is working with national authorities and UNFPA in Armenia, Montenegro and Turkmenistan. It will also team up with UNICEF and NGOs to prevent situations where the lack of birth registration leads to a substantial risk of statelessness. For instance, UNHCR will help UNICEF and Plan International to conduct birth registration campaigns in Sudan. And on a much broader scale, UNICEF and UNHCR continue to work together to implement jointly planned programmes in child protection, education, resource mobilization, emergency preparedness, supply and logistics and surge capacity. Cooperation will also continue in the global protection cluster, where UNICEF leads in child protection. The promotion of standard-setting on nationality and statelessness will be pursued through the UN Human Rights Council and regional bodies such as the Organization of American States (OAS). UNHCR will also build on existing relationships in this area with NGOs such as the Open Society Institute, Refugees International and the Equal Rights Trust to promote research and advocacy on issues of mutual concern. Cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency will support the reintegration of refugees and returnees in Afghanistan, Southern Sudan and Sri Lanka. It will also boost efforts to seek durable solutions to protracted refugee and IDP situations in Kenya, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Syrian Arab Republic. UNHCR will work with the Grameen Trust to help women and girls to access financial services which will help them become self-reliant. Meanwhile, collaboration with the Women s Refugee Commission will focus on people of concern in urban areas. UNHCR s partnership with ILO will cover a global training programme on microfinance as well as the provision of technical guidance to field operations. UNHCR Global Appeal 2011 Update 65

3 Working in Partnership TheOfficewillenhanceits cooperation with IOM on issues pertaining to human trafficking. In the area of refugee resettlement and family reunification, IOM is UNHCR s main operational partner with regard to the logistics for refugees who are being resettled in a third country. In 2009, over 86,000 refugees departed from 94 countries of asylum for resettlement countries. The majority of these refugees were assisted by IOM. The partnership with IOM on family reunification will be renewed in 2011, allowing UNHCR to fund the costs of family members joining a recognized refugee in the country of asylum. UNHCR will participate in the Inter-Agency Working Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support and the Inter-Agency Support Group for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It will contribute to the work of the IASC Sub-Working Group on Gender and Humanitarian Action, the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality and the IASC Gender Standby Capacity Project (GenCap) to incorporate gender considerations into humanitarian responses. Working jointly with UNICEF and UNFPA, UNHCR will implement the Gender-Based Violence Capacity Building Project in nine countries. It will also team up with UNFPA and IRC to set up a global Information Management Project to address the lack of systematic and reliable data on gender-based violence. Ongoing cooperation between the ICRC and UNHCR is reaffirmed each year at an annual high-level meeting whichcoversissuessuchasprotection in internal displacement situations, the detention of persons of concern, the challenges to humanitarian space, and cooperation in specific field operations. UNHCR s cooperative efforts with other UN agencies will also include working closely with UNRWA to protect and assist Palestinian refugees in the Middle East, and the Office will seek durable solutions for Palestinians from Iraq in the Syrian Arab Republic. It will also team up with IOM, OCHA, UNFPA and others to host the Joint IDP Profiling Service which supports the efforts of governments and humanitarian organizations to obtain, maintain and update reliable data on IDPs. UNHCR is active in UN joint-programming processes such as UNDAF and the Delivering as One initiative in order to ensure that durable solutions for refugees and IDPs are included in national development plans. The Office also works closely with the World Bank on its multi-year programme to improve the development response to forced displacement. UNHCR and the Bank will cooperate on identifying lessons learned on the creation of livelihoods for the displaced, as well as presenting the development challenges arising from displacement in the World Development Report Participation in the early recovery cluster will support UNHCR s efforts to advocate for more development support in refugee-hosting areas and reintegration operations. Within the cluster, UNHCR has been leading the development of a Reintegration Information Management System which, if funds are available, will continue to be developed in Professional basketball player and UNHCR supporter Luol Deng plays basketball with young refugees in Kakuma refugee camp. 66 UNHCR Global Appeal 2011 Update UNHCR / R. GANGALE Agreements with UNESCO, UNICEF and WFP will allow UNHCR to benefit from technical expertise in teaching and learning materials, teacher training, diploma certification and school-feeding programmes. The partnership between UNHCR and the Refugee Education Trust will be strengthened by the revision of the existing Memorandum of Understanding. Partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) enables UNHCR to implement comprehensive education programmes through the deployment of education officers. The dissemination of an e-learning package on Safe Learning Environments, jointly developed with the IRC, will be completed in Supported by corporate partners such as Nike, the ongoing million.org fund-raising campaign will expand opportunities for

