Author : António Guterres
Date : November 25, 2009
I believe that a coherent approach to poverty reduction and development needs to include an acknowledgment that refugees represent approximately 16 million of the people who live outside their country of origin. Nearly three quarters of these indivdiuals can be found in countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East experiencing a number of important development challenges and constraints. We would be doing those countries a serious disservice, and missing an important opportunity, if our approach to poverty reduction and development ignored the presence and impact of refugees.
UNHCR recognizes that refugee populations, especially large ones concentrated in specific locations, can have negative consequences on the environment and, if the wrong policies are pursued also on the development of host countries and communities. When refugees are confined to camps for years on end, when they are kept in isolated, barren and insecure areas, when they are excluded from the labour market and have no access to banking or credit facilities, we cannot expect them to become productive and self-reliant, let alone an agent of benefit to the local economy.
On the other hand, if refugee influxes are properly addressed, refugees and the international assistance which their presence frequently attracts can contribute to development, both in the country of temporary stay and in the country of origin upon return. To achieve this requires coherent policies. At a minimum, the international community must make development assistance available to refugee-populated areas – assistance that is over and above the development assistance that the countries would normally receive.
Multilateral organizations and NGOs specializing in humanitarian assistance and development must be prepared to work together. Host countries must incorporate refugee-populated areas into national and area development planning process and create an environment which supports the livelihood strategies of refugees. Recognizing that employment is vital to sustaining peace, UNHCR has worked closely with FAO, ILO, UNDP and more than a dozen other agencies in preparing the UN policy on employment creation, income generation and reintegration in post-conflict situations.
Refugees and displaced people have an important role to play in the reconstruction and peacebuilding processes of conflict-affected countries. In a number of recent armed conflicts - Angola, Liberia, Sierra Leone and southern Sudan, for example - a high proportion of the population was displaced by the fighting and forced to seek refuge in neighbouring states. With the conflicts having come to an end or diminished significantly in intensity, very large numbers have gone back or are in the process of going back.
Such movements represent both a developmental opportunity and a developmental risk. If addressed appropriately, in a coherent and comprehensive manner, large-scale repatriation movements provide national and international actors with an important opportunity to establish new livelihoods, reconstruct shattered infrastructure and improve social relations amongst different groups of citizens which at the same time helps consolidate peace and strengthen the foundation for democratic government.
On the other hand, when large numbers of refugees and other displaced people go back to their place of origin over a short period of time, there is inevitably a risk that they will return to a situation where they do not have and cannot find work, do not enjoy adequate shelter and lack secure title to land. Moreover, groups of people who were once engaged in violent conflict may compete against other returnees for scarce resources and public services. To minimize these risks, security considerations have to be balanced with those of equity and programs have to quickly scalable to the appropriate size and integrated into national and area development plans.
In all its reintegration operations, UNHCR is actively participating in UNDAF, Delivering as One and other inter-agency planning processes.
In Lofa County in Liberia, UNHCR’s strong presence has anchored the creation of a Delivering as One office which includes FAO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNMIL, WFP and WHO. With the increased presence of other actors and a coherent strategy for meeting the needs of both the reintegrating and local populations, UNHCR is able to concentrate its efforts on protection, rule of law and peace education. Its former activities in health and education have been taken over by more development-focused agencies working closely with the government to ensure programs are sustainable.
In Burundi, UNHCR is working with the Government, FAO, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP, donors, NGOs and others to address issues of landlessness among returnees and other vulnerable people. This cooperation has led to the establishment of “integrated rural villages” which seek to ensure access not only to land but to economic support and essential services. In October last year, UNHCR met with the World Bank to discuss possibilities of expanding cooperation in Burundi as well as a number of other post-conflict situations, including Afghanistan, Georgia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Iraq. In February this year, UNHCR agreed with IOM to study land, housing and property issues in post-conflict settings more closely.
A coherent approach to poverty reduction and development must address the circumstances that cause people to flee their homes and countries in the first place. In this sense, development must be approached in an inclusive and rights-based way and not merely as a measure of GDP growth. This is recognized in the UN Declaration on the Right to Development but effectively denied to the more than 15 million people obliged to live as refugees outside their country of origin.
In recent years, many countries have expressed concern with regard to the level of resources they devote to the reception of refugees and asylum seekers and the processing of claims to refugee status. With the still accelerating economic decline, such concerns can be expected to increase. It is imperative however measures compromising the principles of refugee protection not be introduced in an effort to save money. Rights are not for sale in this way and in any event, restrictions on mobility often prove counter-productive.
Ultimately, in my view, a coherent approach to development is one that seeks to avert the armed conflicts, the governance failures and the human rights violations that prompt people to leave their countries and seek protection in other states.
