THE HISTORY OF RESETTLEMENT
Celebrating 25 Years of the ATCR TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 4
Pre 1995: Early Resettlement 4 1956-1957: Resettlement of Hungarian Refugees from Austria 5 1972: Resettlement of South Asian Refugees from Uganda 6 1973: Resettlement of Latin American Refugees from Chile and neighbouring Countries 6 1975-1995: Resettlement of Indochinese Refugees including from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand 7 1991-1995: Resettlement of Bosnian Refugees from the Former Republic of Yugoslavia 8
1995: The Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement 9 Resettlement in the 1990s – A Paradigm Shift 9 Evaluation of Global Resettlement Policy and Practice in the 1990s 9 The First ATCR Convened in 1995 11
1995 – 2019: A Global Framework and Foundation for Resettlement Delivery 12 Development of Resettlement Policy and Procedures 12 Capacity Building of States, UNHCR and Partners 13 The Presentation of UNHCR’s Projected Global Resettlement Needs 13 Strengthened Data and Evidence on the Availability and Use of Resettlement 14 The Growth of the ATCR Community 14 Resettlement Activities during the ATCR’s Lifecycle 15 Resettlement from Priority Situations through Core Groups 17 Syria Core Group 18 Great Lakes Core Group 18 Bhutanese Core Group 19 Afghan Contact Groups in Iran and Pakistan 19 Colombia Contact group 20 Central Mediterranean Core Group 20
2019 and beyond – The Role of the ATCR in the Future 21
Endnotes 23
Map 24
Cover photo: Annex I – Overview of Resettlement Statistics (2003-2018) 26 Switzerland. Resettlement of Cambodian refugees. Resettlement in Trogen-village, Pestalozzi. ©UNHCR/Anneliese Hollmann
2 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 3 INTRODUCTION PRE 1995: EARLY 1956-1957: Resettlement of Hungarian Refugees from Austria The Annual Tripartite Consultations on RESETTLEMENT Resettlement (ATCR), established over The 1956 Hungarian Revolution led to In the aftermath of World War II, to 25 years ago, is the engine that drives the exodus of 200,000 people by 1957, address the problems faced by refugees today’s robust global infrastructure on and triggered a remarkable international and displaced persons, States agreed 3 resettlement. The importance of a global response to the ensuing refugee crisis. to establish the International Refugee multi-stakeholder architecture which Faced with a massive influx of Hungarian Organisation (IRO) in December 1946, brings together UNHCR, States, civil refugees into Austrian territory, and in a non-permanent organization with society and an increasingly broad range Resettlement of refugees through IRO the absence of return as a viable option, functions including resettlement. The 4 of partners including the private sector Bremerhaven, Germany: UNHCR’s predecessor, resettlement was the primary response. IRO implemented the resettlement of and academia cannot be overstated. the International Refugee Organisation (IRO) The response to Hungarian refugees helped one million people to resettle overseas. more than 1 million refugees under the is considered a benchmark for Seen here are displaced persons from camps in leadership of the US during the late The Global Compact on Refugees international refugee law and policy, Germany, Austria and Italy boarding an IRO- 1940s.2 (GCR) recognised the importance chartered ship on their way to start a new life in as well as one of the most successful of the ATCR, the Working Group on the United States of America. © UNHCR/1951 demonstrations of an international UNHCR was created in 1950 with Resettlement and the Core Groups, effort to find solutions and resettle a mandate to provide international recommending that the efforts under refugees: during the first nine weeks, protection to refugees and other the GCR, including the Strategy on 92,950 people were resettled from persons of concern to the Office and to 5 Resettlement and Complementary Austria, and in total more than 170,000 seek permanent or durable solutions, Pathways seek to build upon and Hungarian refugees were resettled to 1 including resettlement. Consequently, 6 leverage their added value. 37 countries. resettlement has been an integral part of UNHCR’s mandate to support the On the occasion of the 25th ATCR, this international protection of refugees. In document looks back at the history of the decades that followed resettlement the ATCR, the rationale for its creation, was frequently the only available and its achievements in the last 25 years, its durable solution and was undertaken on continued relevance today, and the need a large scale and often expedited basis in for the ATCR in the future. the following contexts:
In the aftermath of World War II, some of the millions of displaced persons queue for resettlement opportunities via the International Refugee Organization. ©UNHCR/1953
Hungarian refugees. These refugees are taking a train from Austria to Switzerland, their new country of asylum. ©UNHCR/1956
