Afghan "recyclers" under scrutiny of new technology
The UN refugee agency has started testing iris-recognition technology at Takhtabaig Voluntary Repatriation Centre in Pakistan to detect people who are making multiple claims for the agency's repatriation assistance.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, October 3 (UNHCR) - Afghan refugees eyeing a second helping of UNHCR's repatriation assistance have hit a blind spot with the arrival of state-of-the-art iris-recognition technology in Pakistan.
The UN refugee agency this week started testing an iris-recognition system among Afghan refugees in Peshawar as an additional measure to prevent the "recycling" of individuals seeking the multiple disbursement of its return assistance package. Starting Monday, all Afghans aged above 16 registering to go home at Takhtabaig Voluntary Repatriation Centre (VRC) have to go through an iris check before proceeding to other verification and registration steps as part of a month-long test of the new technology.
Based on the fact that each human iris is unique, a photographic image of the iris is captured ("enrolled") with a standard camera using near-invisible infrared light, converted into digital format and stored. It takes only about one second to match an enrolled iris against the database, thereby checking whether the same person has been recorded before.
On Monday, UNHCR scanned more than 1,500 potential returnees at Takhtabaig. Two refugees who had sought assistance twice on the same day were detected by the iris technology. When further checks revealed that they had already received assistance earlier this year, they were told to leave the VRC.
Of the more than 500 Afghans scanned on Tuesday, 13 were rejected by the iris check. One woman who was turned away admitted she had been through the process eight times. Her husband had forced her and their five children to come back again and again to try and get another cash grant. She expressed her gratitude for the new technology, hoping it would make her husband give up the exhausting exercise.
"The overwhelming majority of those who have received travel assistance were refugees intent on returning to Afghanistan," said Hasim Utkan, head of UNHCR in Pakistan. "But there were some who tried to take advantage of the system, seeking funds more than once that are needed to help those genuinely going back to their homeland."
He added, "If this test proves successful, we will be able to add iris technology to our existing checks and ensure that only Afghan refugees moving back to their country receive travel assistance."
Under the joint UNHCR-Afghan government voluntary repatriation programme, every individual returning to Afghanistan receives transport assistance ranging from $5 to $30 - depending on his final destination - a UNHCR family kit with plastic tarpaulin, soap and hygiene items, as well as wheat flour from the World Food Programme (WFP).
The iris-recognition technology being tested in Peshawar will enhance UNHCR's ability to identify genuine returnees entitled to the one-time return assistance package. This new method complements existing verification efforts like interviewing potential returnees and examining their family photos.
Since March, the UN refugee agency has helped more than 1.5 million Afghans return home from Pakistan. It has also turned away more than 396,000 "recyclers", or false claimants. Verification efforts have already saved UNHCR more than $8 million in travel assistance, plus the cost of more than 72,000 family kits. It has also saved thousands of tons of WFP food aid for more needy returnees.
Aid workers operating the machines believe that the new technology will simplify the challenge of having to weed out "recyclers" intent only on collecting the relief aid.
"Previously when we registered people, we had to recognise refugees we might have seen before. It was very hard. People would say that we were not treating refugees fairly, and you could really doubt your own judgement," said UNHCR's Rifaat Tajik. "This will make it much better. How can they argue now, the machine can't make a mistake."
The iris checks, equipped by Iridian Technologies, will take place over a month, during which UNHCR hopes to scan up to 120,000 individuals. The whole exercise will cost the agency about $2 per person.
The technology is entirely safe and involves no risk to the eye. As a further safeguard, the digital code for each iris is stored without any personal information, like the identity of the individual, so that it cannot be used for any purpose other than detecting false claimants.
Refugees at Tahktabaig have been very co-operative and have adapted to the new verification technology without causing a fuss.
Gulam, the head of one refugee family, said with a smile as his wife had her iris photographed, "I first heard about the new tests while I was waiting outside today. I was a bit nervous at first, but now that I've done it, I see it's fine. It's very good."
When asked if she had any concerns about the machine, a middle-aged woman who had just had her iris photographed said she was too busy taking care of children to be a "recycler". "I have beautiful eyes," she laughed, flicked her scarf over her shoulder and walked away, grandchild in tow.
Related news and stories
Women-run businesses in Afghanistan dealt a blow by deepening restrictions
UNHCR launches new appeal for Afghan refugees and hosts, urging partners to stay the course
I had to flee for my education, but refused to leave other Afghan girls to their fate
Former refugee, now volunteer teacher, helps other Afghan girls get an education
Families struggle for survival during Afghanistan's coldest winter in a decade
Afghan women affected by Taliban bans on work and study fear for their futures
Your search for « waiting to go home » matched 1179 results. Only the first 1,000 results are displayed. Displaying page 42 of 112 pages.
-
UNHCR Education Report 2022 - All Inclusive The Campaign for Refugee Education
12 Sep 2022 ... ... who have been forced to flee home if they are to have a chance ... 2 Some young learners simply may not have a school to go to. ... full of fellow refugees, Sofia found Zola, 55, waiting for her. ...... -
Funding needed for two vital operations
16 Oct 2007 ... have registered and are waiting to take part in the programme. ... announced his decision to invite all remaining refugees to return home. ... Other refugees will go home in 2008. We will maximize the use ...... -
UNHCR's official voluntary repatriation of refugees to South Sudan to start Saturday
13 Dec 2005 ... on their own without waiting for our assistance, ... hospitals and vocational training centres to help them rebuild their lives and stay home. ... Sudan on what we call "go-and-see visits" to help ...... -
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [covering the period January 2002 to April 2003]
6 Jun 2003 ... ... in protracted cases where refugees have been waiting for all too long to return to normal life. ... The hopes and expectations raised at the prospect of finally being able to go home were tempered by ...... -
Return to Somalia: No longer a refugee
7 Aug 2015 ... areas of South Central Somalia where they could not go by road. ... On the ground waiting were several Somali government ... group of now former refugees to return home despite the still fragile ...... -
Return to Somalia: No longer a refugee
7 Aug 2015 ... areas of South Central Somalia where they could not go by road. ... On the ground waiting were several Somali government ... group of now former refugees to return home despite the still fragile ...... -
The State of The World's Refugees 1997: A Humanitarian Agenda - Introduction: People in Need of Protection
1 Jan 1997 ... or when it will be possible for them to go back to their homes. ... has never set foot on the territory which she considers to be her home. ... states are currently waiting for their status to be determined. ...... -
Evaluation synthesis of UNHCR's cash based interventions in Jordan
Dec 2017 ... ... On arrival in Jordan, Syrian refugees go through a ... A home visit is then conducted to determine their vulnerability based on the VAF. ... criteria and the waiting list, along with the ...... -
Instability delaying return, say Afghan weavers in Balochistan
4 Jun 2008 ... Asked if he planned to repatriate, the carpet weaver said, "There is no place in the world like home. But where would you go if your house is ... said Shah. "I'm just waiting for the right time to ......