António Guterres
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Date : August 15, 2010 14:02
Dear Mr. Antonio Guteres and participants in the FORUM
I think , this new will help Investors to Vietnam made good decision
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Came back to the country side to became workers
Tintuc online 14.82010 - In the past, the youth in Cuulong Delta provinces leave the fields to city and industrial zone in HCM city, Binh Duong, Dong Nai …to find new life .But it is not successful
Recently times the industrial zone is build in country side – They came back home to work here
Hard life from home
Ms Nguyen Thi Tho works in Industrial zone Tan Thuan – HCM city .She said : she is working for textile export company .The salary from 1,5 millions to 2 millions ( depend to the work ) .The expenditure are : house renting ( electricity , water ) 400.000 VND , transport 200.000 VND ( break feast , lunch and diner at company ) pay 500.000 VND . Telephone 100000 VND .Every month she save some hundreds VND .If she ill, the money can be lost or debt .After 3-4 years to work, she bought the telephone 2 millions VND.
Ms Nguyen Thi Thu ( Phu Thanh village , Phu Kiet commune , Cho Gao district , Tien giang ) works in Industrial zone Tan Tao –HCM city .In 2005 she leave first baby at home and going to work .Salary about 2 millions VND / month .Every month she came back home 1or 32 times .She can’t save money . .After graduate the accounting certificate ms Huynh Thi Thuy ( Thanh Phong commune , Thanh Phu district , Ben tre ) in 2002 she is working in construction company .Salary is good 3-4 millions VND / 1month ) .She have to feed old mother and small brother
Going home with factory
In 2006, the Bentre province organize Industrial zone Giao Long in An Phuoc commune, Chau Thanh district .She moved to Textile Joint stock company Nam Long .The salary is the same but expenditure is half. About 100 workers came home to Ben tre
Women Nguyen Thi Thu came back to sea food enterprises ( Huong Que Viet ) not far from her home .In 2009 she became first worker .The salary is the same but she do not pay for house , transport , telephone . .80% workers are local people
In some years in Dong Thap Muoi district –Long An province m Thanh Hoa, Tan Thanh ,Moc Hoa many factories are open .The workers came home and factory can work successful.
From peasants to became workers is not easy .But we can’t avoid the fact the workers from local area is good solution
Ky Quan
S& T by CThN
Date : July 18, 2010 06:32
Dear Mr. Antonio Guteres and participants in the FORUM
I want to inform to you the character of Vietnamese labor market .This is important factor for immigration to Vietnam and from Vietnam to abroad .
Thank you for attention .
FINISH TIME : WORKERS WITH LOW PRICE
HNM 15/7/2010 Jobs for Vietnamese workers will be more difficult .This is analysis of MOLISA and ILO, because of low quality and low production of workers .
In the past the Textile , foot wear Industrials use cheap labor resource in Vietnam .Now the situation is changing .The FDI enterprises meet difficulties in export and International market .The statistic data show that : labor efficiency in Viet nam accounted 1/5 average productivity in ASEAN countries , 1/10 productivity in Singapore .
Dung Nhi
S& T by CThN
Date : July 9, 2010 11:02
To Mr: Antonio Guterres and participants in the FORUM.
I think this is good information help you know more about labor market Vietnam .
People dream go abroad .Even they don’t know where to go? What to do?
Labor market : conflict demand and supply
08/07/2010 09:29 (GMT +7)
Date 8/7/2010
Mr Tran Anh Tuan – Deputy Director of Center for labor forecast and information HCM city informs that : in 6 months the needs for high skills and workers. But the market can’t meet the demand .But redundancy of labor with high theory education.
For example : Market need 9116 workers , but supply only 852 persons .Need 1.997 workers with high skill , but supply only 1281 persons .The needs graduated mild technical degree 15.885 persons , but supply only 9062 persons .But market need 10.632 persons graduated high education , supply 16.243 persons .
Mr Tran Anh Tuan said: the enterprises need high technical skills, but hard to findworkers .They need working skills, not theory.
Low salary is reason the enterprises can’t rent workers .The worker ( high education + 1 year experience ) want salary 5 millions dong /1 month .But enterprises pay average 3 millions VND .The workers want salary 2-3 millions /1 months ( 1 US D =19.000 VND ) .But average salary 2 millions VNS / 1month .
Pham Nguyen
Dien dan doanh nghiep
S & T by CThN
Date : July 1, 2010 10:15
To Mr: Antonio Guterres and participants in the FORUM.
Many time, some persons call me to join to the labor market export .I wonder the workers meet me almost do not trained in labor International standards , they can’t speak a little foreign language .They do not know about law and rules of society , where they want to came ? But they want to go abroad .They seek the way to go!
I refuse to join.
Do you want to know: how much worker pay for going abroad to work in Vietnam?