4 WFP Having worked closely together in the service of refugees and IDPs for many years, UNHCR and WFP s partnership has been progressively strengthened, notably in 1992 when new working arrangements were introduced, and in 2008, when the global food crisis increased hunger in many countries in the world. The UNHCR-WFP Memorandum of Understanding outlines a clear division of roles and responsibilities between the two organizations. It recognizes the importance of examining both food-related and non-food aspects of food security, while seeking to increase refugee self-reliance. The agreement is currently being revised to include the humanitarian reform process, cluster issues, the use of micronutrient products to prevent and control anaemia among refugees, and food assistance in urban settings. By agreement, WFP provides basic food rations consisting of cereals, pulses, oil, salt and sugar to vulnerable refugees in camps and to IDPs and returnees in all operations serving more than 5,000 persons. In some operations, WFP supplies special food products to treat and prevent malnutrition. UNHCR provides complementary items depending on the dietary needs of the beneficiaries, such as vegetables, ground nuts, green grams and tomato paste. In operations with fewer than 5,000 beneficiaries, UNHCR also provides the basic food rations. Between 2007 and 2010, UNHCR and WFP intensified efforts to address malnutrition, anaemia, water and sanitation needs, and food insecurity, in selected countries with protracted refugee situations. These efforts have helped to improve the health and nutrition of refugees in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal and Yemen. UNHCR and WFP conduct joint assessment missions (JAMs) in all major operations at least once every two years. In 2010, JAMs were carried out in 11 countries, while nutrition surveys were conducted in 21. Similar activities in 2011 will emphasize food security in urban settings, self-reliance activities and, where feasible, cash and food voucher programmes. In 2010, WFP and UNHCR prepared a joint global contingency plan and appeal to respond to the continuing influx of Somali refugees into Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Yemen. In 2011, the two organizations will continue to engage in joint resource mobilization activities, regional coordination events, high-level field missions and meetings as well as donor briefings. children, especially girls, and young people to participate in sports, primary and post-primary education and e-learning programmes. To implement comprehensive HIV and AIDS programmes, UNHCR works closely with national agencies as well as UNAIDS, NGOs, regional and subregional bodies, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the US President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. These partnerships play a role in the implementation of the revised Within the global health cluster, UNHCR contributes to the development of strategic policies and operational tools, such as the Health Information System. UNHCR s technical partnership with UNFPA in reproductive health will be further strengthened, as will its participation in the IASC Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crisis Situations. UNHCR will remain active in the Emergency Nutrition Network, a partnership that provides technical support for programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and the evaluation of interventions to prevent anaemia and malnutrition. In the area of food security, UNHCR will team up with WFP, WHO and UNICEF in the Infant Feeding in Emergencies core group. It will also remain an active member of the IASC nutrition cluster and work on nutrition surveys with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States. Relationships with organizations involved in water, sanitation and hygiene promotion such as theswiss UNHCR Global Appeal 2011 Update 67

5 Working in Partnership Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the University of Neuchâtel, will be reinforced in UNHCR will continue its collaboration with UN-Water in the global water, sanitation and hygiene cluster. Efforts by UNHCR, the IFRC and the ICRC to develop a new family tent will be strengthened in 2011 through the Shelter Centre, which will contribute to the production of a winterized version of the tent for cold climates. The development of transitional shelter for various climates will involve partnership with Care International, RedR, the Shelter Centre and a number of NGOs and members of the Inter-Agency Technical Reference Group. Standby agreements with Canadem, Irish Aid, GOAL, MSB (Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency), NRC, RedR, SDC and the United Nations Volunteers Programme will make possible the deployment of qualified technical staff to refugee and IDP operations. Together with the World Conservation Union, UNHCR will develop community environmental action plans as well as restoration and rehabilitation strategies for closed camps, while the Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources will support UNHCR s efforts in sustainable small-scale agriculture. In the area of alternative and renewable energy, partnerships with the Gaia Association, an Ethiopia-based NGO, and Energias do Portugal will be strengthened. WORKING WITH REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS In UNHCR will strengthen its partnership with the African Union (AU) and the Economic Commission for Africa on issues of mutual concern, building on the progress achieved since the Office was represented at these two bodies in It will intensify its efforts with the AU and other partners to bring into force the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (the Kampala Convention) which was adopted in In West Africa, UNHCR and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will continue working closely together on seeking durable solutions for refugees; introducing improvements in emergency preparedness; ensuring that responses to mixed migration flows are protection-sensitive; and promoting peace and capacity-building projects. The November 2009 agreement between UNHCR and ECOWAS under the latter s Peace and Development Project will provide a platform in 2011 for joint efforts to support the social reintegration of refugees, the internally displaced and repatriated persons in Liberia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone In East Africa, UNHCR s collaboration with the East African Community has been formalized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in March This will allow multi-sectoral cooperation in the areas of refugee management, mixed migration and human trafficking. In the, UNHCR will bolster its partnership with the Organization of American States to support national asylum authorities, offering them training programmes on refugee law and human trafficking. Mixed-migration issues will be addressed in partnership with the Regional Conference on Migration (PueblaProcess)andMERCOSUR,with the aim of developing subregional policies and agreements on refugee protection and durable solutions. In the region, partnerships with a range of regional organizations are a key part of UNHCR s strategy to address long-standing challenges. These include preserving protection and asylum space and preventing or reducing statelessness. UNHCR supports efforts made by States to build protection capacity in situations arising from natural disasters and in the context of mixed population flows and climate change. In Central Asia, UNHCR works with key regional organizations to improve the protection environment for asylum-seekers and refugees, and to resolve statelessness issues. In South-East and South Asia, UNHCR is closely involved in the Bali Process on People Smuggling, as well as with the key forum for addressing mixed migration in the subregion: Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime. The Office also cooperates with the Association of South East Asian Nations and its newly established Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, and will strengthen collaboration with the organization s Committee on Disaster Management. Similarly, UNHCR works in partnership with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation s Disaster Management Centre in New Delhi. This kind of cooperation will also include civil society groups, such as the Asia-Pacific Refugee Rights Network, the Calcutta Research Group, the International Association of Refugee Law Judges and the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization. In, UNHCR works closely with Member States and institutions of the European Union (EU), specifically on the development of the Common European Asylum System. It sits on the Management Board of the European Asylum Support Office, a key partner. Close ties with the European Agency for the management of operational cooperation at the EU s External Borders (Frontex) and the EU s Fundamental Rights Agency will continue to be maintained. Other partners include the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe. Cooperation with the OSCE will focus on ensuring that international protection concerns are incorporated into the body s early warning, crisis management and post-conflict activities. Other focus areas concern protection-sensitive border and migration management and measures to address xenophobia, discrimination and hate crimes affecting persons of concern to the Office. UNHCR will continue its strong cooperation with the Council of Europe on a wide array of international protection issues, including collaboration with the Council s High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Office will intervene before the European Court of Human Rights when important issues of international refugee law are at stake. It will also cooperate with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and with many civil society organizations, often under the umbrella of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles. 68 UNHCR Global Appeal 2011 Update

6 Working in Partnership In the, UNHCR is working to enhance its partnership with the Gulf States, with the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council, civil society institutions and prominent individuals. UNHCR will also continue to advocate for a ministerial conference on asylum in the Arab world and help to update the draft Arab Convention on the Status of Refugees. In 2011, UNHCR, the Arab Parliamentarians Union and OHCHR will host a meeting on statelessness in the region. WORKING IN TANDEM WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS UNHCR s strong relationship with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is fundamental to its effectiveness in the delivery of protection and assistance to beneficiaries. By the end of 2009, more than 27 per cent of UNHCR s total expenditure for the year had been channelled