Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration Portfolio of Projects and Assistance to Host Countries 2015-2016 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan AFGHANISTAN: Afghan Returnee Overview August 2015 Afghan Returnees Afghan Refugees Afghan refugee returns from Pakistan and the 5.8 million returned to Islamic Republic of Iran 2.5 million remaining Afghanistan since 2002, of which Pakistan Islamic Republic of Iran Afghan refugees in the region facilitated by 950,000 in the Islamic 4.8 million 1,500,000 Republic of Iran UNHCR 1.5 million in Pakistan 20% of the total population 1,200,000 Ethnic breakdown of Afghan returnees SSAR Financial Requirements Pashtun 57% 900,000 Tajik 23% US$ 553 million Hazara 8% 600,000 Total budget per outcome (in million US$) Other 7% Uzbek 4% Voluntary Repatriation 142 Turkmen 2% 300,000 Access to Essential Social Services and Shelter 234 Baloch 1% Social and 63 Environmental Protection 0 Livelihoods and 102 02' 04' 06' 08' 10' 12' 14' 15' Food Security Capacity Development 12 Assisted Afghan Returnees by Province Number of Afghan returnees by province TAJIKISTAN 300,000 UZBEKISTAN 150,000 50,000 20,000 TURKMENISTAN CHINA JAWZJAN KUNDUZ BALKH TAKHAR BADAKHSHAN SAMANGAN ISLAMIC FARYAB BAGHLAN ER SARI PUL SH REPUBLIC NJ PA NURISTAN OF IRAN AN BADGHIS W KAPISA KUNAR Jammu and AR BAMYAN P AN Kabul M Kashmir GH LA WARDAK NANGARHAR HIRAT LOGAR GHOR DAYKUNDI PAKTYA KHOST GHAZNI URUZGAN FARAH PAKTIKA ZABUL PAKISTAN HILMAND KANDAHAR NIMROZ INDIA Sources: UNCS, UNHCR, UNPD Cover photo: UNHCR/S.Rich Table of contents PART I: Overview of the Portfolio 1.Introduction 4 2.Situational Analysis 5 • Context 5 • People of concern 6 • Policy framework 7 • Constraints and challenges to the implementation of the Solutions Strategy 9 • Key achievements and results 9 3.Strategy 11 • Programme rational and principles 11 - The SSAR Country Portfolios 12 • Return to Afghanistan: Needs, Gaps and Responses 13 - Outcome 1: Voluntary repatriation 15 - Outcome 2: Access to shelter and essential social services 15 - Outcome 3: Livelihoods and food security 18 - Outcome 4: Social and environmental protection, resettlement 20 - Outcome 5: Capacity development 21 4.Partnerships 22 • Partners 22 • Linkages to other initiatives 23 5.Coordination and Resource Mobilization 30 • Regional Coordination Mechanisms 30 • National Coordination Mechanisms 30 • Resource Mobilization 31 6.Measuring Progress 32 • Baselines 32 • Reporting 32 PART II: Summary of Project Proposals Acronyms 33 Summary financial requirements 34 Project Proposals 35 Annexes 45 • Annex I 46 • Annex II 49 PART I: Overview of the Portfolio 1.Introduction The Afghan refugee situation, which remains one of the world’s most protracted displacement situations1, has now lasted close to four decades. The Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) developed in response by the Islamic Republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), seeks to facilitate voluntary repatriation and reintegration in Afghanistan and to assist refugees and hosting communities in the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan, with an aim to find lasting solutions for this population. Endorsed by the international community in May 2012, the SSAR currently presents the primary regional framework for cross-border engagement and stay arrangements in refugee hosting countries. In Afghanistan it is complemented by a national voluntary repatriation and reintegration plan, which is being finalized by the National Unity Government2, as endorsed by the Tripartite Commission Meeting with the Government of Pakistan and UNHCR in August 2015. The era of large-scale returns to Afghanistan witnessed in the period between 2002 and 2008 with over 4.3 million refugees returning home, is likely to have ended.3 The subsequent dwindling of returns has been caused largely by the increasing volatility of the security situation, uncertainty around the success of the political transition building since 2013, which has led to sharp reductions in economic growth and the emergence of a fiscal crisis. The needs of Afghan returnees far exceed the capacity of humanitarian actors operating in Afghanistan. Needs assessments carried out under the SSAR indicate that community-based development investments have a meaningful impact on sustainable reintegration. In this regard, the SSAR also aims at strengthening partnerships with development actors as well as with relevant Government entities, local and international stakeholders in order to comprehensively address these needs. As part of efforts by the Islamic Republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan and UNHCR to implement comprehensive solutions for Afghan refugees in the region, a portfolio of proposed