Transcript file

UNHCR
Afghanistan
Presentation
Returnee Reintegration
Policy Review Workshop
13-14 December 2011, Kabul
UNHCR Facilitated Voluntary
Repatriation
 The legal Framework for Repatriation
 Repatriation Process
 Return Trends
 Returnee Monitoring @ the ECs
 Future Scenarios
Tripartite Agreement
THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR
REPATRIATION
 The volrep is governed by the Tripartite Agreement, which
enables the parties (Government of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran
and UNHCR to ensure the integrity of the repatriation process.
 In May 2010 the Governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan and
UNHCR formally extended the Tripartite Agreement governing the
voluntary repatriation of registered Afghans in Pakistan through
the end of December 2012.
 Similarly, on 28 June and after a two-year break, UNHCR and
the Governments of Iran and Afghanistan held Tripartite
Consultations on the repatriation of Afghans from Iran. The
resulting agreement outlined the duties and responsibilities of
each party, with UNHCR taking a supervisory role in the
repatriation and reintegration processes.
Repatriation Process
 In Country of Asylum:
 An Afghan refugee wishing to return to Afghanistan with the
assistance of UNHCR must approach UNHCR’s Voluntary
Repatriation Centres (VRCs) in the country of asylum to register for
return and sign a Voluntary Repatriation Form (VRF). VRFs are
available at VRCs in Pakistan and Iran and at UNHCR Offices in
other countries of asylum.
 In Country of Origin:
 Upon arrival in Afghanistan, returnees must approach a UNHCR
Encashment Centre (EC) to receive the transportation and
reintegration cash grant. At the ECs, returnees have access to a
variety of services including briefings on mine-awareness and
education procedures in Afghanistan, polio and measles
vaccinations for children, mosquito nets in malaria-prone areas,
basic medical assistance, information on how to access legal aid
assistance and transit centres for overnight stay. There are five
UNHCR ECs in the country: Kabul, Herat, Jalalabad, Gardez and
Kandahar. All of them are managed by UNHCR in cooperation with
the Government’s Provincial Departments of Refugees and
Repatriation (DoRR).
Repatriation Process
Repatriation Cash Grant Map
Repatriation Process
Return trends

Since 2002, some 5.7 million Afghan refugees
have returned to their home country, of which 4.6
million have been assisted by UNHCR and the
respective governments through the voluntary
repatriation program
Pakistan
3,695,664
Iran
891,784
Other
Countries
15,649
Return trends
Annual Breakdown of Return by CoA - 03 Mar 2002 - 30 November 2011
4,200,000
3,500,000
2,800,000
2,100,000
1,400,000
700,000
0
Pakistan
Iran
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Total
1,565,066
332,183
383,321
449,391
133,338
357,635
274,200
48,320
104,331
47,879
3,695,664
259,792
142,280
377,151
63,559
5,264
7,054
3,656
6,028
8,487
18,513
891,784

The era of voluntary mass return, as seen between 2002 and
2005, has ended mainly due to the lack of absorption capacity and
deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the fact that most
of the remaining registered populations living in Pakistan (1.9
million) and Iran (nearly 1 million) have been in exile for over twenty
years; many of them were born in exile and have lost vital linkages to
their homeland.
Return trends
So far in 2011 some 66,491 Afghan refugees returned
voluntarily;
o 47,879 from Pakistan
- 54% decrease compared to 104,331 Afghans
who returned during 2010. The decrease in
returns may be attributed to the extension of the
POR cards through 2012 as well as improved
security in the country.

