Transcript Training Programme on International Migration Organized by UN/ECE and UNFPA in collaboration with NIDI Geneva, Switzerland 24-28 January 2005 http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)

Training Programme on
International Migration
Organized by UN/ECE and UNFPA
in collaboration with NIDI
Geneva, Switzerland
24-28 January 2005
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Refugee, asylum-seeker and forced
displacement statistics
with a particular emphasis on the UN/ECE region
Bela Hovy, Head
Statistics
United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR), Geneva
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Programme of work
Mandate/legal basis (UNHCR/statistics)
Scope (figures/issues)
Displaced populations (refugees, IDPs)
Asylum applications and refugee status
determination
Special issues
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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UNHCR mandate - general
• Refugees
– 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees
– 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees
• Stateless persons (refugees & non-refugees)
– 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless persons
– 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness
• Internally displaced (IDPs)
– Request from Security Council/Secretary-General
– Interagency approach
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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UNHCR mandate - statistics
• 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees
“… the Contracting States undertake to provide the Office of the High
Commissioner in the appropriate form with information and statistical
data requested concerning the condition of refugees, the implementation
of this Convention (…)” (Art. 35. Cooperation of the national
authorities with the United Nations)
• 1950 Statute of the Office of the UNHCR
“… The High Commissioner shall provide for the protection of refugees
falling under the competence of his Office by (…) obtaining from
governments information concerning the number and conditions of
refugees in their territories (…). (Chapter II. Functions of the High
Commissioner)
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Scope of forced displacement facts and figures
• 39 million persons displaced globally (6 per 1,000 world citizen)
– 9.7 million refugees (UNHCR)
– 4.1 million Palestinian refugees in Middle East (UNRWA)
– ≈ 25 million internally displaced (UN/OCHA)
• 17 million persons of concern to UNHCR, end-2003
–
–
–
–
–
9.7 million refugees
900,000 asylum-seekers (undecided cases)
4.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (of concern to UNHCR only)
1.3 million returnees (refugees and IDPs who returned in 2003)
900,000 Various (stateless/non-refugees, forced migrants, etc.)
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Scope of forced displacement issues
• Nature: involuntary/forced displacement
– Unplanned: inherent data collection problems
•
•
•
•
•
•
Movements: none (stateless), internal or international
Cause: conflict or persecution (not natural disasters)
Size: mass flows or individual movements
Phase: displacement, return (post-conflict)
Focus: countries of origin, transit and destination
Duration: long-term and short-term
 UN/ECE REGION IS VERY HETEROGENEOUS, INCLUDING
ALL ABOVE SCENARIO’S
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Standards - refugees (IDPs)
(UNHCR Annual Statistical Report--Table II)
• Stocks and “flows”
– Population stock begin/end period (year)
– Legal/demographic/administrative increases (prima
facie/group; individually recognized [Convention, hum.
status], resettlement, births, etc.)
– Legal/demographic/administrative decreases
(voluntary repatriation, resettlement, cessation,
naturalization, deaths, verification, etc.)
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Standards - refugees (IDPs)
(UNHCR Annual Statistical Report--Tables III and IV)
• Characteristics
– Sex, age, location (camps, urban, etc.) (Table
III)
– Legal status (1951 Convention, humanitarian)
(Table IV)
– Type of recognition (prima facie/group,
individually) (Table IV)
– Origin (Tables II, III and IV)
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Experience/challenges
• Definitions
– Who is a refugee? (1951Conv./ humanitarian; long-term resident;
rejected asylum-seekers, …)
• Availability/sources
– Refugee stock, decreases, characteristics, ...