4 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 5 1972: Resettlement of South Asian 1973: Resettlement of Latin In parallel, UNHCR offices in 1975-1995: Resettlement of Refugees from Uganda American Refugees from Chile and neighbouring countries also committed Indochinese Refugees including neighbouring Countries to offer international protection from Hong Kong, Indonesia, In August 1972, the President of for Chileans who fled the country Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore or were exiled as a result of the Uganda abruptly announced that all On 11 September 1973, General and Thailand Asians should leave the country, even Augusto Pinochet launched an armed regime. As part of the international 7 community’s response, 110 countries if they had Ugandan citizenship. This attack against the democratically The upheavals which followed the – including Australia, Iceland, Finland prompted UNHCR to appeal to the elected government of President political struggles in 1975 in the former and Kenya – welcomed Chileans in international community for assistance Salvador Allende in Chile. At that time French colonies of Indochina (Viet need of international protection. This in the form of offers of resettlement, Chile served as home to thousands Nam, Cambodia and the Lao People’s response was an important milestone and funds to transport and assist of Refugees and political exiles who Democratic Republic) caused more than in the history of UNHCR, as it was the those in transit. Within less than two had sought refuge in the country in 3 million people to flee these countries weeks of UNHCR’s call for assistance, preceding years due to a series of organisation’s first major operation in 12 11 over the next two decades. permanent resettlement places were military interventions in other Latin Latin America. offered by the United Kingdom, Canada, American countries. By March 1974, Resettlement played a significant role the United States, Australia, Austria, UNHCR had facilitated the resettlement in the response of the international Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, of nearly 5,000 refugees registered in community under the leadership of 10 New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Chile to 19 countries. the United States, Australia, France 8 Switzerland. With the help of UNHCR, and Canada,13 and featured as one the International Organization for of the objectives of a multilateral Migration (IOM), the International comprehensive plan of action: by mid- Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), 1979 some 200,000 refugees had been and the United Nations Development resettled and within a twenty-year Programme (UNDP), some 40,000 period over 1,300,000 refugees were Ugandan Asians were resettled within a resettled to over 15 countries.14 few months to 25 countries. 9 Refugees from Chile in Aznhem, the Netherlands. ©UNHCR, R.Giling.
Thailand. Orderly Departure Program for Vietnamese refugees. Vietnamese bound for third countries, arrive in Bangkok from Ho Chi Minh City. ©UNHCR/N. Schuster
Uganda Asians. Arrival at Vienna airport. Tens of France. Refugee from Chile. The elder daughter of thousands of Asians were arbitrarily expelled from the Loubies bundles newspapers at the printing Uganda in the 1970s and became effectively plant where she obtained a part-time job. stateless. ©UNHCR/N. Schuster ©UNHCR/Herve Gloaguen
6 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 7 1991-1995: Resettlement of 1995: THE ANNUAL Evaluation of Global Resettlement Bosnian Refugees from the Former Policy and Practice in the 1990s Republic of Yugoslavia TRIPARTITE CONSULTATIONS ON An evaluation of UNHCR’s global The emergency relief operation in the resettlement policy and practice in former Republic of Yugoslavia during RESETTLEMENT the 1990s19 identified significant the Bosnian conflict was a large and challenges in resettlement delivery at complex international response.15 that time due to: From 1992 to 1999, UNHCR resettled Resettlement in the 1990s – over 15,000 refugees from the Former A Paradigm Shift Absence of resettlement policy Facilitating integration of Vietnamese refugees. In Republic of Yugoslavia, and half a million and procedures: The objectives order to facilitate the integration of newly arrived refugees still remained in the country.16 The scale of resettlement activities of resettlement were not clearly refugees, the Canadian C.O.P.I (Centre d’orientation changed dramatically between articulated or understood; criteria et de formation des immigres) organises language 1985 and 1995. In 1979 – the peak and guidelines for both States and classes and outings during which the refugees can of refugee outflows in South East get to know their new country, the people and the UNHCR were unclear and outdated, local customs. ©UNHCR/Herve Gloaguen Asia – resettlement was viewed as and categories of vulnerability were the only viable durable solution for not clearly defined; there was a lack approximately 1 in 20 of the world’s of consistent procedures for the 5-6 million refugees. In 1993, this identification and assessment of ratio fell dramatically to just 1 in 400, refugees