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11. External Processing: A Tool to Expand Protection or Further Restrict Territorial Asylum?

Author:
Pauline de Oliveira and Nicholas Feith Tan
Publication Date:
02-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Abstract:
Access to territorial asylum is under significant pressure in many corners of the world. Pushbacks at borders as well as pandemic-era mobility restrictions have prevented many asylum seekers from reaching their destinations. And new and ongoing crises, including those in Afghanistan and Ukraine, have highlighted the need to offer protection closer to where vulnerable populations live, and for high-income countries to find ways to share responsibilities with the low- and middle-income countries that host the overwhelming majority of people in need of international protection. This has led to renewed interest in external processing, which involves conducting part or all of the asylum procedure outside a destination country’s territory. Notably, even as countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom have adopted policies to offshore asylum processing to countries such as Papua New Guinea and Rwanda in hopes of deterring spontaneous arrivals, there is growing interest in using external processing in ways that complement existing territorial asylum and expand, rather than restrict, protection opportunities. This report—part of the Beyond Territorial Asylum: Making Protection Work in a Bordered World initiative led by MPI and the Robert Bosch Stiftung—highlights the opportunities that external processing offers as well as the challenges to its implementation and the risks it could pose to territorial asylum. It explores three categories of external processing policies implemented or proposed to date: humanitarian visas, emergency evacuations, and external processing centers. The report also identifies key conditions that must be present for external processing to occur in a protection-sensitive manner.
Topic:
International Cooperation, Governance, Refugees, Asylum, Visa, and Immigration Policy
Political Geography:
United Kingdom, Australia, Rwanda, Papua New Guinea, and Global Focus

12. Refugee-led Organisations and Intersectionality: Feminist Development Policy in the Lives of Refugees

Author:
Nasim Motalebi and Charles Martin-Shields
Publication Date:
01-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:
This policy brief outlines how feminist development policy can be locally enacted by taking an intersectional approach to the provision of assistance to refugees and displaced persons. Refugee-led organisations (RLOs) play a key role in providing collective services, particularly in contexts where the host government is unlikely or unwilling to provide access to local social services. This is especially true in non-camp settings, and as global refugee policy moves away from encampment as a response to refugees the role of RLOs in refugees’ daily lives will only increase. While RLOs are an important part of life in a refugee community, they can be especially useful in supporting the needs of women, children, LGBTIQ refugees, ethnic minorities and diverse-ability refugees across multiple refugee communities city- or region-wide. Taking an inter¬sectional approach to understanding the role of RLOs, in particular RLOs led by women, can help policy-makers identify networks of local actors who can effective¬ly meet the social needs of all members of a local refugee community, including those who face particular marginali¬sation due to gender, sexual, religious or ethnic identity. The intersectional approach to working with RLOs focuses on meeting the needs of marginalised identity groups across the entire refugee population in a city or region. For example, refugees representing multiple ethnic groups or nationalities might have their own ethnic or national RLO, but that RLO may not be able to meet the unique needs of women, children, LGBTIQ and reli¬gious minorities within the community. An inter-sectional approach means engaging all the RLOs in a city or region to meet the social, health and protection needs of margin¬alised community members, with the under¬standing that in doing so the wider needs of all community members will be met. RLOs are part of a wider ecosystem of services and organisations that support refugees, and while they play a unique role in enacting feminist development policy for refugees, they have limitations. Policy-makers should engage them alongside official authorities from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the host country govern¬ment when possible. Given the challenges and opportuni¬ties that come with taking an intersectional approach to meeting refugees’ needs through engage¬ment with women-led RLOs, we offer the following recommendations to policy-makers: • Funding RLOs in situations where refugees have no legal status is challenging. In many cases, RLOs can provide intersectional social services, but often need funding to do so. Donors can localise their programming by funding NGOs that collaborate with RLOs, and allowing NGOs to redistribute funding to their RLO partners. • Trusting RLOs as a mediator for connecting refugees to official protection and legal services. Refugees living in situations where they may not have legal status often trust RLOs more than they do official agencies such as UNHCR. Donors can therefore support RLOs in providing protection against hostile legal environments for asylum seekers. • Mitigating risks associated with RLOs’ ethnic, national, and religious biases. RLOs come with their own limitations and problems. They are often informal institutions, and in many cases lack UNHCR’s legal status. Since they are community-based, they can also at times replicate existing biases within an ethnic or national community. Donors should be aware of this risk when working with RLOs.
Topic:
Refugees, Feminism, Organizations, and Development Policy
Political Geography:
Global Focus

