Return - IOM Publications - International Organization for Migration

Return Migration: Policies and Practices
2. ASSISTED VOLUNTARY RETURN
2.1 POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND PROVISIONS
There are well established measures to promote and assist with the voluntary return of rejected
asylum. A number of NGOs, federal bodies and international organizations work in close cooperation
with the cantons and the Federal Office for Refugees in this respect. The main objectives
of providing assistance towards voluntary return, as elaborated by these cooperating agencies
are:
At the international level, to better manage migration, encourage countries of origin to readmit
their nationals and improve conditions in these countries to ensure the sustainability of return;
At the domestic level, to promote orderly and voluntary cost-efficient returns and reduce the
need of forced returns;
To improve conditions for the sustainable reintegration of returnees in the country of origin.
The legal basis for providing return and reintegration assistance is derived from Article 93 of the
Asylum Law, which also forms the basis of the Order on Individual Return Assistance and other
assisted return regulations. Under Article 93 of the Asylum Law, return and reintegration assistance
may include the development of projects in Switzerland (e.g. vocational trainings), in countries
of origin or in third countries. It aims at promoting return and facilitating reintegration,
through individual assistance such as medical care and financial assistance.
2.2 ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROCEDURAL ARRANGEMENTS
Institutions Responsible for Voluntary Return
The FOR works in close cooperation with the cantons and relevant NGOs and international
organizations, notably IOM, in order to provide assistance towards voluntary return.
In 1993, IOM Bern was entrusted by the Swiss FOR to set up a coordination mechanism
between the cantonal return counselling offices and the FOR. After a successful trial period of
several years, this task was eventually taken over as an ongoing established service by a new
return assistance unit within the FOR itself. FOR’s Return Assistance Unit today coordinates the
Swiss return assistance activities. It is responsible for formulating new return assistance policies
and administering the Swiss return assistance budget.
The cantons were asked to set-up return counselling offices or to mandate this task to another
organization (e.g. Caritas or the Swiss Red Cross). The aim of these counselling offices is to
provide comprehensive information on the possibilities of return and the kind of assistance
available for the returnees. The cantons have direct contact with individuals within their cantons,
who wish to return voluntarily.
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