|
Programmes and Operations
European Resettlement Network |
 |
With the support of the European Refugee
Fund |
 |
Welcome
to Europe! A Guide to Resettlement: A Comparative Review of
Resettlement in Europe is a publication that will serve
to reinforce the essential role of resettlement in Europe.
Considered one of the three durable solutions, resettlement
in a “third country” is a lasting welcome for
people in need of international protection. The publication
offers an overview of the UNHCR framework for resettlement,
field experiences, perspectives and the knowledge of a number
of European NGOs and government staff working in resettlement
programmes. It presents a country-by-country description of
existing resettlement programmes, partners and practices in
the countries that are currently conducting resettlement in
Europe. December 13, 2007.
*Copies of the handbook are available
upon request.
**To download the publication click here. |
European Resettlement Network: First training
on resettlement at El Escorial, Spain
- A glimpse into refugee resettlement…
experiences of Europeans working in the field
ICMC Launches New Network to Support Refugee
Resettlement in Europe
As part of its efforts to promote durable solutions for refugee
individuals, the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)
has launched a "European Resettlement Network for Practical
Cooperation in Resettlement".
ICMC-Europe, with financing from the European Refugee Fund of
the European Commission, is implementing the twelve-month project
to foster practical cooperation in resettlement, and in particular
to promote the establishment of the new network, in partnership
with seven European non-governmental organisations (NGO's) currently
engaged in the resettlement and/ or integration of refugees:
The project is being implemented in close collaboration with
the Resettlement Services Division of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva and with the European
Council for Refugees and Exiles (ECRE).
ICMC Resettlement Expertise
 ICMC
has been actively involved in resettlement operations since its
founding in 1951. During the 1970's for example, the organisation
participated directly in the processing of hundreds of thousands
of Vietnamese boat people for resettlement in the United States.
In recent years, ICMC has helped to resettle large numbers of
refugees from the former Yugoslavia, the Middle East, Africa and
Asia.
Today, ICMC's regional centre in Istanbul manages refugee processing
for much of the Middle East and an area stretching from Afghanistan
to Nepal, assisting thousands of refugees each year to resettle,
primarily through the United States Refugee Program.
Before departing refugees receive cultural orientation to prepare
for life and promote integration in their new country. In addition
ICMC provides social services to Istanbul-based asylum seekers.
Under a joint agreement with UNHCR, ICMC also administers a global
Resettlement Deployment Scheme. The Deployment Scheme identifies
and provides qualified NGO staff and other experts to assist in
UNHCR resettlement operations worldwide, increasing the organization's
capacity for resettlement referrals as well as promoting information
exchanges between NGO's and UNHCR. Since its inception in 1998,
the program has deployed over 298 individuals, and over 60,000
refugees have been referred for resettlement consideration. Moreover,
the program has proved a vital link between UNHCR offices in the
field, and NGO and governmental bodies involved in resettlement.
Why a European Resettlement Network?
Creating a resettlement network is a first step towards building
the human resources that European States will need in order to
expand resettlement efforts. Currently, only a handful of European
States operate resettlement programs, and of those, fewer still
involve NGO's in the resettlement process. The project responds
to an identified need among European NGO's to increase their operational
resettlement capacity.
 The
proposal also addresses the absence of a practical cooperation
network for the promotion of resettlement objectives at the European
level.
Specifically, the project will provide practical training based
on the application of resettlement criteria in the field, an exchange
of best practices and case studies and the potential deployment
of these trainees to UNHCR field operations.
Activities to Build and Strengthen the
European Resettlement Network
The following activities will be conducted with the partner countries
participating in the project: Czech Republic, Finland, Italy,
The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.
- Undertaking national meetings, briefings,
web publications, etc., to solicit and identify suitable
European nationals from the seven participating NGO's (staff
members and individuals from local NGO networks), as well as
government counterparts where appropriate, to participate in
a resettlement training workshop.
- Development of a European Resettlement
Training Curriculum, using partner's inputs and a specific
needs assessment for a European context. The five-day training
will include sections on "best interest determinations"
for unaccompanied minors, interviewing for resettlement, fraud
prevention, and resettlement as a strategic tool.
- Implementation of the European Resettlement
Training Programme (in June 2007), in collaboration with
UNHCR staff and training consultants. In addition to the new
curriculum, the training will include information on existing
deployment rosters and a presentation by ICMC on the UNHCR-ICMC
Resettlement Deployment Scheme.
- Establishment of a European Roster
of Expertise drawn from those who complete the new resettlement
training, which ICMC-Europe will maintain and monitor in conjunction
with the UNHCR-ICMC Resettlement Deployment Scheme. Roster members
will serve as a resource for NGO's and government bodies involved
in the European Resettlement Network. It is foreseen that the
Network will work to secure ongoing funding for deployments
to the field among partner NGO's (member organizations) and
governmental representatives, for further capacity building.
In addition, trainees will serve as a resource to existing rosters
for personnel, particularly the UNHCR-ICMC Resettlement Deployment
Scheme.
- Publication of monthly refugee resettlement
stories from the field by European ICMC deployees who
either are or have been deployed to the field. These 'human
interest' stories will be published on the website of ICMC and
its partners, and ECRE, to illustrate the resettlement process,
highlighting issues relating to the particular situation of
vulnerable groups, such as women-at-risk and children, and issues
relating to the integration of resettled refugees.
- Elaboration of a European Guide to
Resettlement, highlighting the UNHCR training provided
to NGO's (and governmental bodies) and the practical application
of this training by member organizations. This guide will include
profiles of field experiences gained by Europeans currently
participating in the UNHCR-ICMC roster. The guide will serve
both as a general training tool for future use, as well as highlighting
the European dimension of resettlement.
The project will be concluded with a final European
Resettlement Network Workshop, at which European countries
not yet included in the programme are invited to participate to
define a second stage programme of activities for the European
Resettlement Network.
|
