Resettlement and Integration What is Resettlement? Global ... - ICMC

Resettlement and Integration 

What is Resettlement? 

Global Resettlement Needs 

Vulnerable Groups 

Emilie Wiinblad Mathez 

Sintra/ Portugal 

14 June 2010 

All photos are cutesy of UNHCR

Key messages 

Resettlement is a protection tool 

Resettlement is a durable solution 

Resettlement is a way of sharing responsibility 

The Global Needs for Resettlement are larger than the 

capacity of Resettlement countries 

Alike cases must be treated alike 

Reception and Integration is part of successful resettlement 

We can make deductions from the individual to the group, but 

not from the group to the individual 

UNHCR/ Resettlement Sintra, 

Portugal June 2010

Why Resettlement? 

Some refugees cannot go home 

Some may be living in perilous 

situations 

Some may have specific needs 

UNHCR helps resettle refugees in a 

third country 

There are 10.5 million refugees of 

concern to UNHCR worldwide 

Only about 1 percent are referred 

by the agency for resettlement. 

Expression of international 

solidarity / responsibility sharing 

mechanism 


Portugal June 2010 

Al Tanf © UNHCR/B. Diab

Perilous situation 

Camp & Urban 

Food: Kilocalories, malnutrition, 

variety, registration, etc. 

Water: liters per day, cleaning 

Shelter: Fire, closeness, etc. 

Sanitation: Latrines, safety, etc. 

Safety: Refoulement, killings, 

recruitment, crime, etc. 

Education: Availability, material, 

curriculum, other duties, etc. 

Health: Infant motility, malaria, 

waterborne disease, chronic, 

serious, etc. 



Al Tanf. © UNHCR/B. Auger

Special needs 

SGBV: Domestic violence, 

rape, child abuse, etc. 

Children: Forced marriages, 

recruitment, etc. 

Elderly: Support structures, etc. 

Disabled: Support structures, 

etc. 



Dosseye camp/Chad © Zalmai

Resettlement Criteria 

Many Refugees live in Perilous situations 

in Camps or Urban environments. 

Not all are resettled. 

Some have special needs 

UNHCR’s Resettlement Criteria are: 

Legal and Physical Protection Needs 

Survivors of Violence and Torture 

Medical Needs 

Women-at-Risk 

Family Reunification 

Children and Adolescents 

Older Refugees 

Refugees without Local Integration 

Prospects 



Lukole camp Tanzania © E. Wiinblad

There can be no meaningful 

protection without the prospect 

of a durable solution 

voluntary repatriation, 

local integration and 

resettlement 

Together forms a 

comprehensive approach to 

durable solutions 

Can require more flexible 

resettlement criteria. 

Particularly relevant in 

protracted refugee situations 

where protection may be 

available but a durable solution 

is not 

Durable Solution 



Iridimi camp/Chad © Zalmai

Responsibility Sharing 

In essence similar to resettlement as a 

durable solution. 

Where a State provide a durable solution 

through resettlement, it is also 

sharing the responsibilities Globally. 

When a State agrees to “burden share” 

through resettlement, it is expected to 

provide a durable solution. 

When you work with resettled refugees 

you share the Global responsibility to 

provide protection. 



Syria © UNHCR/B/Heger

Strategic use of Resettlement 

“The planned use of 

resettlement in a manner 

that maximizes the 

benefits, directly or 

indirectly, other than those 

received by the refugee 

being resettled. Those 

benefits may accrue to 

other refugees, the hosting 

state, other states or the 

international protection 

regime in general.” 




Global Needs - Figures 

805,535 identified as in need by offices 

around the world. 

2011 - 172,307 persons 

58,780 cases in 2011 

Main asylum countries 2011: 

Chad – 9,500, Kenya- 20,500, 

Malaysia – 15,000, Nepal – 18,500, 

Thailand – 12,300, Turkey – 

17,000, Syria – 23,500 

Main countries of origin 2011: 

Afghanistan – 274,383, Somalia – 

150,355, Myanmar – 101,150, Iraq 

– 68,366, Sudan – 61,996, 



Somali camp in Kenya © UNHCR/E. 

Hockstein

Global Needs 2011 

UNHCR Needs and Capacity 2007 - 2011 

1000000 

500000 

0 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

Total RST Needs 561,127 747,468 805,535 

RST Needs for Year 53,129 203,527 203,259 172,307 

UNHCR Capacity* 37,197 103,598 126,996 41,891 74,685 


Portugal June 2010

Global Needs 2011 

UNHCR Total Resettlement Needs by Region, 2009 - 2011 

500,000 

400,000 

300,000 

200,000 

100,000 

0 

2009 2010 2011 

Africa Americas Asia Europe MENA 


Portugal June 2010

Response Capacity 2009 

UNHCR Submissions: 128,558 

6% increase from 121,214 refugees in 2008. 

