A Global Review UNHCR’S Engagement with Displaced Youth
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UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION SERVICE (PDES) A Global Review UNHCR’s Engagement with Displaced Youth Dr. Rosalind Evans & Claudia Lo Forte with Dr. Erika McAslan Fraser Social Development Direct, March 2013 Policy Development and Evaluation Service PDES Tel: (41 22) 739 8433 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR Fax: (41 22) 739 7344 Case Postale 2500 e-mail: [email protected] 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland www.unhcr.org UNHCR’s Policy Development and Evaluation Service (PDES) is committed to the systematic examination and assessment of UNHCR policies, programmes, projects and practices. PDES also promotes rigorous research on issues related to the work of UNHCR and encourages an active exchange of ideas and information between humanitarian practitioners, policymakers and the research community. All of these activities are undertaken with the purpose of strengthening UNHCR’s operational effectiveness, thereby enhancing the organization’s capacity to fulfil its mandate on behalf of refugees and other persons of concern to the Office. The work of the unit is guided by the principles of transparency, independence, consultation, relevance and integrity. All PDES evaluation reports are placed in the public domain. Electronic versions are posted on the UNHCR website and hard copies can be obtained by contacting PDES. They may be quoted, cited and copied, provided that the source is acknowledged. The views expressed in PDES publications are not necessarily those of UNHCR. The designations and maps used do not imply the expression of any opinion or recognition on the part of UNHCR concerning the legal status of a territory or of its authorities. Cover Photo © UNHCR/GMB Akash, 2006 Back Cover Photo © UNHCR Layout: BakOS DESIGN Printed by UNHCR © UNHCR 2013 Acknowledgement First thanks must go to the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration for having the per- spicacity to sponsor this inquiry into how displacement affects today’s youth, a category that is now characterized by both the demographic phenomenon of the “youth bulge” and fervent politicization. Under Jeff Crisp’s committed leadership, inquiry was transformed into a global review. This review has benefited greatly from the intelligence of dedicated humanitarians who have explored the shifting realities of displaced youth around the world. I would like to thank Jo Boyden, Dawn Chatty, Austen Davis, Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, Jason Hart, Jasmeet Krause-Vilmar, Cecile Mazzacurati, Christine McCormick, Radha Rajkotia, Janis Ridsdel, Jennifer Schjulte, Marc Sommers, Katherine Starup and Katherine Williamson for informing this review with their insights and generously sharing their research with the authors. I am also grateful to Dale Buscher and Rachael Reilly along with Anna Skeels for being the expert read- ers of the final version of “UNHCR’s Global Engagement with Refugee Youth”. The recommendations of this review were further analyzed and consolidated by the participants of the UNHCR Roundtable on Youth in December 2012. Thanks to Melissa Horn-Abulja, Cathrine Andersen, Marina Anselme, Charlotte Christiansen, Catherine Gladwell, Wendy Henning, Melissa Pitotti, Radha Rajkotia, Rachael Reilly, Anna Skeels and Katrine Wold who contributed to the roundtable along with the UNHCR mem- bers the Youth Review Steering Committee – Nadine Cornier, Terra Mackinnon, Audrey Nirrengarten, Line Pedersen, Monika Sandvik-Nylund, Inma Serrano, Annika Sjoberg, Tomoya Soejima, Leda Isis Tyrrel and Wendy Zillich. The members of the steering committee assiduously reviewed the terms of reference, initial concepts and literature review, research instruments and drafts of the review. They provided direction and identified field based colleagues who were immeasurably helpful. Thanks to the 501 UNHCR staff who completed the survey on working with youth in UNHCR. And, enormous thanks to Luc Brandt, Abu Md. Nurul Huda, Hasan Bahjat Mohammed, Juliette Murekeyi- soni, Azadeh Sobout and Tomoya Soejima, Through their skillful facilitation of focus groups, we were able to collect extensive data Somali youth in Ethiopia; Syrian, Iraqi and Sudanese youth in Jordan; Ethiopian and Somali youth in Kenya; Afghan youth in Iran; and refugee youth from the northern Ra- khine State of Myanmar in Bangladesh. These youth gave this review resonance with their hundreds of voices. Gratefully, MaryBeth Morand Senior Policy & Evaluation Officer Policy Development and Evaluation Service UNHCR Table of Contents Eecutive Summary ................................................................................................................9 Displaced Youth: Roles and Needs .............................................................................................9 UNHCR Institutional Set-up ......................................................................................................10 Key Recommendations .............................................................................................................11 Background ...........................................................................................................................13 Introduction ............................................................................................................................14 Methodology .........................................................................................................................17 Primary Data Sources ................................................................................................................17 Secondary Data Sources ...........................................................................................................18 Literature Review..................................................................................................................19 Concepts of youth .....................................................................................................................19 Experiences of displaced youth: challenges and opportunities ................................................20 Transformations in social relations, youth identity and transitions to adulthood ......................21 Lack of educational, livelihood and political opportunities: living ‘in limbo’ .............................22 Gaps and Challenges ................................................................................................................23 Refugee Youth Voices .........................................................................................................24 Roles and experiences ..............................................................................................................25 Youth Identity .............................................................................................................................26 Youth constraints .......................................................................................................................28 Youth opportunities ...................................................................................................................30 Youth aspirations and hopes .....................................................................................................30 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................31 UNHCR’s Engagement with Displaced Youth .............................................................32 UNHCR Mandate .......................................................................................................................32 Concepts and definitions ..........................................................................................................33 UNHCR Policy, Guidelines and Strategic Frameworks .............................................................34 UNHCR’s Institutional Infrastructure .........................................................................................36 UNHCR Processes and Approaches: identifying and responding to young people’s needs....39 Funding for youth ......................................................................................................................41 Partnerships ..............................................................................................................................42 UNHCR Monitoring and Evaluation Systems ............................................................................45 6 UNHCR’s Engagement with Displaced Youth UNHCR’s Youth Programming .........................................................................................46 Focus of UNHCR youth programmes .......................................................................................46 What are the key characteristics of UNCHR youth programming? ...........................................48 What are the main types of youth programmes? ......................................................................48 Education programmes .............................................................................................................48 Vocational training and livelihood programmes ........................................................................51 Protection programmes .............................................................................................................52 Youth empowerment programmes ............................................................................................55 Conclusion: Youth