13. Children in Refugee Camps and Their Role in Refugee–Host Community Integration

Author:
Erick Nyambedha, Rose Jaji, and Jana Kuhnt
Publication Date:
01-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child significantly strengthened the legal basis for recognising children as actors with agency and a voice. In contrast to this, children in displacement contexts are still commonly portrayed as victims without agency. Children are dependent on adults, but that does not mean that they have no right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. This policy brief sheds light on the active role that children in displacement situations can take in their daily lives to shape refugee–host interactions and local integration in camp settings. It discusses how the role of children in the social integration of refugees can be strengthened and supported, indicating potential areas for intervention. With 40 per cent of the displaced population worldwide being below the age of 18, children form a significant part of this group (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2023). However, there continues to be limited information on the perspectives and experiences of children in displacement situations, particularly those living in the Global South. Although there is some knowledge regarding interventions to support the integration of refugee children, not much has been said about their own initiatives with respect to social integration and mediating the circumstances that displacement and encampment entail. Children change the world around them and invariably impact the adult-dominated processes of migration and integration when they participate. Independently from adults, children negotiate and construct relations during their interactions in public and private spaces, such as in (pre-)schools, organised sporting events and in private meeting points. They develop friendships and share learning materials, food and language. Through their agency, children build relations that are critical for the process of integration. This can transcend adult-dominated notions about the safety and securitisation of displacement contexts, thus transforming the conflict rhetoric associated with refugee–host community relations. The role of children has become even more salient in view of efforts to facilitate integration through the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), a key framework guiding refugee policy in many refugee-hosting countries in the Global South. At the same time, children’s unique growth and developmental needs have to be adequately understood and incorporated into integration policies and programmes. In this policy brief, we call for a change in policy and pro¬gramming to recognise and support children’s critical role in social integration. We make the following recommendations to host governments, international agencies and local partners active in refugee camp settings to: • Support more data collection and analysis of children’s actions in building relations that can foster integration in different displacement contexts. • Ensure that children are included as a special category in policy frameworks. Their interests and needs should be taken into account by listening to their voices and providing platforms for exchanges with adults, policy-makers and practitioners. • Create more opportunities for refugee and host community children to interact inside and outside of school environments. • Support sensitisation programmes that bring together parents of refugee and host community children to understand the role of children in the integration process and to ensure that the views of adults as parents and guardians are also listened to and addressed. • Address negative stereotypes and open conflicts between refugee and host community children that restrict free and positive interactions. This can include fostering dialogue and peaceful means to resolve conflicts as well as facilitating cooperation.
Topic:
Children, Refugees, and Integration
Political Geography:
Global Focus

14. Building Meaningful Refugee Participation into Protection Policymaking

Author:
Uwo Ramazani
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Abstract:
Around the world, many refugees find themselves in situations of protracted displacement. As states and international actors search for more effective ways to address protection and displacement challenges, one promising—but often underutilized—approach is to meaningfully involve refugees in crafting and implementing policy responses. Engaging affected communities in protection policymaking can take a variety of forms, including one-off consultations, individual refugee advisors or advisory boards, and refugees being appointed as senior leaders or hired as staff within organizations. Such approaches hold the potential to foster policies that better reflect the needs and priorities of refugee communities and, in doing so, improve protection outcomes. But care must be taken to go beyond tokenistic and inconsistent engagement, and more evidence is needed to understand which approaches are most impactful and under what circumstances. This report—part of the Beyond Territorial Asylum: Making Protection Work in a Bordered World initiative led by MPI and the Robert Bosch Stiftung—explores what motivates states, international organizations, and other actors to implement refugee participation initiatives, what forms these initiatives take, and what their limitations are. The study also proposes a preliminary theory of change (how such activities are intended to achieve their goals), a set of indicators to measure the influence of refugee participation on policy effectiveness, and recommendations for how such tools can be leveraged to improve refugee engagement and protection policies.
Topic:
International Cooperation, International Organization, Refugees, Resettlement, Protection, and Refugee Policy
Political Geography:
Global Focus