o
o
18,513 from Iran
- 56% increase compared to 8,196 Afghans who
came back during the same period last year. The
increase in returns from Iran may be largely
attributed to the economic pressures and the
discontinuation of subsidies on basic goods and
services by the Iranian Government.
99 from other countries
210,000
140,000
52,434
33,181
26,552
26,901
14,123
11,542
9,384
7,858
7,509
5,928
5,309
1,027
99
75
3
Kerman
Qom
Yazd
Hormozgan
Markazi
Golestan
Khuzestan
Semnan
Qazvin
Bushehr
Mazandaran
Gilan
Kohgiluyeh
va
Azarbayejane sharghi
Lorestan
Hamadan
Kordestan
3,390
166
Various
Jammu &
Kashmir
1,826
7,924
303,197
576,619
Balochistan
Sind
624,809
-
Islamabad
& Punjab
500,000
Various
64,814
Fars
-
64,904
70,000
Khorasan
1,000,000
2,181,289
1,500,000
91,526
KPK/
F.A.T.A.
2,000,000
897
350,000
147,999
316,163
280,000
Tehran
Sistan va
Baluchestan
Esfahan
Return trends
Main areas of return from Pakistan
Return by Province of CoA - Pakistan - 2002 - 2011
2,500,000
Individuals
Return by Province of CoA - Iran - 2002 - 2011
Individuals
Return trends
Recorded destination - 2002-2011
•
Over 80% of the total returns to C, E, N & NE regions
•
The top 5 provinces of returns are; Kabul, Nangarhar,
Kunduz, Baghlan and Kandahar provinces
Region
2002 - 2011
Individuals
2011
Individuals %
Individuals
Individuals %
Central
1,709,833
37.1%
21,752
32.7%
East
1,130,067
24.6%
15,794
23.8%
Northeast
594,325
12.9%
8,207
12.3%
North
371,001
8.1%
5,251
7.9%
West
278,180
6.0%
6,357
9.6%
South
277,342
6.0%
5,915
8.9%
Southeast
180,077
3.9%
2,710
4.1%
C. Highlands
43,909
1.0%
505
0.8%
Various
18,363
0.4%
Total
4,603,097
100.0%
66,491
0.0%
100.0%
Encashment Centre Returnee Monitoring
•
UNHCR and MoRR staff conducting Encashment Centre
Returnee monitoring at the five ECs serving returnees
from Pakistan and Iran;
• Jamal Mayna:
30 %
• Mohmmad Dara:
28 %
• Kabul:
27 %
• Herat:
8%
• Gardez:
7%
•
This monitoring exercise assists UNHCR & MoRR in
identifying trends in repatriation, such as push and pull
factors, as well as protection concerns of returnees
•
So far this year a total of 3,081 interviews conducted
(representing 30% of returnee families), of whom 2,827
interviews with returnees from Pakistan & 254 with
returnees from Iran
Encashment Centre Returnee Monitoring

Of the respondents; 66 % were Males and 34 % were Females,
of whom

4 % were minors between the ages of 12 and 17

85 % between age of 18 and 59 and

11 % were over the age of 60+
Years of exile:

75 % left Afghanistan during Communist regime

14 % during Taliban regime

8 % during Mujahideen period

3 % during Transitional government
Access to information to make an
informed decision for return:
 94 % had sufficient information to make an informed decision
 Source of information on repatriation operation:

62 % Received info from the Afghan community

17 % Through UNHCR

9 % Through Media (mainly radio and TV)

9 % Visited Afghanistan
 Source of information on place of origin:

55 % Received info from the Afghan community

25 % Visited Afghanistan

6 % Through Media (mainly radio and TV)

5 % Through UNHCR and

5 % Through other sources
Push & Pull Factors of Return
PAK
IRN
Average
(Pak/IRN)
Economic factors
67.6%
93.3%
80.5%
Alleged harassment by authorities
14.2%
6.3%
10.3%
Deteriorating security conditions
5.2%
0.0%
2.6%
Fear of arrest and/or deportation
2.4%
0.4%
1.4%
Lack of School and health facilities
1.0%
0.0%
0.5%
Other reasons
9.6%
0.0%
4.8%
PUSH FACTORS
Push & Pull Factors of Return
PULL FACTORS
PAK
IRN
Average
(PAK/IRN)
Local improvement in security in some
parts of Afghanistan
50.6% 90.6%
70.6%
Employment opportunities
16.6%
0.0%
8.3%
Land allocation scheme and/or UNHCR
shelter program
13.3%
4.3%
8.8%
UNHCR assistance package
10.7%
0.0%
5.4%
No longer have a fear of persecution
5.1%
1.6%
3.3%
Improved weather condition
1.3%
0.0%
0.7%
Improvement in health and education
facilities
1.3%
0.4%
0.8%
Other reasons
1.0%
3.1%
2.1%
Potential Refugee Returnees
(Future Scenarios) – 2012 & 2013

Scenario 1: As per ANDS RRI sector strategy, it is
assumed that a projected figure of 400,000 will return to
Afghanistan during 2012 and 2013


Scenario 2 - 320,000 during 2012 and 2013
Scenario 3 - 240,000 during 2012 and 2013
However, the actual return mainly depends on socio-economic
opportunities and security situation in CoA (mainly Pakistan) and
CoO. Therefore, UNHCR expects to facilitate the return of some
162,000 registered Afghans mainly from Pakistan, Iran and other
NNCs during 2012 and a total of 150,000 during 2013.
Thank you
?