for resettlement by UNHCR; despite a quadrupling of the world’s a variety of different individual State refugee population in the interim. selection criteria was an obstacle to UNHCR submissions dropped from effective and rapid responses. over 200,000 a year in the late 1970s 17 Bosnian refugee, Elina, an Honours Student from to 50-60,000 a year in the mid-1990s. Lack of resources and capacity: There Kljuc resettled to the United States. January 1999. ©UNHCR/L. Wolf was a lack of global capacity and In 1991, the Forty-Second session of the expertise in resettlement, and within UNHCR Executive Committee endorsed UNHCR professional posts dedicated to and clarified the role of resettlement in resettlement world-wide were limited. the context of the protection mandate Resettled Hmong refugees in Merced California. of the organization, by reaffirming the Lack of coordination and consistent ©UNHCR/L. Gubb link between international protection information related to resettlement and resettlement as an instrument needs and achievements: Despite of protection and its important role global assessment reports setting out as a durable solution in specific projected numbers for resettlement circumstances....18 based on regional assessments, the needs were not comprehensively Consequently, in the early 1990s, mapped and it was felt that they with a renewed focus on resettlement underestimated the scale of global as a protection tool, governments resettlement needs. Often actual increasingly looked to UNHCR to Iceland. Resettlement. Vietnamese refugee, resettlement activities did not correlate arrived in 1979, works as a mechanic in City determine who should be resettled. with projections, creating confusion and Council workshop, Reykjavic, at the Cafeteria. undermining advocacy for resettlement. ©UNHCR/R. Wilkinson To address the challenges in the
8 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 9 implementation and coordination of The First ATCR Convened in 1995 Importantly the ATCR is a tripartite resettlement in the 1990s, the 1994 “UNHCR should convene, in early forum (UNHCR, States and Civil evaluation report on UNHCR’s global 1995, an informal consultation of major In October 1995, UNHCR held the Society), which promotes transparency resettlement policy and practice called resettlement country governments, with first consultations with Governments and partnerships reflecting the upon UNHCR to establish formal selected NGO representation, to develop on resettlement. During 1995, variety of stakeholders engaged in mechanisms for systematic consultation joint strategies for the future which consultations with NGOs were also held, the resettlement process. UNHCR’s with Governments, NGOs and IGOs, will prioritise UNHCR-identified needs. and it was decided that joint tripartite Resettlement and Complementary to improve dialogue and co-operation Subsequently, UNHCR should convene consultations should take place on an Pathways Service plays a critical role in between all partners involved in a yearly inter-governmental forum, to annual basis. Today the Annual Tripartite supporting the ATCR process through resettlement. This forum was required discuss, review and plan responses to Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) policy guidance and data, as well as to thoroughly review, update and current resettlement needs, including are the primary vehicle for collaborative through secretarial support to the ATCR, revise resettlement policies and specific burden-sharing strategies for efforts between UNHCR, governments, which is chaired by a rotating State and procedures, and to coordinate ways of the resettlement of particular refugee NGOs, and other stakeholders on NGO co-chair. The WGR supports the strengthening implementation capacity, populations.” resettlement policy, coordination work of the ATCR through smaller and through training and staff secondments. and strategy. The Annual Tripartite more targeted consultative forums to Specifically, it was recommended that: UNHCR should review the current Consultations and Working Group on discuss specific policy and operational format of the Global Assessment Resettlement offer a forum to review aspects of resettlement – topics for to ensure that it facilitates the progress on resettlement issues on a the WGR have included simplification organization’s efforts to promote its yearly basis, as well as to shape joint and integrity of procedures, and the resettlement priorities….The Assessment strategies and directions for the future. integration of resettled refugees. In should include overall policy goals, new They provide partners with the space parallel, Resettlement Core Groups developments, and major appeals for to share information and best practices, have also been establish by States on-going resettlement programmes.” co-ordinate and plan operational and UNHCR to address operational activities, and analyse important policy challenges and coordinate resettlement issues related to resettlement. from priority situations such as the Bhutanese and Syrian Core Groups.