15. Improving Stakeholder Coordination in Refugee Resettlement: A Path to More Effective, Inclusive Programs

Author:
Admir Skodo and Maria Belen Zanzuchi
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Abstract:
ach year, refugee resettlement programs offer a path to safety for only a tiny share of people forced to flee their country amid persecution, war, or violence. Efforts to expand these programs have largely stalled, in part because they are operating in a context of multiple crises (ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to large-scale displacement from countries such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Venezuela) that have created competing policy demands. But another major factor that has constrained resettlement programs’ growth is the difficulty of effectively coordinating the work of the many stakeholders involved in these systems. This often includes different levels of government, civil-society and community actors, and international organizations, which frequently have different priorities, are involved at different points in the resettlement process, and may not be used to working together. This report explores the diversity of stakeholders involved in refugee resettlement, and the importance of robust coordination at all stages of the process (from program design to predeparture planning and post-arrival support). It also examines what coordination mechanisms exist—or could be created—to organize the work of these many actors. The analysis draws on interviews with local, regional, national, and international stakeholders, primarily from Argentina, Finland, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United States.
Topic:
International Cooperation, Governance, Refugees, Resettlement, and Inclusion
Political Geography:
Global Focus

16. Attracting, Retaining, and Diversifying Sponsors for Refugees in Community Sponsorship Programs

Author:
Maria Belen Zanzuchi, Nadja Dumann, Florian Tissot, and Admir Skodo
Publication Date:
09-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Abstract:
More countries in Europe and elsewhere are exploring the potential of sponsorship programs to open up another pathway for refugee protection and integration. This reflects recognition of both the staggering scale of unmet protection needs globally and the value of involving receiving communities more directly in welcoming and supporting refugee newcomers. The strength of these community sponsorship programs—and their ability to be sustained and scaled up over time—hinges on recruiting community members to volunteer their time and often some personal resources to support arriving refugees. This report examines the challenges sponsorship programs have faced to recruiting, retaining, and diversifying the sponsors involved in these efforts, as well as strategies that programs could and in some cases already use to overcome these obstacles. It highlights findings from surveys and interviews conducted in three case-study countries (Belgium, Germany, and Ireland) as well as evidence from other countries that operate sponsorship programs. This MPI Europe study is part of the Building Capacity for Private Sponsorship in the European Union (CAPS-EU) Project, which aims to build the capacity of European, national, and local governments and nongovernmental stakeholders to design, implement, sustain, and scale up community sponsorship programs for refugees.
Topic:
Refugees, Resettlement, Asylum, Integration, and Social Cohesion
Political Geography:
Europe and Global Focus

17. Asylum Capacity Development: Building New and Strengthening Existing Systems

Author:
Brian Barbour
Publication Date:
09-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW Sydney
Abstract:
Refugees are guaranteed a set of rights under international law, but whether a refugee can enjoy those rights depends on the asylum system that they encounter in the country where they seek refuge. An ‘asylum system’ can be understood as the legal, institutional, and social arrangements in place to meet the needs of refugees. Asylum capacity development (ACD) is the emerging area of policy and practice concerned with strengthening asylum systems. The concept of ACD is still being developed, but there is a tendency to equate ACD with building State capacity to conduct refugee status determination (RSD); that is, the institutional processes in place to decide asylum claims. The success of ACD is sometimes measured by the passage of legislation or regulations, the establishment of a new RSD unit, or ‘handover’ of RSD functions from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the State. ACD is often centred on building government capacity, without engaging civil society actors. A focus on RSD alone will not equip States to meet the diverse protection needs of refugees in practice. In the worst-case scenario, asylum systems are established that do not meet relevant needs or resolve asylum cases, resulting in frustrations for both people seeking asylum and governments. When non-governmental stakeholders are excluded, key capacities may be missing and there is no shared ownership of the asylum system that is established. Clarifying the purpose and scope of ACD is important to ensuring that initiatives to strengthen asylum systems are effective. This Policy Brief seeks to contribute to both the conceptual and operational development of ACD, by setting out an approach to strengthening asylum systems that is grounded in the protection needs of refugees and reflects a whole-of-society approach. ACD can be conceptualised as the process of developing institutional, national, and local capacity so that States and UNHCR, in collaboration with individuals, organisations, and society as a whole, can each do their part to meet the protection needs of refugees and resolve protection claims effectively, efficiently, fairly and sustainably. This Policy Brief provides practical guidance by setting out a framework that can be used to evaluate existing or proposed asylum systems. While there is a remarkable diversity among asylum systems around the globe, a comparative analysis of State practice reveals that effective asylum systems share a number of common characteristics. This Policy Brief identifies eleven characteristics: accessibility; specialisation; expertise; independence and impartiality; transparency; integrity; accountability; efficiency; adaptability; and collaboration. This Policy Brief provides a set of indicators that can measure progress towards achievement of these characteristics or standards. This Policy Brief promotes a needs-based approach that seeks to develop capacities or scale them up, in order to meet the identified needs of refugees. It also emphasises the importance of a wholeof-society approach that engages all stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental, with the capacity to contribute. A well-coordinated platform for cooperation and coordination among all relevant stakeholders should be a target of ACD. Ultimately, the success of ACD efforts should be assessed with reference to whether there are improved protection outcomes for refugees, and whether case processing capacity is strengthened such that asylum claims can be resolved effectively, efficiently, fairly, and sustainably.
Topic:
International Law, Refugees, Capacity, Protection, and Asylum Seekers
Political Geography:
Global Focus