This is interesting new:
20 YEAR IN PRISON BECAUSE OF CHEATING NETWORK OF LABOR EXPORT
Tintuconline 01/07/2010 07:04 (GMT +7)
One more net work of “cheating labor export “is found .Every person want to go to Australia, Sec or Korea ...they take half Billions VND ( 1 USD = 19000 VND ) .But the workers can’t go abroad
2 persons Mrs. Pham Thi Dzung ( Born 1978 –in Thanh Cong quarter,Ba dinh district –Hanoi and Ly Dai Loi ( born 1950 –live in Phuong Mai Quarter , Dong Da district ) will be send to prison for total 20 years
Mr. Ly Dai Loi –Director of Co.Ltd Company Investment, Construction, Trade and tourism Dat Dai Loi .He said to Pham Thi Dzung that before he worked in MOLASA in labor export .He said in 3 months the worker can be go to Korea, Sec, Australia with price 7000 US D to 10.000 US D /1 person .The worker will have salary from 800 to 1000 U S D / 1month
Loi invited Dung to seek workers .For every person she received 100-200 U S D /1 person
In 2 years 2006 to 2008, Pham Thi Dzung and Ly Dai Loi took money from 183 persons with total: 5 billions 503 millions VND.
In Hung Thanh commune, Yen Thanh –Nghe An province, year 2006 she ask Mr. Quy – Chairman of commune selected persons to Korea fee 10.000 U S D /person .He gave to her 50.000 U S D
To SEC fee 8500 US D /1 person .Mr. Quy gave her 10 workers, 4 persons gave 26.000 US D
Dzung took them to training courses to learn foreign languages .But nobody can go abroad
In 11/2008 they were arrested .Mr. Loi received 7 years in prison, Mrs. Dzung 14 years in Prison
P Thao –Dan Tri
S & T by CThN
Thank you for attention .
Date : June 7, 2010 09:40
Dear Mr. Antonio Guteres and participants in the FORUM
I would like to put in this Forum the way how Vietnamese poor people earning in border Vietnnam - China .How much they earn per day ?
ADB support the express way from Kun Minh- China to Lao cai and –to Noi bai Aiport
About 1 billions U S D .The work is continuing.
Lai cai is mountain province. It terrible destroyed by war China –Vietnam 1979 .I was in City town – nothing left. Now the city town awake and develop.
This is attractive province for workers came and earn money
What future is waiting them?
Story about the womens “ going abroad “ to earn money
Tintuconline 03/06/2010 09:43 (GMT +7)
Wake up since 3 hours morning women carry goods form street to street, until dark they still not came back. This is the work in the border gate they easy get criminal
Like other provinces have border gates in Lang son, Cao bang ,Ha giang , Quang Ninh … Lao cai have many workers came and find the works .They go to other places in China .
Far from Lao cai border gate about 200 m in Ha Khau city near Yaun Nam -China group 4 or 5 woman are sitting with 2 load of goods .They are not tourists.
When we ask : where you came from ? they smile and answer : Form Phu Tho province “ .They sell ducks eggs .every days they sell hundreds of eggs in the streets .Sell all they go back to living place
They are poor in the home land .They go there to sell the goods . They are porter, working for SHOPS in Lao cai,some time other take all money .They made the permission to sell the ducks eggs, hard but income is stable
In China land they wake up since 3 mornings, cook rice, boil eggs with ginger and vegetable, put eggs to 2 loand of eggs. Afteernoon they receive eggs from Vietnam, settlement and count how much they earn .The working day finishes at 22 hours.
Every day they can earn some 200.000 to 300.000 VND ( 1 USD = 19000 VND )/per days .They are objectives of criminals
In border gate, they women can be selling or work for prostitute service
Work as porters carry goods , it can be illegal trade .They worry
In Hakhau town thousands Vietnamese people live with difference works : carry goods , translation for SHOPS or hospital …The women’s work as porter , sell goods .Some women know china languages , they sell in the SHOPS .The salary for women know china language about 2 millions VND every month ( they give foods and small expenditure )
Many Vietnamese workers Regis rated stay in chine at nights .Some time they going from Lao cai to Ha Khau by permission .They came form Vinh Phuc , Phu Tho, Yen bai .Same of them became rich in Hakhau market
Theo Phong Anh
Dat Viet
S & T by CThN
Temporary settlement for agricultural work – How is happen ?
Working for harvest and life in the forest far from Center
Tintuc onlie 26/5/2010 : Harvest came, they came here with children, cooking equipment and build temporary roadside. We call them moving people
This happen in mountain district Dong Xuan ( Phu Yen province ) about 30 km in forest, under Mountain TraO the temporary roadside lies near stream Lanh .This is like village.
