Statement by India during the 63rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee of High Commissioner's Programme-by Anil Kumar Rai, Counsellor, Humanitarian Affairs Statement by India during the 63rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee of H..
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Statement by India during the 63rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee of High Commissioner's Programme-by Anil Kumar Rai, Counsellor, Humanitarian Affairs

Permanent Mission of India
Geneva
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63rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee
of the High Commissioner’s Programme

 

(24-26 June 2015, Geneva)

 

Statement by India

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

1. We thank the UNHCR for its meticulous preparation and comprehensive documentation and various reports for this meeting.  India remains committed to contribute towards UNHCR’s activities for protection of refugees, as per its mandate and we may like to ensure our continued support to UNHCR’s endeavors for the cause of refuges and other persons of concern.

 

Global Strategic Priorities (GSPs)

 

2. We support inclusion of- prevention and response to sexual and gender based violence, child protection, empowerment of women to provide leadership, host community support and self-reliance as additional global strategic priorities.

 

3. UNHCR should give highest attention to the GSP on promoting human potential through increased opportunities for quality education and livelihood support.  Higher emphasis to this GSP will ensure appropriate skill development, entrepreneurship and capacity building of the refugees which will be useful at later stage when they return to their country or resettled. This will ensure their contribution to the local and national development as well as reintegration in the society.

 

4. We urge UNHCR to provide greater emphasis on expanding opportunities for durable solutions to refugee issues, particularly those in protected situations, including through strengthening of the use of comprehensive approaches and contributing to voluntary return to homeland, sustainable reintegration and resettlement.  This is the only mean for ensuring durable and amicable solution to the refugee problem.

 

Cash Based Interventions (CBIs)

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

5. India welcomes UNHCR’s expanded and systemic use of cash based interventions (CBIs) as institutional priority.  The CBIs provide a flexible mechanism for delivery of assistance that enables refugees and other people of concern to meet their priority needs with autonomy, dignity and as per their preferences.  This also supports the local economy by enhancing the purchasing capacity of the refugees which indirectly assist the local business.

 

6. We further support strengthening of UNHCR’s institutional capacity for effective and efficient cash programming which includes three basic modalities for delivering assistance- in kind, cash and vouchers.  However, the choice of modality for assistance should be based on the particular operational context and decided on the basis of comparative analysis of appropriateness, feasibility, effectiveness and efficiency.  Similarly, all assistance programme must support UNHCR’s protection mandate and should be consistent with humanitarian principles and UNHCR’s policies.  Experiences have shown that the most appropriate response in emergency situation often requires in-kind assistance and then gradual shift to cash and vouchers based assistance.  Therefore, scientific analysis before deciding the mode of assistance should be based on the prevailing situations.

 

7. We feel that the enhanced use of CBIs also provides an opportunity to the humanitarian community to adopt a common approach to assistance for delivery of assistance.  A common approach includes coordinated preparedeness and planning, joint strategy, common targeting and an integrated implementation.  A common delivery mechanism may not always be feasible but a single common denominator for providing assistance in form of cash cards or biometric cards may serve as an useful tool to ensure economics of scale, ease of operations and minimizing pilferages and wastages.

 

Programme Budget and Funding

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

8. India participated in the 3rd Humanitarian Pledge Conference for Syria held on 31 March 2015 at Kuwait and announced a contribution of US$ 2 million toUnited Nations-Syria Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan (SHARP); this is in addition to bilateral assistance provided to Syria. Last year, India made similar contribution through the SHARP.

 

9. The United Nations and international community need to constantly look for a comprehensive approach,which includes assistance, development and political solutions to the refugees’ issues.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

10.     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 63rd Standing Committee of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme.

 

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

 

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