ATCR 2018
10 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 11 1995 – 2019: A GLOBAL of a community of practice and a global 33 Integrity in resettlement processing discuss new ideas and innovations framework for resettlement delivery has been addressed through the to support implementation. FRAMEWORK AND based on collaboration, agreement, and WGR, action plans and policy FOUNDATION FOR innovation. As such, the achievements development; The Presentation of UNHCR’s of the ATCR go far beyond the number 33 UNHCR’s position on the Strategic Projected Global Resettlement RESETTLEMENT of refugees resettled and include those use of Resettlement was developed Needs DELIVERY highlighted below. in collaboration with and endorsed by the ATCR community; Development of Resettlement 33 Resettlement processing modalities, Policy and Procedures including group, expedited and emergency processes have been established and refined with a focus on efficiency and quality; 33 UNHCR’s approach to identification has been enhanced through the development of tools such as the Heightened Risk Identification Tool, and the NGO tool kit which guides EXCOM. Aguil de’Chut Deng (left), and Nava operations on identification in Malula, refugees resettled to Australia, presented the NGO statement to the general debate during Ruben Ahlvin, Senior Refugee Quota Coordinator partnership with NGOs. UNHCR’s annual Excom meeting in 2007. for the Swedish Migration Board, receives a 3 ©UNHCR/ S. Happer Distinguished Service Award for his work in 3 UNHCR’s 2002 Handbook on the the are of resettlement, from the UN High Integration of Resettled Refugees, Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, was developed in close collaboration 3 during the annual resettlement meeting at the with the ATCR community. 3 Each year, the ATCR provides Palais des Nations, Geneva, 2009. an opportunity for UNHCR to ©UNHCR/C. Kitsel present the annual Projected Capacity Building of States, UNHCR Global Resettlement Needs and and Partners advocate that programmes are During its 25 years, the ATCR structure aligned with priority situations. has been a working hub for the 33 Capacity building initiatives UNHCR has strengthened the development and coordination of including training activities, tool process and format for mapping resettlement policy, processes, capacity, kits, the sharing of best practices, and consolidating global projected strategies and data. The ATCR represents twinning between resettlement resettlement needs; an active and working partnership States and capacity building support UNHCR Resettlement Handbook (2011) 33 Strategies to focus on and address between the different resettlement mechanisms have been developed global resettlement priorities stakeholders which aims to maximize and promoted; in accordance with the needs the impact of resettlement in pursuing 33 UNHCR’s Resettlement Handbook 33 UNHCR’s resettlement capacity identified by UNHCR have been its objectives of protection, durable was developed in close collaboration has been strengthened through the successfully implemented including solutions and responsibility sharing. with ATCR partners, and outlines establishment of the Deployment through Resettlement Core Groups Since the establishment of the ATCR the objectives, criteria, and Scheme in partnership with ICMC, (see below). over 1 million refugees have been processes for resettlement; RefugePoint and the DRC; resettled through UNHCR. The ATCR 33 The resettlement country chapters 33 The ATCR and its WGR offer an has laid the foundations for resettlement clearly set out the criteria of individual informal discussion forum for programmes, through the establishment resettlement States programmes; resettlement experts to connect and
12 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 13 Strengthened Data and Evidence The Growth of the ATCR on the Availability and Use of Community Resettlement
