Asia and the Pacific

Global Report 2022

Executive summary

Asia and the Pacific hosted 6.8 million refugees, 5.0 million internally displaced people (IDPs) and 1.2 million stateless persons by the end of 2022. UNHCR redoubled efforts to preserve protection and asylum space, to “stay and deliver” protection, assistance and essential services, to secure pathways for solutions, and to forge a wide range of strategic and innovative partnerships – even in the most complex operational environments.

Although conflict in Afghanistan largely subsided following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, and 236,200 IDPs chose to return in 2022, the humanitarian crisis showed no signs of easing. Infringements of fundamental human rights, including girls’ access to secondary and tertiary education and women’s access to employment, undermined recovery efforts and threatened to undo gains. Since 2021, 1.6 million Afghans fled into the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan, hosts to Afghan refugees for four decades. Climate emergencies and natural disasters made life even more precarious, as witnessed in Pakistan, where unprecedented floods affected 800,000 refugees.

UNHCR adopted an area-based approach to respond to displaced Afghans’ immediate needs, built affected communities’ resilience by strengthening access to education, livelihoods and health services, advocated for expanded resettlement opportunities, and promoted the regional support platform for the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to enhance international burden- and responsibility-sharing. UNHCR assisted 6.0 million Afghans, including 4.1 million through community-based interventions, 1.5 million with cash assistance and 560,000 with in-kind and other individual assistance. To assist women and girls in particular, UNHCR provided 41,000 people with psychosocial support, issued 11,200 emergency shelter kits, and constructed or upgraded 23 schools in Afghanistan. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, an integrated vaccination campaign supported by UNHCR and the Government reached over 1 million Afghan and Iraqi refugees.

In Myanmar, the political crisis and conflict following the February 2021 military takeover had displaced almost 1.2 million by the end of 2022, adding to 330,000 already displaced. Violence and insecurity limited access to displaced communities, but UNHCR delivered critical protection services and essential items – where possible – and advocated with the de facto authorities for the respect of human rights and humanitarian access. UNHCR reached 426,000 people with shelter support or core relief items and, with UNDP, continued community-led projects that have already benefited 60,000 people in Rakhine state. In Bangladesh, UNHCR continued its humanitarian response in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char under the framework of the Joint Response Plan, with introduction of the Myanmar curriculum widening access to education for 256,000 refugee students. Under the Government of Bangladesh’s leadership, promising progress was made towards implementing a skills development framework for refugees to facilitate their eventual return and sustainable reintegration in Myanmar once conditions are conducive. Around 3,700 Rohingya undertook perilous sea crossings from Bangladesh and Myanmar – the highest annual number recorded – and 348 people are believed to have died at sea. UNHCR advocated strongly for safe disembarkation, and 700 Rohingya arrived safely in Aceh, Indonesia. UNHCR rallied regional support for protection and solutions for Rohingya and other refugees through engagement with countries in the region, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Third-country solutions for refugees were significantly expanded. UNHCR submitted more than 21,300 refugees for resettlement – a fourfold increase from 2021 – and nearly 5,800 departed on resettlement with UNHCR’s assistance. Complementary pathways also helped provide solutions for more than 5,000 individuals. More than 1,400 refugees were enrolled in higher education on DAFI scholarships, 43% of whom were women. UNHCR strove to find lasting solutions for 92,400 Sri Lankan refugees in a protracted situation in India, and continued its efforts to eradicate statelessness. All Central Asian countries reduced their numbers of stateless persons, and the Philippines moved towards universal birth registration, enabling children from the Sama Bajau community and displaced children to be registered.

UNHCR secured agreements with Australia and New Zealand to provide resettlement opportunities for refugees residing in Nauru and Papua New Guinea to the latter. In 2022, UNHCR also concluded its operational engagement in Mindanao in the Philippines, and Jaffna in Sri Lanka, while continuing to support both Governments from their respective capital cities.