United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Mandate:
UNHCR is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.
In Kosovo since: 1993
At glance:
- UNHCR established its office in Pristina in spring 1993 in response to the conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Croatia. Its activities were limited to the provision of shelter and humanitarian assistance to refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina and from Croatia. Its humanitarian assistance activities increased in response to a large number of IDPs in Kosovo during 1998.
- Support return and sustainable community-based (re) integration of miniorities.
- Promote protection of people displaced within Kosovo and support attainment of durable solutions.
- Assist stateless individuals and persons at risk of statelessnes to realize their rights;
- UNHCR’s activities focus heavily on the provision of protection and targeted assistance to minority returnees and to extremely vulnerable minority communities throughout Kosovo, with a view to supporting the sustainable reintegration of returnees and, to the extent possible, preventing further displacement.
- Facilitating free and informed decision-making by IDPs and refugees on whether and when to return in safety and dignity through the coordination of GIVs, GSVs, dialogue processes, etc.
- Monitoring and interventions on behalf of returnees as well as IDPs/minority communities.
- Basic and immediate assistance in the form of food and non-food items is provided to vulnerable spontaneous returnees.
- General capacity building of PISG/municipalities regarding protection, asylum and durable solutions.
- UNHCR conducts policy advocacy and provides advice and assistance to UNMIK and the Government of Kosovo for the adoption and development of refugee-related regulations including a sound institutional framework. In this context, the development of a framework for the continued protection and local settlement of Bosnian, Croatian and FYROM refugees remaining in Kosovo will be necessary.
- UNHCR provides its expertise to all concerned actors relating to the development of targeted return programmes so that they are developed and conducted within appropriate standards of safety, pre-established inter-community dialogue and sustainability.
- Support the return process by co-charing the Direct Dialogue Working Group wish was instrumental for signature of the Protocol on Return between Serbian and PISG authorities and UNMIK, June 6, 2006.
- UNHCR Kosovo acts as co-chair of the Direct Dialogue Working Group which was instrumental for the signature of the Protocol on Return between Serbian authorities, Kosovo Government and UNMIK on 06 June 2006.
- UNHCR continues to advocate for increasing minority access to essential public services through assisted enrollment in programmes or highlighting and seeking to amend policies or procedures, which bar minority access.
- Legal advice and assistance is provided to minority returnees to resolve issues such as property rights, pensions, documentation, etc.
- Particular emphasis is placed on inter-ethnic dialogue and tolerance building at the local/municipal level in an effort to help create conditions conducive for minority returns.
- Until the establishment of national procedures, UNHCR conducts refugee status determination under its mandate for asylum-seekers in Kosovo.
- UNHCR improved the systematic mainstreaming of gender equality in all protection and programme activities with substantial progress made in age/gender data compilation, raising awareness and capacity building for staff and Implementing Partners.
Contacts:
UNHCR Office
Mr. Shpend Halili
Tel: +381 (0) 38 241 501
Fax: +381 (0) 38 241 516
Address : Luan Hajradinaj Street
Pristina 10000, Kosovo
Email: halilis@unhcr.org
More on Web: www.unhcr.org