FOREWORD in 2017, Asia and the Pacific Was Home to More Than 60 Per Cent of the World’S Population
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REGIONAL SUMMARIES FOREWORD In 2017, Asia and the Pacific was home to more than 60 per cent of the world’s population. With some 4.4 billion people, the region is an engine for global development, characterized by economic growth, rising living standards, and people on the move seeking new opportunities. However, in 2017, millions of people were not following this upward trajectory. The region hosted 9.5 million people of concern to UNHCR, including 4.2 million refugees, 2.7 million IDPs, and an estimated 2.2 million stateless persons. Of the total population of concern to UNHCR, half were children; more than half were women and girls; and many had no nationality, documentation or place to call home. The long-standing tradition of hospitality towards many displaced people remained strong across the region. This was demonstrated by the remarkable response of Bangladesh, which kept its borders open to nearly 655,000 stateless refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar. The influx dramatically altered the operational context for UNHCR in Bangladesh. As a result of the urgent humanitarian needs, UNHCR ramped up its capacity in support of refugees, the Government and local communities generously hosting them. The solutions to this crisis lie in Myanmar, and it is there that the search must start for them. The efforts needed to enable the voluntary and sustainable repatriation of refugees failed to materialize in 2017, and they must begin with humanitarian access for UNHCR. Preserving the right of return, however, remained a central priority for UNHCR and Asia and the Office welcomed the commitments made by Bangladesh and Myanmar on dignified, safe, and voluntary repatriation in 2017. the Pacific © UNHCR/Roger Arnold A Rohingya father carries his children in a basket as he wades through water crossing the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh near the village of Anzuman Para in Palong Khali, October 2017. 94 UNHCRUNHCR GLOBAL REPORT 20172017 UNHCR GLOBAL REPORT 2017 95 REGIONAL SUMMARIES | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC REGIONAL SUMMARIES | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Across the region, statelessness remained The Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees a significant challenge in 2017. An estimated (SSAR) remained a vital regional platform AFGHANISTAN MYANMAR 2.2 million people had no nationality in for solutions in 2017. Since its adoption in SITUATION SITUATION the region, more than anywhere else in 2012, it has continued to pave the way for 1.4 million 932,200 the world. UNHCR’s campaign to end the UNHCR-assisted voluntary repatriation REFUGEES REFUGEES sought protection sought protection in statelessness by 2024 remains a historic of more than 660,000 Afghan refugees. In in Pakistan Bangladesh by year’s end opportunity. The region made modest 2017, some 58,800 refugees, mostly from 950,000 progress with addressing statelessness in Pakistan, chose to return home. Despite REFUGEES 655,000 sought protection in the REFUGEES 2017, with more than 25,000 people in the a decrease from the year before, this was Islamic Republic of Iran fled to Bangladesh region acquiring a nationality, including in still globally the third largest number of in 2017 alone 1.8 million the Philippines, Thailand and Turkmenistan. voluntary returns from one country in that IDPs by year’s end 55% period. were under 18 years Lasting solutions to the protracted Afghan 52% refugee situation—one of the largest In 2017, UNHCR continued to provide were female in the world—remained contingent on assistance and protection for people of developments inside Afghanistan. More concern, finding solutions for them and than 10,000 innocent civilians either lost strengthening partnerships with a wide their lives or were injured in 2017 due to array of actors—including development ongoing violence and there was an increase partners, the private sector and with in the number of casualties from suicide and States and regional bodies. The Office complex attacks, including on humanitarian was thankful to the international community AFGHANISTAN workers. As a result of this violence, for its political and financial support to 1.8 million people in Afghanistan were UNHCR’s work in 2017. As the world internally displaced as of the end of 2017. continued to face a range of pressing Another 2.6 million Afghans remained international challenges, the Office BANGLADESH* refugees. The majority of the Afghan appealed for continued robust solidarity MYANMAR refugee population remained generously and support for refugee, stateless and hosted by the Islamic Republics of Iran displaced populations in the region. and Pakistan. With UNHCR support, these Indrika Ratwatte nations continued to provide refugees with Director of UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific a chance at a decent life. 9.5 MILLION 168 PARTNERS PEOPLE OF CONCERN IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Asia and the Pacific IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC . million AGE AND GENDER BREAKDOWN 115 NATIONAL NGO PARTNERS REFUGEES AND ASYLUM-SEEKERS 29 INTERNATIONAL NGO PARTNERS Asia REFUGEES