through more than 670 NGOs, with which the Office signed over 1,280 agreements involving disbursements of USD 480 million. This was an increase of 19.4 per cent from In 2011, UNHCR will broaden the access and participation of NGOs in all aspects of its work. Partnerships with local and national NGOs will be strengthened, with particular emphasis on their role in assessing the needs of refugees and others of concern. The Office will ensure that humanitarian reform efforts support national and local organizations, and will promote their inclusion in international humanitarian forums. The standby agreement between UNHCR and Save the Children Sweden and Norway has been paramount in strengthening UNHCR s community services and child protection capacity in emergencies, and the arrangement will continue in The joint project with IRC to enhance capacity in best interests determination (BID) for unaccompanied or separated children comes to an end in 2010, but if more funds become available, activities in 2011 will include the development of a BID e-learning tool. The annual NGO consultations will continue to be the largest such gathering between UNHCR and its partners, bringing together actors from all over the globe to discuss common challenges. FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS WITH CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS Corporations occupy a special position among UNHCR s partners: they contribute not only with funds but also with gifts in kind and expert advice, while helping to raise awareness of refugee issues among new audiences. In 2011,UNHCR spartnershipswithmore than 50 corporations worldwide will bring support in the form of cash grants, project funding and donations of items such as sanitary materials, clothes and educational supplies. Corporations also provide consulting services and media space, employment assistance for resettled refugees, and assistance in the deployment of renewable-energy solutions that have improved the lives of thousands. In 2011, UNHCR will launch a three-pronged corporate partnership strategy focusing on income generation, budgetary donations in-kind and awareness-raising. UNHCR will again be calling upon the business sector to support the Office with creative solutions, particularly in emergency situations. Large manufacturers of consumer products are expected to help in the procurement of essential relief items. Ongoing partnerships in priority areas, such as education, energy solutions and livelihoods, will be reinforced. This effort will build on existing initiatives with members of the Council of Business Leaders, including the ninemillion.org campaign (with Nike as a key partner), the Community Technology Access project (with Microsoft) and the Educating the Children of Darfur initiative (with PricewaterhouseCoopers). These are in addition to partnerships with UNIQLO, Manpower, the National Basketball Association, the International Olympic Committee and others. UNHCR will continue to raise awareness about the plight of displaced people around the world at major global events such as the World Economic Forum, the Clinton Global Initiative and the United Nations Global Compact. In 2011, UNHCR will also strengthen its partnerships with major foundations, especially those in the United States and the Arab Gulf region, while also pursuing opportunities in Europe and Asia. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded project promoting returns to Southern Sudan will be completed at the end of UNHCR continues to benefit from the United Nations Foundation s campaign and will expand this effort in 2011 through the UN s Inter-Agency Task Force on Adolescent Girls, the UN Foundation s Girl Fund and its Girl Up campaign. Considerable effort has been invested by UNHCR in developing partnerships with foundations in the Arab Gulf region, particularly in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The SheikhaFatimaFundforRefugee WomenintheUAEhassupported education activities in Yemen, and discussions are ongoing with the Fund about innovative joint fund-raising initiatives. In Europe, UNHCR continues to strengthen its partnership with the Energias do Portugal Foundation, which has funded a multi-year solar lighting and electricity project in Kakuma, Kenya, that will be highlighted at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative. TEAMING UP WITH GOODWILL AMBASSADORS While not all audiences may be familiar with UNHCR and refugee issues, most people recognize individuals such as the actress Angelina Jolie and the singer Barbara Hendricks - both UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors (GWAs). Other GWAs, such as Turkish singer Muazzez Ersoy, Spanish TV presenter Jesus Vazquez and Argentinian star Osvaldo Laport, have a strong national and regional following, while Greek musician George Dalaras and Egyptian stage and screen star Adel Imam are known in both the international and national arenas. In addition to raising awareness through field visits and public appearances, UNHCR s GWAs work closely with the organization to develop their advocacy role and influence policies and decision-makers on issues related to the protection of refugees, asylum-seekers, IDPs and stateless people. In 2011, UNHCR will take measures to apply the newly revised standards established by the UN Secretary-General in respect of Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace, as well as the Office s own guidelines in order to harmonize and streamline its work with these important advocates for the displaced. UNHCR Global Appeal 2011 Update 69