– Register (absent, incomplete, outdated), linking registers, census,
• Timeliness
– Annual statistics: max. 1-2 months
• Manageability
– Unplanned displacement vs. managed migration
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Example - estimating refugee stocks
• If no refugee data / register available
– 10 years of asylum-seeker recognition (all
statuses, all levels)
– 10 years of resettled refugee arrivals (when
applicable)
– [stock estimate for prima facie refugees]
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Standards - asylum-seekers
(UNHCR Annual Statistical Report--Table V)
•
Meta data (header)
– Level (L): first instance, appeal/review (one table per level)
– Type (T): Government, UNHCR
– Cases/persons
•
Data
– Applications, decisions (recognized [‘51 Conv.; hum. status], rejected, o/w closed),
pending cases by citizenship (incl. stateless), % female
•
Formula’s (table)
–
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–
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Total decided = recognized + humanitarian + rejected + o/w closed
Pending begin = Pending-end previous period
Pending end = pending-begin + applications - total decisions
Refugee recognition rate: Recognized [rec + hum + rej]
Total recognition rate : [rec + hum]  [rec + hum + rej]
Percentage change in pending cases
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Experience/challenges
• Availability
–
–
–
–
Otherwise closed separate from Rejected
Appeal/review
% female
Monthly applications
• Timeliness
– Annual statistics: max. 1-2 months
– Monthly/quarterly applications: max. 2/3 weeks
•
Comparability
– Manifestly unfounded (pre-screening or not)
– Humanitarian status (separate status or rejected)
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Special issues
• Asylum - migration nexus
– UN Recommendations on international migration
statistics
• Immigration by purpose
• Use of existing national sources
• Condition of refugees
– Millennium Development Goals
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Immigration by purpose
• Flows
– Long-term residence permits issued by arrival category
(asylum, work, study, family reunion, ...)
– Family reunion differentiated by primary arrival
category (asylum, work, study, ...)
• Stocks
– Population register
– Population census
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Best practice I--Sweden
Box 2. Residence permits granted, Sweden, 1990-2003
* Including work, students, adoption and citizens from EU/EEA countries
Annual averages
Category
'90-'94
'95-'99
'00-'03
- Asylum/ref.
25,100
6,800
8,400
- Asylum/ref., family r.
8,000
4,900
4,300
- Asylum/ref., total
33,200 11,700 12,600
- Family r., total
21,800 20,200 23,600
Total permits*
50,500 35,500 45,300
% asylum/refugees in total no. of permits:
- excl. family r.
87%
44%
39%
- incl. family r.
66%
33%
28%
% asylum/refugees in Total family reunification:
37%
24%
18%
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
Total
'90-'03
193,000
81,700
274,700
303,900
611,100
63%
45%
27%
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Best practice II - Zambia
• Purpose of immigration purpose in 2000
population and housing census (UNHCR
funded)
– If foreigner, why come to this country?
•
•
•
•
Work
Study
Asylum
Family reunification
– Work
– Study
– Asylum
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Condition of refugees
• UNHCR Standards and Indicators Report
• UN-Millennium Development Goals
– Subjects (rights/access, condition):
• Health/nutrition, education, water, sanitation,
shelter, living conditions
• Source: use of surveys
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Wrap-up: sources
• Refugee stocks and flows
– Register/registration (link to documentation/status)
– Census (refugee/IDP, population)
• Asylum-seekers
– Register/registration (link to documentation/status)
• Condition of asylum-seekers/refugees
– Administrative records
– Surveys
– Census
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Wrap-up: Refugees and international
migrants - similarities and differences
– Population accounting perspective
• refugees are international migrants because they
cross international border/change place of residence
– International rights perspective
• Entry (non-return or non-refoulement) of refugees is
an international right/obligation of states
• Entry of international migrants is a state prerogative
Conclusion: distinction is essential, because
treatment differs significantly
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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Finally: what to expect from UNHCR?
• Statistical Yearbook (1 x per year)
• Quarterly trends (3 x per year)
• Monthly asylum applications in 35 industrialized
countries (monthly/quarterly)
• Ad-hoc reports; special requests (variable)
• Support for data collection (registration,
documentation)
 UNHCR Country office
 http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
 e-mail hotline + distribution list (stats@unhcr .ch)
http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)
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