ATCR 2018
The size of the ATCR community has grown significantly since its establishment in 1995, with 10 Resettlement Data Portal resettlement States attending the first ATCR (Australia, Canada, Denmark, 33 UNHCR has strengthened its Finland, Netherlands, New Zealand, ability to gather and publish Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the accurate statistics on resettlement United States of America) compared submissions and departures, with around 30 resettlement States in including through an online portal; attendance during the last ten years. 33 Resettlement States share data Overall participation has also increased and information concerning from 60 participants in 1995 to 240 the availability of resettlement participants in attendance in 2018, opportunities. including States, Civil Society, IOM, academia, research institutions and think tanks, and the private sector, reflecting the broadening of partners engaged in resettlement. Resettlement Activities during the 16 years of comprehensive ATCR’s Lifecycle resettlement data (2003 – 2018) demonstrates the following: 33 With the support of the ATCR community, UNHCR established its 33 A total of 1,449,361 refugees global systems for gathering and were submitted for resettlement publishing comparable and accurate consideration by UNHCR; statistics on resettlement activities 33 Over 1 million refugees were in 2003. resettled through UNHCR: a total 33 Comparable data on resettlement of 1,015,644 refugees departed to submissions and departures is since resettlement countries; 2003 now available publicly via UNHCR’s global resettlement data portal (rsq.unhcr.org).
14 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 15 Resettlement is an important The global refugee population international protection tool (2003-2018)
29% 1% Other categories 71% have access to resettlement (2003-2018)
Legal and/or Physical Protection Needs 7% are estimated to be Women in need of resettlement and Girls-at-Risk (2011-2018)
Survivor of Violence and/or Torture
33 Consistently about 7 per cent of 33 The top 5 resettlement countries Resettlement from Priority approach seeks to jointly define and the global refugee population are in received 90 per cent of UNHCR Situations through Core Groups pursue the protection dividends deriving need of resettlement but only1 per submissions - the United States of from the increased and coordinated cent of the refugee population have America, Canada, Australia, Sweden Since 2009, the ATCR community engagement in resettlement activities in access to resettlement each year; and the United Kingdom (see map have intensified the strategic use of a given refugee situation. 33 71 per cent of refugees referred on pages 24-25). resettlement in priority situations. for resettlement were within three 33 The top 10 countries of origin This has been achieved through the The establishment of a Core or protection categories (Survivors of accounted for 90 per cent of all establishment of Resettlement Core Contact Group normally occurs as the Violence and/or Torture; Women UNHCR submissions. Myanmar, Groups (situation specific) or Contact result of discussions among different and Girls-at-Risk; and Legal and/or Syrian Arab Republic, Iraq, Groups (operation specific). Core and resettlement States and UNHCR in the Physical Needs). Democratic Republic of the Contact Groups have emerged as an context of the ATCR or WGR meetings. Congo and Somalia were the top 5 effective partnership model involving countries of origin submitted. different resettlement States, UNHCR Resettlement from priority situations and other relevant resettlement partners for the strategic use of resettlement (including the concerned country of has been pursued through the Core and asylum). This innovative and multilateral Contact Groups described below.
