STRENGTHENING PROTECTIONCAPACITY PROJECT LIVELIHOODS COMPONENT Phase One MAE HONG SON PROVINCE A report prepared by Prungchit Phanawathanawong on the potential for increasing opportunities for self-reliance and income generation on the Thai-Myanmar border Collaboration between ILO and UNHCR 1 UNHCR/ILO Livelihoods Report: Volume 1 Mae Hong Son Province TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS....................................................................................................... 4 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Scope of the study............................................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Methodology..................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Definitions......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 The Strengthening Protection Capacity Thailand Project (SPCP-T) ................................................ 6 SECTION 2: BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Thailand and Refugees...................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Governing structure of camps ......................................................................................................... 10 2.2.1 RTG structure ......................................................................................................................... 10 2.2.2 Refugee structure..................................................................................................................... 10 SECTION 3: FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................ 13 3.1 General description of the target population and hosting areas ...................................................... 13 3.1.1 Target population .................................................................................................................... 13 3.1.2 Hosting areas........................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.3 Hosting communities ............................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Degree of access to the labour market, including the informal sector ............................................ 19 3.3 Existing related programs initiated by UNHCR and other actors................................................... 22 3.4 Economic coping strategies of refugees and communities in hosting areas ................................... 27 Self-employment and micro-enterprises ........................................................................................... 27 Incentive workers ............................................................................................................................. 30 Waged labour ................................................................................................................................... 31 Informal employment........................................................................................................................ 31 Informal Arrangement ...................................................................................................................... 31 3.5 Skill level among refugees.............................................................................................................. 31 3.6 Environmental conditions in the camps and hosting areas: ............................................................ 33 3.7 Skills that should be developed to enhance self-reliance of refugees:............................................ 34 3.7.1 Skills training: preferences of refugees ................................................................................... 34 3.7.2 Skills development for potential labour market....................................................................... 36 3.8 Possible relationship and impact of livelihoods strategy in hosting communities and potential cooperation............................................................................................................................................ 36 Potential cooperation ....................................................................................................................... 38 3.9 The availability of (i) local training providers, (ii) local micro-finance institutions and (iii) local business advisory services that partnerships can be developed with to provide sustainable support. .. 39 (i) Local training providers. ............................................................................................................. 39 ii) Local micro-finance institutions. ................................................................................................. 43 (iii) Local business advisory services. .............................................................................................. 43 3.10 Summary of Gaps and Opportunities for Livelihoods and Self-reliance ...................................... 44 Gaps.................................................................................................................................................. 44 Opportunities.................................................................................................................................... 44 SECTION 4: RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................... 45 4.1 Seasonal labour and agriculture ................................................................................................ 45 4.2 Employment in the services sector.............................................................................................. 45 4.3 Livelihoods Management Committee ......................................................................................... 46 4.4 Strengthen Vocational Training ................................................................................................. 46 4.5 Sub-contract work inside the camps ........................................................................................... 47 4.6 Micro-finance ............................................................................................................................. 47 2 UNHCR/ILO Livelihoods Report: Volume 1 Mae Hong Son Province 4.7 Use of existing (ILO) materials .................................................................................................. 47 4.8 Appropriate technology .............................................................................................................. 48 4.9 Engage Thai villagers in in-camp service provision .................................................................. 48 4.10 Promote agricultural activities................................................................................................. 48 4.11 Incorporate vocational skills into school curriculum............................................................... 49 4.12 Strengthen adult literacy programmes ..................................................................................... 49 APPENDIXES ......................................................................................................................................... 50 Appendix One: Terms of Reference - Livelihoods Consultant............................................................. 50 Appendix Two: list of NGOs working with MOI in providing assistance to displaced persons along Thai-Myanmar border........................................................................................................................... 52 Appendix Three: Thai Administration.................................................................................................. 54 Appendix Four: Registered Refugee Population (as of 31st March 2007) ........................................... 59 Appendix Five: Brief description of refugee camps ............................................................................. 60 Appendix Five: Description of hosting communities ........................................................................... 68 List of Tables Table 1: Camp population & households breakdown by camps Table 2: Number of students in 2006 breakdown by camps Table 3: Hosting communities breakdown by camps Table 4: Number of population in each hosting community Table 5: Refugee camps & hosting communities breakdown by their ethnicity & religion Table 6: Comparison of demand and supply of seasonal labours Table 7: Numbers of trainees attending ZOA courses breakdown by camp Table 8: Number of Enrolment in Thai language course breakdown by camps Table 9: Number of trainees attended the trainings breakdown by age groups and camps Table 10: Numbers of trainees attending COERR activities and trainings Table 11: Estimated figures of households engaging in economic activities Table 12: Number of incentive workers breakdown by gender, camp and employees Table 13: Background occupations prior to arrival in camps including PAB consideration Table 14: Preferred occupations in MRM and MLO Table 15: OTOP products