Study on Integration of Refugees in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine

Study on Local Integration of Refugees in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine is available for download here

In May 2007, under the Söderköping process framework, a study on “Local Integration of Refugees in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine” was launched involving a team of international experts – Mr. Oldrich Andrysek, Senior Legal Expert, UNHCR and Ms. Tarja Rantala, Senior Socio-Economic Expert, Ministry of Labour of Finland. Based on initiatives of the Governments of Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, the study strives to analyse conditions for integration of refugees in the countries concerned. The main focus of the study is to identify gaps and obstacles in allowing refugees to integrate in local communities.

The study is based on findings accumulated between May and September 2007 and compiles data from a number of primary and secondary sources, including documentation/literature as well as assessments of past initiatives that were designed to promote the local integration of refugees. The report also builds on information solicited by the Experts during field work (three visits to Belarus and Moldova, as well as field work in Ukraine including missions to Odesa and Kharkiv) which inter alia allowed establishing contacts with local specialists and national working groups. Data was collected from over 130 interviews with central and local Government officials, NGO staff, refugee community leaders and relevant international organizations. The outcome of some 200 confidential face to face interviews with adult refugees in the three countries provides a solid understanding of their main concerns and experiences.

The interim report presented at the Stockholm Senior Level Review Meeting of the Söderköping Process on 6-7 September 2007 sheds sufficient light on the “work in progress” and aims to tentatively describe how and to what extent the existing asylum systems facilitate one of the durable solutions foreseen for refugees by the international protection regime – local integration.

On 9-10 October 2007, the Concluding Seminar of the Local Integration Project took place in Gomel, Belarus. The Governmental representatives from the three countries as well as NGO staff members and refugees community leaders were presented with the preliminary analysis of situation per country which provides an overview of main problem areas and formulates some possible solutions. On the second day of the seminar the country delegations worked on drafting the national integration strategies as well as commenting on the recommendations elaborated by the experts. It was agreed that all the participants would present their comments until 26 October, so that the experts could adjust their recommendations and elaborate the final report to be used as a foundation on which to develop a strategic framework and programme-budgets for the local integration of refugees for all three countries.

The final report and recommendations will be presented to the Governments of Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine at the end of November 2007 and it is expected that the Governments will work to develop national actions plans on integration of refugees based on the study’s findings.

Agenda

List of participants

UNHCR opening statement