16 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 17 Syria Core Group Great Lakes Core Group Bhutanese Core Group
The Syria Core Group successfully The resettlement of Congolese The Bhutanese Core Group was active established innovative and expedited refugees was a priority which led to the for over 10 years, and Bhutanese processing modalities for resettlement establishment of the Congolese Core refugees were sixth in UNHCR which enabled resettlement processing Group in 2013 which then transitioned submissions by country of origin since of a large number of refugees to many into the Great Lakes Core Group (199,440 submissions). resettlement states within a short Refugees from the Democratic Republic timeframes. Syrians were second in of the Congo were forth in UNHCR The Bhutanese Core Group was UNHCR submissions by country of origin submissions by country of origin, since established in 2005 and involved since 2003 (223,431 submissions). 2003 (141,821 submissions). diplomatic overtures to Nepal and Bhutanese refugee Dasharath Bastola shows his Bhutan to promote comprehensive residence permit in the Netherlands. solutions, efforts to encourage the ©UNHCR/P. de Ruiter issuance of exit permits from Nepal, access to education and services, and Afghan Contact Groups in Iran and improved conditions in Bhutan to Pakistan minimize the risk of further refugee outflows as well as large-scale Afghan refugees were seventh in resettlement. UNHCR submissions by country of origin since 2003 (58,875 submissions).
Um Abdullah and her daugther Maysaa, 13, 13-year-old Sudanese refugee thanks the The Iran Contact Group for the pack a suitcase in preparation for their journey Norwegian government with a banner for resettlement of Afghans managed to to Gemany, at their temporary home in Barja, accepting his family for resettlement. Sudanese obtain more flexibility on the part of the were the largest refugee community in Shousha Lebanon on 11 April 2014. The family of nine Iranian authorities to issue exit permit will travel to Germany under the resettlement camp after Somalis. program. ©UNHCR/Andrew McConnell ©UNHCR/R. Nuri and visas for selection missions.
Canada. Pabi is an interpreter, a sister and a fashionista. Pabi was born deaf in Dagana, Bhutan, but she says she can do anything hearing people do, except hear. Her parents fled Bhutan soon after she was born. She grew up in a refugee camp in Nepal until the age of eighteen, when her family was resettled to Ottawa, Canada. In her adopted country, Pabi had to overcome big obstacles due to a lack of specialized education for Deaf people in the refugee camp. She is very Hungary. Afghan refugee earns scholarship for proud that she recently passed the Canadian hotel traineeship. Zia, the first refugee to be taken Syrian refugees, Germany’s Humanitarian South Africa. 2017. Congolese family heads citizenship test. ©UNHCR/James Park on by the hotel as a trainee, greets the chef. “I like Assistance Programme. Abdullah (6) and his sister for new life in France. Congolese refugee Bora to work with Zia, because he always appreciates Ruah (4) enjoying a break and fooling around. Riziki (second from right) arrives at Cape Town my awful jokes,” said one young woman, while his The family had been accepted by Germany’s International Airport with her friends, as she boss added that the trainee chef was “able and Humanitarian Assistance Programme and leaves to be resettled in France. hard-working, so he has every chance to become a travelled to Germany in September 2013. ©UNHCR/James Oatway good cook.” ©UNHCR/Bea Kallos ©UNHCR/Gordon Welters
18 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 19 Colombia Contact group Central Mediterranean Core Group 2019 AND BEYOND – The Colombia Contact group was The Central Mediterranean (CM) Core THE ROLE OF THE ATCR IN THE FUTURE established in 2012 and co-chaired by Group is the most recently established the governments of New Zealand and Core Group (2017). The objective Refugee situations continue to increase The GCR envisages the development Uruguay. It focused on information of the CM Core Group is to expand in scope,scale, and complexity. The of a three-year Strategy (2019 – 2021) sharing among participating States, resettlement and complementary vast majority of refugees (85 per on resettlement and complementary and active engagement with the pathways along the Central cent) are hosted in low- and middle- pathways (hereinafter, the Strategy), Government of Ecuador