projects was prepared by the three Governments in 2014. These included projects by Government entities, UN agencies and local and international non-governmental agencies to be implemented during the year. In early 2015, the three Governments and UNHCR agreed to update the Afghanistan country portfolio for 2015-16, to align humanitarian and development needs and gaps on the ground with existing and new proposals for assistance provision. The updated Afghanistan portfolio includes 30 projects implemented or proposed by 18 line ministries, UN agencies, NGOs and foundations. The projects cover the five outcomes of the SSAR and propose interventions in a number of key sectors, including shelter, education, health and social protection. The overall funding requirements stand at approximately USD 553 million. This portfolio will be reviewed after six months. The Portfolio is structured into two parts. Part One includes a situational analysis, highlighting needs, gaps and current as well as planned responses. It further includes a brief discussion of progress and challenges faced in the implementation of the SSAR, an overview of coordination mechanisms and the resource mobilization strategy for the portfolio. Part Two presents a summary of proposed projects, including a description of the target population, objectives, activities and corresponding budgets and financial requirements, and details on the actors engaged. 1 Under UNHCR’s mandate 2 Comprehensive Voluntary Repatriation and Reintegration plan, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, August 2015 (to be finalised) 3 The total figure of returnees who have returned since 2002 today is closer to 4.8 million. p. 4 Portfolio of Projects I Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 2.Situational Analysis Context Between 1978 and 2002, a quarter of Afghanistan’s population sought refuge in neighbouring countries, primarily in the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan. With the fall of the Taliban regime in 2002, displacement dynamics in the region began to shift, as over 5.8 million Afghans have returned home and constitute about 20 per cent of Afghanistan’s total population today. In his inaugural address in September 2014, President Ashraf Ghani highlighted the need for balanced and inclusive development across the country as a prerequisite for ending the ‘national refugee situation,’ noting that unless all refugees returned home, the Afghan nation would remain incomplete. Central to this effort, he noted, is the need to place vulnerable and marginalized groups, including women and children, at the core of development planning and engagement. He expressed his aspiration to eliminate the word ‘displacement’ from Afghanistan’s vocabulary within five years. He has expressed on several occasions, including in discussions with neighbouring countries, that voluntary repatriation and Return to Afghanistan 2012-2015 reintegration of Afghan refugees is a priority for 94,000 the new government. This was also reflected 100,000 in the joint communiqué following the London Conference on Afghanistan in December 2014. 80,000 Similarly, the Chief Executive of the National 50,736 Unity Government, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, has 60,000 on several occasions, including regular cabinet 39,000 40,000 meetings, expressed the unity government’s intention to strengthen interventions on 20,000 behalf of returnees, including through the 17,000 SSAR, to end the protracted situation of 0 Afghan refugees in exile. 2012 2013 2014 2015 To this end, the National Unity Government has developed new coordination bodies to enhance inter-ministerial and cross-sectoral support for reintegration in Afghanistan and is currently in the process of finalizing the Comprehensive Voluntary Repatriation and Reintegration strategy, identifying major needs and response gaps, and tailoring assistance for returnees to these. As the main coordinating body for returnee-related affairs, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) has demonstrated the National Unity Government’s leadership and renewed commitment to finding comprehensive and lasting solutions for returnees by spearheading policy development and implementation, bilateral and trilateral consultations on return and reintegration with neighbouring host countries, the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan. The majority of Afghan refugees remaining in these two countries have been displaced for thirty years or more, with second and third generations of children born in exile with few links to their ancestral country and extremely weak support networks and coping mechanisms in place to facilitate their successful reintegration. They may therefore be among the most vulnerable, and in need of