Training Programme on International Migration

1. 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)

2. Refugee, asylum-seeker and forced displacement statisticswith 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)

3. 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)

4. 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 UNHCR mandate - general http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)

5. 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) UNHCR mandate - statistics http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)

6. 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)

7. 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)

8. 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)

9. 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)

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. 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) • 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)

13. 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)

14. 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)

15. 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)

16. Best practice I--Sweden http://www.unhcr.ch (statistics)

17. 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)

18. 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)

19. 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)

20. 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)

21. 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)