to advocate for Mediterranean route with a view to income countries facing economic as a key vehicle to increase the improved access to asylum. decreasing the irregular and dangerous and development challenges. Despite number of resettlement spaces, movement of refugees through the the generosity of host countries and expand the number of resettlement Central Mediterranean Sea towards donors, there is an urgent need for more countries and improve the availability Europe. The CM Core Group focuses equitable sharing of the burden and and predictability of complementary 21 on 15 countries of asylum (Chad, responsibility for hosting and supporting pathways for refugees refugees. Cameroon, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, the world’s growing number of refugees. Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia and While the resettlement landscape has Algeria) and on various nationalities witnessed important progress during (particularly Eritreans, Somalis, refugees the last few years, fluctuations in the from Central African Republic, Sudanese availability of places and a doubling of Angélica, Karol and Kalindy are resettled refugees and South Sudanese, but also Nigerians, the global needs to reach 1.4 million from Ecuador. They fled Colombia due to direct Guineans, Ivoirians, Gambians, resulted in the resettlement of less than threats from the paramilitary. Senegalese, Malians and Ghanaians). 5 per cent of refugees considered by ©UNHCR/A. Cribari Among the nationalities above,Somalis , UNHCR to be in need of resettlement 20 Sudanese and Eritreans have been in. Simultaneously, although there have prioritized in response to their high been efforts to increase opportunities Resettlement of Karen refugees to Japan. At Bangkok airport, ethnic Karen refugees leave resettlement needs and feature in the for complementary pathways for Thailand in September, 2010, for resettlement in top 10 countries of origin submitted for refugees, their potential to offer Japan, the first Asian country to accept refugees resettlement by UNHCR since 2003. solutions on the scale today’s context for resettlement under a pilot program. demands has not been fully realised. ©UNHCR/Kitty McKinsey
The Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), which was affirmed by the The ATCR, its WGR and Core Groups United Nations General Assembly in will be critical to coordinate and December 2018, is a strong signal measure the implementation of the of the international community’s Strategy.
determination to strengthen solidarity with refugees and the communities
Niger. Young man who survived torture in Libya that host them. Recognising that resettled to France”If you go inside my heart, it will third country solutions are a tangible explain my joy to you, as I cannot express it with demonstration of solidarity and my words.” Twenty-four-year old Eritrean refugee, Berek, has his portrait taken at the reception responsibility sharing, their expansion is centre in Niamey where he has stayed since being one of the four objectives of the GCR. evacuated from Libya in February 2018. Tonight, he and six others begin a new life in France. ©UNHCR/Louise Donovan
20 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 21 As part of the Strategy development pathways in receiving communities ENDNOTES process, partners aand collectively and to facilitate refugee access to identified a number of key areas where complementary pathways. 1 See Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), A/73/12, para 93, available at https://www.unhcr.org/gcr/ the ATCR will have an important role for GCR_English.pdf. the future: 33 Partnerships with new actors to 2 UN, Constitution of the International Refugee support and expand resettlement Organization (1946), p3. 3 3 Rupert Colville, Fiftieth Anniversary of the 3 Capacity building for new and programmes, including through the Hungarian uprising and refugee crisis (2006), p2. emerging resettlement States and Working Group on Partnerships by 4 UNHCR, A/3828/Rev.1 (1959). strengthening the ATCR community seeking to harness the potential of 5 UNHCR, Refugees: The Hungarian refugees, 50 years on, where are they now? (2006), p8 of practice; non-traditional actors such as the 6 Ibid [2; 3]. private sector; 7 UNHCR, The State of The World’s Refugees 2000: 33 Coordination of the global Fifty Years of Humanitarian Action (2000), p69. 