Local Integration of Refugees in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine

1. Local Integration of Refugees in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine March 2009 – February 2011 EU-funded project Implemented by UNHCR

2. Objective Support the governments of Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine to implement their obligations undertaken under the 1951 Convention by strengthening their international protection capacities and improving the integration prospects of refugees in all three countries by: • Strengthening institutional, administrative and professional capacities of the relevant government and non-governmental actors to deal with refugees and their integration; • Providing recognised refugees, persons benefiting from subsidiary protection in Moldova and recently naturalised refugees in Ukraine with real possibilities to integrate into the local societies; • Raising the awareness of governments and public at large of refugee protection and integration needs and creating favourable environments for integration of refugees

3. Expected results • Enhanced capacity and ability of Government authorities in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine to deal with refugee integration issues. • Refugees are assisted to integrate and to become self-reliant • Improved capacity of local NGOs to implement current and future refugee related activities • Increased tolerance towards refugees and asylum seekers, raised awareness on integration needs of refugees resulting in improved enjoyments of rights.

4. Target Groups • Relevant state entities • Educational establishments • NGOs • Employers • Mass media • Local communities • Refugees and Asylum seekers

5. Project Beneficiaries • Recognized refugees • Naturalized refugees • Persons benefiting from subsidiary protection • Asylum seekers • Local communities

6. Main Regional Activities • Regional Training covering project staff and national Steering Committees • Regional seminar on fund raising and project management for 30 government and NGOs representatives • A concluding regional conference to share the national integration strategies and models.

7. Main Regional Activities (cont.) • Professional language training programmes in the three countries for 1,000 refugees and asylum seekers and a joint regional training for 15 language teachers • A PA regional seminar for 30 relevant government representatives followed by 3-4 informative sessions per country to disseminate to other government employees • Publication of a leaflet – 5,000 copies in Russian

8. Main Regional Activities (cont) • Develop three local integration models (one per country) • One regional Steering Committee meeting per year • Each country establishing international partnership with agencies that have implemented refugee integration programme

9. Main Regional Activities (cont) • 1-2 Study visits to EU countries for 15 government officials to familiarise with European standards on integration • At least 1,500 refugees, beneficiaries of humanitarian protection, naturalised refugees and asylum seekers directly benefiting from the local integration project activities in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

10. Specific Activities in Belarus • Establish referral consultancy services in Minsk, Gomel and Vitebsk and conduct employment related activities for job placement. • Address the immediate needs for social assistance to 400 refugees. • Organise two seminars for capacity building of State social services. • Establish a joint social enterprise for job creation, specifically targeting women.

11. Specific Activities in Belarus (cont.) • Develop a secondary employment programme for adolescents. • Finance a housing repair programme in rural areas for low income refugee families. • Promote local settlement and self-reliance through provision of housing/accommodation for refugees in rural areas. • Support a few vulnerable refugee families to get access to the Government’s scheme on “social rates” apartments. • Conduct language training. • Promote access to secondary education and vocational training. • Organise 6 round tables for 180 school teachers on refugee and tolerance issues.

12. Specific Activities in Moldova • Rehabilitation of Reception Centre for Asylum seekers in Chisinau. • Conduct training on fund raising and project management to strengthen the capacity of Migration and Asylum Bureau. • Provide community development services for facilitation of refugees integration. • In partnership with UNDP and ILO promote employment opportunities targeting youth and women. • Conduct language training.

13. Specific Activities in Moldova (cont.) • Provide psychological assistance to victims of torture and violence. • Provide legal counselling on socioeconomic rights of refugees including naturalization/citizenship procedures, employment, etc. • Implement a small scale housing scheme for vulnerable refugees in rural areas. • Promote local settlement through provision of housing/accommodation for some vulnerable refugees. • Conduct public awareness and tolerance building campaigns, including TV and radio broadcasts, production of PI materials, press conferences, etc.

14. Specific activities in Ukraine • Implement three pilot projects on employment in Kyiv, Odessa and Kharkiv. • Provide technical assistance and capacity building support to state social assistance institutions, including training seminars. • Conduct language training and civic induction training activities for 500 beneficiaries. • Provide counselling to refugees on local integration. • Production of guide for beneficiaries of project activities with information on assistance provided by employment offices, social assistance services, etc.

15. Specific activities in Ukraine • Conduct regional attitude campaigns to encourage employers to show social responsibility, including publication of fliers job visits. • Conduct studies on skills of refugees and labour market analysis to determine individual needs • Conduct studies to identify refugees holding diplomas and assistance for recognition of the same, publication/dissemination of guidelines for recognition of diplomas. • Publication/dissemination of guidelines for state employment offices, and social service providers on how to deal with refugees and help to reduce the number of individuals who work in the semi-legal and unofficial sphere • Promote public awareness/tolerance through publication of articles, fliers, TV/radio broadcasting, press conferences, etc

16. UNHCR Project Staff Senior Regional Local Integration Officer Responsible for planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the project in line with UNHCR rules and EC requirements and standards. Associate Programme Officer Assisting the Regional Local Integration Officer with negotiations and discussions with the local authorities, preparation of project documents and reports, organization/implementation of regional events etc. 3 Programme Assistants Assisting the local UNHCR office and the Senior Regional Local Integration Officer in planning, implementing and monitoring the local integration project.