18. Durable Displacement and the Protracted Search for Solutions: Promising Programs and Strategies

Author:
Elizabeth Ferris and Donald Kerwin
Publication Date:
03-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal on Migration and Human Security
Institution:
Center for Migration Studies of New York
Abstract:
In March 2022, the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) released a request for papers (RFP) for a special issue of its Journal on Migration and Human Security (JMHS), devoted to identifying solutions to situations of protracted displacement. The co-editors selected 10 papers for this special issue by authors from a dozen countries, including two refugees. The papers cover several large populations in protracted displacement, as well as other less-publicized groups. The former include: • Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh; • Internally displaced persons (IDPs) living on the outskirts of Baku, Azerbaijan; • Afghans in Pakistan since the 1970s; • Syrians in Turkey since 2011; • Syrian, Iraqi, Yemeni, Sudanese, Somali, and Iranian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon; • IDPs and Venezuelan migrants in Colombia; • Somali refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya; • Central Americans seeking protection in Mexico and the United States; and • IDPs in Northern Mexico who have been displaced and stranded due to violence, deportation, and US and Mexican asylum policies. This paper introduces and integrates the themes and recommendations from this special issue. Section 1 provides a short overview of the scope, growth, and consequences of protracted displacement. Section 2 situates this phenomenon in a legal context and examines traditional and complementary solutions to displacement. Section 3 outlines topline findings, recommendations, and cross-cutting themes from the special issue. Section 4 offers conclusions and final reflections.
Topic:
Refugees, Displacement, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

19. Climate Change and Migration: An Overview for Policymakers and Development Practitioners

Author:
Samuel Huckstep and Michael Clemens
Publication Date:
05-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Center for Global Development (CGD)
Abstract:
Climate change will have major ramifications for migration at every level: domestic, regional, and international. While most migration affected by climate change will be internal, the international system is unprepared and inadequate for the needs that will arise. This brief reviews issues faced in the governance of climate-affected migration at the internal, regional, and international levels and proposes policy actions in numerous spheres of action. Additional details are available in the related paper.
Topic:
Climate Change, Migration, Refugees, and Displacement
Political Geography:
Global Focus

20. Adaptive Management in Refugee Programming: Lessons from Re:Build

Author:
Helen Dempster and Nicol Herbert
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Center for Global Development (CGD)
Abstract:
Humanitarian and development crises are increasingly protracted and complex, lacking clear solutions and paths to reach the most-affected individuals and communities. Those working in such crises must be creative, adaptive, and supported by frameworks that promote efficient and effective responses. Adaptive management is a learning-oriented project management approach that centralizes proactive and ongoing reflection on what is and is not working, adapting the program design or operational delivery based on this new information. This approach is being implemented by a five-year program—Refugees in East Africa: Boosting Urban Innovations for Livelihoods (Re:Build)—aiming to achieve economic self-reliance for urban refugees and other vulnerable residents of Kampala, Uganda and Nairobi, Kenya. The evidence for how to best support refugee economic self-reliance is limited; even less is known about what is effective for urban refugees specifically. Re:Build is utilizing adaptive management principles to navigate this uncertainty with the goal of achieving sustained outcomes for clients and more information about what works. While adaptive management offers a range of potential benefits, it requires implementers and donors to operate in new ways. After summarizing the existing adaptive management literature, this paper outlines lessons from the first two years of Re:Build’s attempts to implement an adaptive program. It concludes by sharing practical recommendations, for both implementers and donors, on how to better live out these principles.
Topic:
Development, Humanitarian Aid, Refugees, and Humanitarian Crisis
Political Geography:
Africa and Global Focus