Pakistan

2012 UNHCR country operations profile - Pakistan

Working environment

The context

Pakistan continues to host approximately 1.7 million refugees. Most are from Afghanistan and live in refugee villages and urban areas. Since March 2002, UNHCR has facilitated the return of approximately 3.7 million registered Afghans from Pakistan. In 2011, as of August, nearly 34,000 Afghans had returned home.

For the first time, a quadripartite consultation process was initiated in 2011 to develop a multi-year solutions strategy (2012-2014) for Afghan refugees. This initiative involves the principal countries in the region - Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan - and UNHCR. A Stakeholders Conference is planned for early 2012 to seek endorsement of the strategy.

The socio-political and security situation in Pakistan remains challenging. UNHCR endeavours to strike a balance between providing assistance to those in need and ensuring staff security by working closely with local partners and utilizing community networks. UNHCR operational activities have further been challenged by the devastating floods that hit Pakistan in 2010 and 2011.

The needs

UNHCR's priority in Pakistan for 2012 will be to achieve durable solutions for one of the largest and most protracted refugee situations in the world, with a focus on supporting the implementation of the Government of Pakistan's Management and Repatriation Strategy for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan. Facilitating voluntary repatriation for the remaining Afghan refugees is a core component of the strategy. The actual number will depend on security and progress in reintegration programmes in Afghanistan. At the same time, UNHCR will give emphasis to the strategic use of resettlement as a responsibility-sharing mechanism to finding durable solutions.

The core protection challenge in Pakistan is the absence of a specific legal regime for the protection of refugees. UNHCR Pakistan will continue advocating accession to the 1951 Refugee Convention and adoption of a national refugee legal framework in conformity with international standards. UNHCR will also continue to conduct refugee status determination in accordance with its mandate and seek durable solutions for recognized refugees.

Individually recognized refugees and asylum-seekers have difficulty in accessing basic facilities and essential services including education, health care and work in Pakistan. Many of them have limited income opportunities so they must survive through informal work arrangements. Through bilateral memoranda with UN agencies, UNHCR will support identified branches of the national service structure to help build capacity to support the Afghan population living in Pakistan communities.

In addition to the approximately 1.7 million refugees in the country, there are currently some 420,500 people displaced due to conflict in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). UNHCR, in collaboration with other humanitarian partners, will continue to support the Government of Pakistan's efforts to address the protection and other basic needs of this group and their return communities.

Main objectives and targets for 2012

Favourable protection environment

Laws and policies relevant to UNHCR's work are developed or strengthened.

• Some 50 per cent of national law and policy in areas of relevance to UNHCR is consistent with international standards.

Basic needs and essential services

Shelter and infrastructure are established, improved and maintained.

• All households of concern to UNHCR live in adequate dwellings.

Durable solutions

The potential for voluntary return is realized.

• All people of concern to UNHCR who wish to return in 2012 do so in safety and dignity.

Community Empowerment and Self-Reliance

Peaceful co-existence with local communities promoted.

• 60% of local communities support continued presence of persons of concern.

Strategy and activities in 2012

As a major step in the search for solutions to the protracted Afghan refugee situation, the Government of Pakistan has instituted a comprehensive Management and Repatriation Strategy for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan. Among other things, the strategy will facilitate voluntary repatriation, provide support to host communities, explore the issue of migration management as well as alternative stay arrangements for those remaining. As part of the efforts to step up support to host communities, UNHCR and UNDP will be working closely with other development partners to expand the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) programme, which was launched by the Government in 2009.

UNHCR has also conducted a large profiling exercise that will help identify specific needs among the Afghan population. A total of 80 per cent of the Afghans in the country have been profiled. As a first step, UNHCR supported the extension and replacement of some 1,740,600 identity cards and the issuance of some 776,700 birth certificates.

In collaboration with the humanitarian community in Pakistan, UNHCR will continue to support the Government of Pakistan's efforts to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected internally displaced persons (IDPs). As part of the inter-agency coordination efforts, UNHCR will continue to serve as the lead for the protection, emergency shelter (including non-food items) and camp coordination and camp management clusters. UNHCR will also analyse Pakistan's legal and administrative framework on statelessness to assess the extent to which existing laws and policies are consistent with international standards.

UNHCR will continue to advocate for the Government's accession to the 1951 Refugee Convention and the development of a national legislative framework that strengthens the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers.

Constraints

Security remains a constraint in Pakistan, especially with regard to staff safety and access to certain areas. As in previous years, UNHCR will need to balance the need to deliver assistance against the imperatives of staff security. Additionally, the floods that hit Pakistan in 2010 and 2011 challenged the UNHCR operation in Pakistan, as they have impeded UNHCR's access to some parts of the country.

Organization and implementation

Coordination

UNHCR has established strategic links at the federal and provincial levels with a number of governmental and NGO stakeholders. The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions remains UNHCR's key governmental partner. UNHCR will also work to increase and strengthen the capacity of local NGOs which, in view of security constraints, have better access to people of concern.

Partnership agreements with the key UN Agencies operating in Pakistan will enable these agencies to integrate refugees into their respective programmes. UNHCR will advocate for the engagement of other UN agencies in joint programmes and promote strategic alliances with other development actors. In situations of internal displacement UNHCR will work within the cluster arrangement to ensure effective and timely protection and assistance to the most vulnerable people.

Financial information

The 2012 budget for Pakistan is USD 133.5 million, with substantial requirements under Pillars 1 and 3, notably in support of durable solutions for Afghan refugees and support to host communities through an expanded RAHA programme. There is an overall decrease of the budget from 2011 by USD 100 million, following the completion of the emergency assistance programme in response to the floods in 2010.

Source: UNHCR Global Appeal 2012-2013

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