Operational environment
Regional
UNHCR will continue its support for the Almaty Process (sub-regional intergovernmental consultative platform on asylum and mixed migration) to foster improvement and harmonization of the asylum systems, statistics and data-sharing and establishment of referral mechanisms in the subregion, in partnership with IOM.
Kazakhstan
The operational environment is expected to remain largely unchanged in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic will continue to impact the protection space and economic opportunities. National policies will focus on socioeconomic development, improving the investment in the area of climate change and limiting immigration. Relations with the neighbouring countries will continue to heavily influence the geopolitical context. Considering concerns over the spread of terrorism, national security imperatives will dominate internal and foreign policies.
In 2021, UNHCR will focus on the reduction and prevention of statelessness as part of the global #IBelong campaign to end statelessness. Priority will also be given to advocating with the Government to provide a more durable status for convention refugees, legal status for mandate refugees and mainstreaming of refugees into national social protection and healthcare schemes, in order to enhance their self-reliance and reduce dependency on humanitarian assistance.
Mainstreaming refugee and stateless populations into national development programmes and improving their social and economic rights will be the aim of the UNHCR’s partnerships with the Resident Coordinator’s office and the UNCT under the Sustainable Development Goals and UNSDCF platform.
Turkmenistan
The operational environment is expected to remain largely unchanged in 2021. The pandemic will continue impacting livelihood opportunities, triggering need for increased humanitarian assistance for people of concern to UNCHR.
In 2021, UNHCR will focus on the reduction and prevention of statelessness as part of the global #IBelong campaign. Priority will also be given to advocacy with the Government for legalizing mandate refugees and mainstreaming refugees into national development, social protection and healthcare schemes. The Office will support the Government’s efforts to streamline implementation of its national action plan to end statelessness (2019-2024) and the pledges formulated at the high-level segment on statelessness.
Uzbekistan
In 2021, the Office’s advocacy activities will be focused on supporting the country’s accession to the Refugee and Statelessness Conventions, and supporting the establishment of asylum systems.
UNHCR’s will focus on the reduction and prevention of statelessness in Uzbekistan as part of the global #IBelong campaign, support the mapping of stateless populations through the national census and advocacy with the Government for legalizing mandate refugees and mainstreaming of refugees into national social protection and healthcare schemes.
UNHCR will also support the implementation of the new citizenship law - according to which up to 50,000 people are expected to be granted citizenship – providing expertise in reviewing the national legislation and practices.
Mainstreaming refugee and stateless populations into the national developmental programmes and improving their social and economic rights will be the aim of the UNHCR’s partnerships with the Resident Coordinator’s office and the UNCT under the Sustainable Development Goals and UNSDCF platform. At the national level, UNHCR will prioritize its strategic partnerships with the National Centre for Human Rights, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Committee on Statistics in 2021.
Key priorities
Kazakhstan
As of July 2020, over 500 refugees (including 20 recognized under UNHCR’s mandate) and some 260 asylum-seekers were hosted in Kazakhstan.
100% of targeted households will have their basic needs met through multi-purpose cash assistance.
While there were nearly 7,757 stateless persons known to UNHCR, including 590 individuals with undetermined nationality registered by UNHCR partners, the actual number is expected to be higher. The number of people with undetermined nationality known to UNHCR increases each year, largely as a result of ongoing statelessness outreach initiatives conducted by UNHCR and partners. In 2021, the Office will continue to support Government efforts to resolve statelessness through naturalization and the confirmation of citizenship.
Turkmenistan
As of July 2020, some 21 refugees were known to UNHCR, all of whom had been recognized under the Office’s mandate.
100% of targeted households will have their basic needs met through multi-purpose cash assistance.
Some 3,790 stateless persons are known to UNHCR in Turkmenistan, including more than 1,646 individulas with undetermined nationality registered by UNHCR partners, the actual number, however, is expected to be higher. The number of people known to UNHCR with undetermined nationality increases each year, largely as a result of ongoing statelessness outreach initiatives conducted by UNHCR and partners. In 2021, the Office will continue to support Government efforts to resolve statelessness through naturalization and the confirmation of citizenship.
Uzbekistan
As of July 2020, 14 refugees were known to UNHCR, all of whom had been recognized under the Office’s mandate.
100% of targeted households whose basic needs are met with multi-purpose cash assistance.
Some 92,808 stateless persons with permanent residence were registered by the Government of Uzbekistan, however as no information is available on other categories of statelessness, the actual number is expected to be higher.
In 2021, UNHCR expects the resolution of a record number of stateless cases in Uzbekistan mostly through the implementation of the new citizenship law (where up to 50,000 people will be granted citizenship).