AGE AND GENDER BREAKDOWN 22 GOVERNMENT PARTNERS REFUGEES. million | % REFUGEES AND ASYLUM-SEEKERS 2 UN AGENCIES/OTHER PARTNERS 4.2 MILLIONASYLUM-SEEKERS | 44% , | % ASLYLUM-SEEKERS 25% STATELESS* 160,000 | 2% 13% . million | % OF THE GLOBAL STATELESS PERSONS* 50% POPULATION OF RETURNEES (refugees & IDPs) 1,254 STAFF SITUATIONS CONCERN 2.2 million, | 23% | % IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC RETURNEESIDPs (Refugees and IDPs) 15% < 1.5 million 696,000. | 7% million | % 60+ People of concern IDPs OTHERS OF CONCERN 18-59 63% 37% 12-17 UNDER 18 FEMALE , | % MALE 2.7 MILLION | 29% 5-11 > 3 million * The stateless population includes 932,000 Myanmar 5% 0-4 50% OTHERSrefugees in Bangladesh OF CONCERN and 126,000 stateless IDPs in Myanmar who are counted in refugee and IDP populations. People of concern CRRF COUNTRY 529,000 | 6% 66 51% % LOCATIONS BASED IN HARDSHIP LOCATIONS Situation * The stateless population includes 932,000 Myanmar refugees in Bangladesh and New Emergencies 126,000 stateless IDPs in Myanmar who are counted in refugee and IDP populations. * 96 UNHCR GLOBAL REPORT 2017 UNHCR GLOBAL REPORT 2017 97 REGIONAL SUMMARIES | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC REGIONAL SUMMARIES | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC The protracted nature of the Afghan © UNHCR/Andrew McConnell level of alert—and in September 2017 MAJOR SITUATIONS In Bangladesh, refugee situation in the two major host launched a supplementary appeal for UNHCR has Afghan refugees in South-West Asia countries continued to underscore the $57.3 million for September to December made its most significant In Afghanistan, need for long-term solutions. To that 2017. A humanitarian response plan was deployment of end, there was a focus on the creation also launched in September 2017 for the its organizational violence and insecurity emergency triggered new forced of conditions conducive to voluntary Rohingya refugee crisis. To support response to repatriation to Afghanistan and support for refugees, affected local communities and assist hundreds displacement, making of thousands of sustainable returns and refugee-hosting communities at the fifth the Government of Bangladesh, the Office refugees. reintegration more Quadripartite Steering Committee meeting, Eighteen-year-old Rabiaa Khatun and her niece, rapidly expanded its emergency response, involving Afghanistan, the Islamic Republics Umme Salma, 8, walk 10 kilometres from the mobilizing airlifts of humanitarian aid and challenging. Conflict Myanmar border to a UNHCR transit camp in displaced more than of Iran and Pakistan, together with UNHCR, Kutupalong, Bangladesh. increasing UNHCR’s on-the-ground 470,000 people in Afghanistan in 2017, on 1 December 2017 in Istanbul. At that presence in Bangladesh. At the same time, meeting, participants reaffirmed the Orphaned Rohingya children forced the Office continued to explore durable affecting 31 out of 34 provinces. As at the to grow up too fast end of 2017, nearly all Afghan refugees significance of SSAR and their commitment solutions to the crisis. to work together to ensure the voluntary In Bangladesh, thousands of teenaged refugees (96 per cent) lived in the neighbouring are now caring for their younger siblings and In Cox’s Bazar District, the Office also return of Afghan refugees in safety and countries of the Islamic Republics of Iran relatives after losing their families to violence in addressed critical protection, shelter, water, dignity, including through joint resource and Pakistan. Myanmar. sanitation, health, nutrition and other needs. mobilization efforts. “Since we all lost our parents, I am now playing Delivering appropriate shelter and site Pakistan hosted 1.4 million Afghan refugees, the role of a mother,” said Rabiaa. planning responses proved challenging making it the largest such host country Myanmar situation “I will take care of them for the rest worldwide. To meet the significant needs of my life. I want to see them given high population density and difficult of this group, the Government of Pakistan, In August 2017, the well-educated.” topographical conditions. In addition, with assistance from UNHCR, has been region experienced the UNHCR established a consolidated, largest and most comprehensive identity management implementing the Refugee Affected and commonly affect refugees, the population in sudden exodus of system to ensure people’s needs were met. Hosting Areas initiative to support host Cox’s Bazar District also faced severe refugees from Myanmar communities. In 2017, this initiative benefited crowding. Significant shelter, food, nutrition, To provide maximum access to social and in decades. In more than 500,000 people—31 per cent of water, health and sanitation needs also psychological services, UNHCR constructed September alone, more whom were Afghan refugees—focusing on placed extreme pressure on national and seven community centres in Kutapalong than half a million youth empowerment through education, host community services; capacities that settlement, which included integrated stateless refugees arrived in Bangladesh skills training and livelihood support. were already stretched. In response to the information points and trained community from Myanmar. The influx was triggered by unfolding crisis, UNHCR declared an outreach staff.