JIAS CANADA and THE CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES

"Supporting Integration Initiatives Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement and Refugees"

AN UPDATE

by Joanne Brodkin

March 2004 - JIAS Canada is an on-going and involved member of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR). Recently, Mila Voihanski, JIAS' Executive Director and a member of the CCR Steering Committee, attended various meetings in regards to a project which is being conducted as part of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement, implemented by the Canadian Council for Refugees, and which is entitled: "Supporting Next Steps in Integration Initiatives."  The latest phase of this project is "An Inventory of the Needs and Opportunities in the Integration of Resettled Refugees."

Information is being gathered on a "Needs and Opportunities" basis in regards to resettlement and integration practices of countries that have refugee resettlement programs.  The data gleaned from this survey will be added to an inventory and then used and shared by resettlement agencies in the areas of refugee settlement and integration.  The ultimate goal of this survey, which began in November 2003, and will continue until April 2004, will be to understand how to best handle and increase refugee settlement capacity globally.

The survey will focus on a variety of factors, including looking at pre-arrival steps which are administered for successful integration; arrival, reception, early settlement and social support; looking at the refugees' first weeks and months; their actual resettlement into their receiving communities; and transition to self-sufficiency; along with outcomes vis-à-vis capacity building in receiving countries.  Special attention will be paid in the areas of resettlement of children, youth, elders, and women at risk.  Each respondent will answer questions and offer information on what they can offer (i.e. policy and program development, training materials, etc.), how they are interested in capacity building, and the resources needed by each.

The highlights of the project include: demonstrating the wealth of the global resettlement programme; information on specific countries' programmes, new initiatives and research, valuable communication tools such as websites, links etc.

Submissions have already been received by a large number of governments and NGO's, including Australia, Benin, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, U.S.A., Norway and Sweden with more to come up until April 2004.  Countries will be able to update or edit their information during the course of the project.  A draft inventory is currently available on the CCR's website at:  http://www.web.net/~ccr  The next results will appear in June 2004, and the project will conclude on August 31, 2004.

Joanne Brodkin is a freelance writer and a volunteer with JIAS Canada