Liberia - Refugees and Asylum seekers in Liberia

2015

The protection and solutions strategy of the Liberia operation towards Refugees and Asylum seekers in Liberia is guided by the 2014-2015 Global Strategic Priorities, the High Commissioner’s Strategic Guidance on 2015 programming and UNHCR’s guidelines on Programming Protection. UNHCR will continue to provide leadership and strategic direction to agencies in close coordination with LRRRC. Improving on the initiatives and successes of previous years, the organization will enhance and expand its engagement and partnerships with other government ministries, departments and agencies to harness opportunities to mainstream refugee protection and assistance programmes into the government’s medium term development agenda at all levels. This strategy will create the opportunity for the needs of refugee populations both in camps and communities to be incorporated in the programmes and annual budget of development actors and the government. As part of its multiyear strategy, UNHCR’s office will continue to pursue assistance related to durable solutions, community empowerment/self-reliance and access to basic and essential services. This is in line with the GSP indicators on voluntary repatriation, enhancing human potential through increased opportunities for quality education and livelihoods support; reducing mortality, morbidity and malnutrition through multi-sectoral interventions. Projects will be designed to respond to protection to risks that result in high mortality, morbidity and malnutrition. There will be collaboration with stakeholders such as UN Women, and UNICEF to establish systems in refugee hosting communities and provision of support to local government structures to address issues related to sexual exploitation and abuse as well as gender-based violence. In line with GSPs, UNHCR will continue to provide training and capacity building to the Government whose activities affect refugees directly or indirectly and whose actions or inactions could result in refoulment. Regular advocacy will be provided at the central and local government levels to remind the government of its international obligations. UNHCR’s office will continue to pursue Voluntary Repatriation as a durable solution for refugees. UNHCR anticipates an improvement in the public health situation related to the EVD coupled with improved conditions in Côte d’Ivoire and increase credible information available to refugees, some 25,000 refugees will opt to return by the end of 2015.