Departures: 84,657 to 24 countries of resettlement. 

29% increase from 65,859 refugees in 2008. 

Origin: Refugees from Iraq comprised the largest 

number of refugees submitted for resettlement 

(36,067), followed by refugees from Myanmar 

(30,542) and Bhutan (22,114). 

In total the three nationalities made up 70 per cent of all 

submissions. 

Resettlement: The top three countries of resettlement 

were: the United States of America (62,011), 

Australia (6,720) and Canada (6,582). 

Nepal was the country of asylum from which the most 

number of refugees were submitted (22,139), 

followed by Thailand (19,879) and Syria (18,888). 

Asylum: Nepal was the country from which the most 

refugees departed (17,442), followed by Thailand 

(16,835), and Syria (10,383). 



Somali camp in Kenya © UNHCR/E. 

Hockstein

Resettlement Identification 

Registration of the population 

Knowing the profile of the 

population 

Identifying risks and needs 

Using a protection and resettlement 

framework 

How? 

Community services 

Protection services 

Working with partners 

Referral – self referral 

Establishing the facts - interviewing 



Somali camp in Kenya © UNHCR?E. Hockstein

Resettlement Identification 

Alike 

Cases 

must be 

treated 

Alike! 

Needs 

Based 



Sheikh Shehzad camp © UNHCR/A. Fazzina

Resettlement Step by Step 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Referral 

Assessment 

Family composition 

Verification 

BID 

RRF 

Submit RRF to Resettlement Hub 

(i.a. Bangkok, Beirut, Nairobi) 

Prioritization of case (Emergency) 

Submitting case to potential 

resettlement country 

Country selection 

Dossier 

Mission 

Pre-departure arrangement 

Security 

Travel 

Medical 

Cultural Orientation 



Farchana camp/ Chad © Zamai

Vulnerable Persons 

Not all persons identified by 

UNHCR as in need of 

Resettlement are Vulnerable 

Those likely to be vulnerable are in 

the following categories: 

Survivors of Violence and 

Torture 

Medical Needs 

Women-at-Risk 






Survivors of Violence and Torture 

WHO/UNHCR Mental Health of 

Refugees. 

Coordinated medical care, 

counseling and other types of 

special assistance, 

Family support considerations 

Violence and torture may be 

experienced differently by women 

and men 

Report of a qualified physician 

essential – others if possible 

Adequate services must be 

available in resettlement country 

RRF must reflect if individual is a 

survivor of violence and torture 



Northern Kivu © Christian Als

Medical Needs 

Qualified medical personnel is Consulted 

4 requirements 

 

 

 

 

Life-threatening; risk of irreversible loss 

of functions; presents a significant 

obstacle to leading a normal life; 

Treatment is not available in the country 

of asylum; medical evacuation not 

enough; country of asylum situation 

prevents the individual from functioning 

at a satisfactory level (disabled). 

There is a favorable prognosis; health 

after treatment/relocation; situation in 

the country of asylum is the reason - 

significantly worsens, the health 

condition; 

It is the expressed wish of the individual 

Priority is given to those where the medical 

need is linked to refugee claim. 




Women at Risk 

May face unique or gender-related forms of 

persecution or violence, as a result of their sex. 

Considerations: 

 

 

 

 

Precarious security or physical protection 

threats as a result of her sex. 

Specific needs arising from past persecution 

and/or traumatization. 

Circumstances of severe hardship resulting in 

exposure to exploitation and abuse, rendering 

asylum untenable. 

Change in the social norms etc resulting in lack 

of traditional protection and support 

Consideration should be given to resettlement when 

this places the refugee woman or girl at such 

risk that it renders asylum untenable. 





Below the age of 18 years 

Different approach guided by the CRC 

and the Best Interest of the Child 

Determination (BID) 

Separated and UAM are priority 

BID: 

Is a process 

Includes the view of the child 

Full assessment of needs and 

options 

Based on Children’s rights 

Four basic elements 

Principles about the developmental 

needs of children and adolescents 

Set of attitudes 

Procedures 

Institutional structures 





There is no fixed age to define an 

older refugee as elderly 

Exceptionally used 

Family tracing and placement 

- first option 

Placement in other family – 

using community structures – 

other option 

Place with family abroad – 

when possible 

Consultation before 

considering solution 



Serbia © UNHCR/M. Jankovic

For discussion during this seminar 

Refugee Resettlement: An International 

Handbook to Guide Reception and 

Integration 

Planning for all 

Taking account of Gender 

Investing in the future: Refugee 

Children and Young People 

Engaging Refugee Elders 

Hypothesis: We can make deductions 

from the individual to the group, 

but not from the group to the 

individual 

Vulnerable Persons and 

Integration 



Syria © UNHCR/B/Heger

Coming Soon 

to a 

Municipality 

near you! 

Thanks

Resettlement and Integration What is Resettlement? Global ... - ICMC

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