Consultations Between UNHCR and Humanitarian and Human Rights NGOs in Africa on Strengthening Collaboration in Support of the International Refugee Protection System

APRIL 2000
Nairobi,Kenya

Conclusions/Recommendations

Nairobi, Kenya
11 April 2000

1. NGOs would benefit from and wish to have more refugee law-specific training.

2. To help NGOs develop their own legal capacity, it would be useful if UNHCR would work with the host government to create or clarify laws and guidelines on NGO registration.

3. To increase their effectiveness, NGOs would benefit from introductions made by UNHCR to host government officials.

4. NGOs wish to build an African Refugee Protection Network for exchanging information, improving understanding of policies and promoting dialogue. It may be most economical to pursue internet-based communications and existing networks (e.g. PARinAC) to link members of the network.

5. Government officials (immigration, police, the judiciary and policy makers) would benefit from training on refugee law and principles.

1. To maximise the positive impact of protection interventions, NGOs should work in close collaboration with UNHCR, donors, and the host government. This necessitates regularly scheduled meetings between all parties.

2. NGOs and UNHCR should conduct assessments among themselves to consider how they can improve collaborative relationships on protection matters.

3. NGOs should consider convening consultative protection meetings and invite UNHCR and government officials, instead of waiting for UNHCR to initiate all meetings.

4. UNHCR Headquarters and other senior staff must take measures to ensure that new policy decisions or approaches (e.g. as reflected in the Reach-Out initiative) are disseminated to field offices and that UNHCR maintains operational consistency between its offices worldwide.

5. It is necessary to close the gap between principles and approaches discussed at forums such as this one and actual UNHCR field level practice. Specifically, UNHCR must look at the problem of its “monopolising” protection and telling NGOs that they have no role in this area.

6. National and international NGOs must work to improve their relationship, emphasising the complementariness of their roles in refugee assistance and protection. At present, a “North/South” divide exists.

1. UNHCR provides useful coordination in many technical sectors such as health care, education, community services, etc. They work effectively with NGO partners in a clearly defined manner. In some countries, however, there is no such specific relationship with NGOs regarding refugee protection. To ensure that adequate protection is provided to refugees and asylum seekers, UNHCR should engage with NGOs in protection operations, e.g. in the area of legal assistance. UNHCR would play an essential coordinating role.

2. Sometimes NGOs can move more quickly than UNHCR to provide protection to refugees. UNHCR must be willing to set aside suspicion and acknowledge the proper responsibility of NGOs to take necessary and appropriate measures. Quality control of these interventions can be maintained through regular interaction.

3. Information packets should be made available to asylum seekers and refugees to inform them of their rights but also their duties within the asylum country, as well as existing procedures and programs.

4. There is a specific need to prepare information pamphlets for rejected asylum-seekers.

1. NGOs and UNHCR must take assertive action to roll-back the growing xenophobic attitudes in many countries. This may be accomplished by engaging media attention; providing training to police and court officials; and introducing the subject of refugee rights in schools and universities.

2. The anniversaries respectively of UNHCR (2000) and of the 1951 Convention (2001) provide important opportunities for strengthened advocacy focusing both on the significant contributions refugees make to host societies and on the continued significance and relevance of the 1951 Convention.

3. NGOs and UNHCR should take advantage of occasions such as Africa Day for Refugees, the proposed International Refugee Day, as well as other important anniversaries of significant refugee protection and human rights instruments to press for greater awareness of refugee rights, their needs and their accomplishments.

4. NGOs and UNHCR should consider aiming advocacy measures to improve refugee protection at regional policy-making bodies, such as East African Community and other regional organisations. Advocacy awareness can take the form of, e.g. newsletters, internet websites and magazines.

5. Advocacy efforts should include the subject of peace-building, aimed particularly at governments and refugees.

6. To encourage better implementation of international and regional Conventions, including the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1969 OAU Convention, NGOs might consider monitoring, and even publicly rating countries, on their compliance with accepted international principles. It would be helpful if UNHCR would make general Protection Indicators available, which NGOs could adapt for this purpose.