3 8 Ibid. resettlement programme through 3 Promoting meaningful refugee 9 UNHCR, UNHCR Resettlement Handbook (2011), information on resettlement needs, participation in resettlement and p47. publication of data on resettlement complementary pathways, including 10 UNHCR, The State of The World’s Refugees 2000: Fifty Years of Humanitarian Action (2000), p47-48. activities, and the continued use through support for refugee 11 Ibid, p127. of resettlement Core Groups to advocates, increased participation 12 Ibid, p79. respond to priority situations of refugees in the ATCR, and the 13 Ibid., p86. 14 Ibid, p99. together with host countries; development and use of tools for 15 Kirsten Young, UNHCR and ICRC in the former gathering refugee feedback; Yugoslavia: Bosnia-Herzegovina (2001), p785 33 Enhancing the efficiency and 16 UNHCR, UNHCR Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 3 Information Bulletin (2000). integrity of programmes including 3 Strategic advocacy and 17 Ibid. through the use of innovative and communications, to build support 18 UNHCR, Resettlement as an Instrument of digital tools and approaches; and promote resettlement and Protection No. 67 (XLII) (1991). 19 UNHCR, Resettlement in the 1990s: a review of complementary pathways in policy and practice (1994), p17-47. 33 Policy, standard-setting and coordination with civil society, 20 55,680 refugee departed to a resettlement coordination on Complementary private sector and other partners country in 2018 and 1,195,349 refugees were estimated to be in need of resettlement in 2018, see Pathways including though the and experts. https://www.unhcr.org/resettlement-data.html establishment of a Working Group Projected Global Resettlement Needs for 2020 are on Complementary Pathways 1.4 million consisting of the varied multi- 21 Ibid, paras 91 and 95 sectoral partnerships required;
33 Strengthening the use of data and evidence including through work with academia and other expert partners to develop strategic, actionable and relevant research, to measure and evaluate the protection dividends stemming from resettlement for refugees remaining in host countries, to demonstrate the positive impacts and contributions of refugees arriving through resettlement and complementary
22 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 23 The top 5 resettlement countries The top 10 countries of origin Nine out of ten refugees were submitted to the top five 1 Myanmar 281,100 resettlement countries. (2003-2018) 2 Syrian Arab Republic 223,400 3 Iraq 207,40 0 1 USA 945,400 4 Democratic Republic of the Congo 141,800 2 Canada 156,600 5 Somalia 139,900 3 Australia 104,700 6 Bhutan 119,400 4 Sweden 41,000 7 Afghanistan 58,900 5 United Kingdom 37,700 8 Sudan 45,100 9 Eritrea 43,400 10 Islamic Republic of Iran 35,100
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply Total submissions (persons) 2003-2018 o cial endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
24 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 25 ANNEX I – OVERVIEW OF RESETTLEMENT Top 10 Countries of Origin Submitted by UNHCR STATISTICS (2003-2018) Country of Origin Submissions (persons) % 2003-2018 Myanmar 281 132 19% UNHCR Submissions by Resettlement Category Total Departures by Year (2003-2018) Syrian Arab Rep. 223 431 15% Resettlement Categories Submissions % Iraq 207 403 14% (cases) Year Departures 2003-2018 (persons) Dem. Rep. of the Congo 141 821 10% Medical Needs 11 592 3% 2003 27 338 Somalia 139 933 10%
Women and Girls-at-Risk 44 290 10% 2004 42 008 Bhutan 119 440 8%
Legal and/or Physical 198 904 44% 2005 38 507 Afghanistan 58 875 4% Protection Needs 2006 29 560 Sudan 45 146 3% Lack of Foreseeable 105 701 23% Eritrea 43 365 3% Alternative Durable 2007 49 868 Solutions 2008 65 864 Iran (Islamic Rep. of) 35 118 2%
Family Reunification 5 266 1% 2009 84 657 Others 153 697 11%
Survivor of Violence and/ 78 793 17% 2010 72 914 Grand Total 1 449 361 100% or Torture 2011 61 649 Resettlement Countries by departures (2003-2018) Children and Adolescents 7 985 2% at Risk 2012 69 252 Top 10 Resettlement Departures (persons) % Grand Total 452 531 100% 2013 71 449 2003-2018 2014 73 608 United States of America 642 783 63%
2015 81 891 Canada 118 570 12%
2016 126 291 Australia 89 677 9%
2017 65 108 Sweden 31 194 3%
2018 55 680 United Kingdom 25 223 3%
Grand Total 1 015 644 Norway 23 390 2%
Germany 17 111 2%
Finland 11 553 1%
France 10 931 1%
New Zealand 10 256 1%
Others 34 956 3%
Grand Total 1 015 644 100%
26 Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR Celebrating 25 years of the ATCR 27