62nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of UNHCR

3-5 March 2015

Statement by India

Mr. Chairman,

1. We thank the UNHCR for its meticulous preparation and comprehensive documentation for this meeting.  We remain committed to contribute towards UNHCR’s activities for protection of refugees, as per its mandate.  We are happy to note that the global strategies adopted by UNHCR like public health, education, settlement & shelter, livelihood etc. are carried out with sincere efforts to address the challenges faced by the refugees.

2. The efforts of UNHCR to come up with operational guidelines for addressing challenges faced by refugees,  like health including neo-natal mortalities; nutrition and food security, sanitation, etc. are praise-worthy. We also support UNHCR’s approach to use distance learning methodologies to educate refugees, including out-of-school children and impart skill development of refugees.  However, we would suggest greater and active involvement of refugees in policy formulation and implementation. This will not only help in reducing cost of operations but also has potential to increase efficiency of the delivery system.  We urge UNHCR to devise its strategies for protection of refugees in consultation and active involvement of the host country as well as the refugees, while keeping the country of origin, informed.  This makes the process easier to implement and maximizes the benefits in a target manner.

3. On the issue of addressing challenges related to settlement & shelter, we believe that providing dignified and sustainable shelter is important, but focus should also be directed towards durable solution including voluntary repatriation of refugees to the country of origin or other means of permanent settlement.  Similarly, for livelihood and self-reliance, effort should not only be directed to develop short term skills to attain livelihood in host country but also to make refugees capable of gainful employment and valuable contributions to their country of origin, on their return.

4. We may like to reiterate that initiatives like policy on “Alternatives to Camps” should only be done with prior consultation with all stakeholders, primarily the host country. For successful implementation of such projects, it would be useful to make a prior assessment of the impact of these policies on the social security, employment and other economic and social infrastructure, including nation-wide acceptability of the refugees in context of this programme. This will avoid unnecessary complications arising due to social tensions between the native citizens and refugees, at a later stage.

5. On budgetary shortfalls and resource constrains, we see that there is a trend of continuous and steep rise in the budgetary requirements for addressing various issues related to refugee protection.  We urge UNHCR to work on cost effective measures by adoption of innovative means, including voluntary involvement of refugees in various activities directed towards their well-being, to keep its expenditure within the approved budgetary ceilings, as far as possible.

6. Finally, while addressing the challenges faced by refugees, all efforts should be made to ensure long-lasting and durable solutions, through addressing the root cause of refugee problem rather seeing it as a set of problem without any means and hope to end it, thus linking it with post-2015 sustainable goals, as envisaged and advocated by UNHCR in its Global Programme.

Mr. Chairman,

7. India remains committed to work with UNHCR and international community to address the international protection challenges for refugees.  We look forward to a fruitful outcome of the deliberations of the 62nd Standing Committee. 

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

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