In this village old , adults and new born .They speak deference languages , they came from An Giang ,Dong Thap ,Bac Lieu , Dong Nai .They cam me here to work for cutting sugar- cane, dig cassava,manioc or kudzu ,and cutting fields for rent .
Children do not go to schools in this village
Adult earn 70.000 VND / per day
In Phu Yen about 10 moving villages .They live in the Forest of Song Hinh River , Son hoa and Dong Xuan districts
Every village have about 40 -50 households, they stay about 2-3 months depend to the work
Mr. Tu said, in sugar cane harvest, he collect workers: at the mild September to Lunar New year they work in Dong Nai. After Lunar year they work in Central region .Sugar -cane harvest finish ,they stay at home 1 month then they continue moving .Finish harvest He give take credit 2-3 millions VND / household .And after that he take them with him to work in the FARM .
The moving villages help the needs of workers .But children can’t go to schools .This is big problems,
Le Biet
Dan Tri
S & T by CThN
Thank you for attention .
Date : April 8, 2010 17:01
Indeed, the effort to ignite sustainable development in the poorest parts of the globe is challenged and complicated by the existence of forcibly displaced people. Currently, it is estimate that there are some 42 million forcibly displaced people, the main categories being internally displaced persons (IDPs; 26 million) and refugees (15 million). According to UNHCR estimates, developing countries are host to four-fifths of the world’s refugees.
It is vital to engage refugees and IDPs in development and poverty-reduction efforts so that they are not left out and their development rights and needs postponed to be addressed only when their displacement is rectified. The refugee and IDP statuses are often long-term identities. In extreme situations, the refugee sticker is inherited from one generation to another. In the case of Palestinian refugees, the refugee status is a category acquired by descent. Similarly, the majority of IDPs are trapped in protracted displacement, according to a report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. In short, too often there are rather bleak prospects that the situation of displaced people will be resolved any time soon.
Hence, it is necessary to design development strategies that take into account the protracted nature of displacement throughout the world. In countries and regions with high numbers of refugees and IDPs, more development programs should focus on cooperation between refugees/IDPs and local communities. When feasible, integration of the displaced into the host communities should be encouraged as a durable solution. Such programs have the potential not only to put an end to the long-term provisional life many displaced people are fated to lead but also to reduce frictions and competition between local people and the deprived newcomers.
To be sure, addressing the root causes of displacement such as delivering quick reconstruction after natural disasters and lasting conflict resolution remains the most effective way of alleviating suffering and want of forcibly displaced people. The reality shows, however, that durable solution based on repatriation is in many cases simply not on the horizon. Thus, in order not to deprive the regions and countries with high concentration of forcibly displaced people of the prospects of sustainable development, the donors and developing recipients alike should adopt alternative strategies building on linkages between conventional development projects and specific, refugee- and IDP-oriented assistance.
Date : April 8, 2010 13:06
The repatriation of refugees and return of IDPs represent major challenges to poverty reduction and development particularly because of their livelihood loss. This loss can be the origin or the consequence of migration, but in any case the difficulties met in reintegrating the labour market or in getting land and starting farming activities again cannot be ignored. I could not agree more with António Guterres saying that with “no access to banking or credit facilities, we cannot expect them to become productive and self-reliant, let alone an agent of benefit to the local economy.”
In the Afghan case, the access to credit facilities for returning displaced persons is a crucial element in the opium-violence-development nexus. Comprehensive counter-narcotics policies, based on a coordination of interdiction, rural development (including alternative livelihood) and eradication should not miss the upstream question of money lending. The economy of drug actually includes an informal lending facility for returning displaced farmers, who can get their opium harvest bought in advance by opium traffickers. The cash needed for initial investment and a sustaining a household for a year can be provided through a donor-supported micro-credit program, managed by experienced organizations such as Oxus (ACTED) in cooperation with UNHCR or a Delivering as One office on the Lofa county of Liberia model mentioned in this post. The challenge of bringing such services to returnees is important: patterns of movement are ever changing, with several consecutive displacements, and needs are different depending on cities, villages and regions. But it is necessary to create a relay to UNHCR cash grant for returnees. While this grant addresses needs such as transport and food in the first months, micro-credit would represent as incentive to legal productive activities and contribute to peace-building.
Benjamin Denis
College of Europe Student
Date : April 7, 2010 12:32
The situation of refugees worldwide is too often neglected and even accepted as the status quo in many countries. We see continuous reports on further displacements due to ongoing conflicts – outnumbering those who have been repatriated or reintegrated – which often hinder not only the development of the country in question and fade any prospect of a decent life for refugees, but increasingly bring negative ramifications to the region as well. In order to combat poverty reduction and tackle development needs, we will need to go beyond a mere acknowledgement of the huge number of refugees and rethink the international community’s approach to solving the problem of refugees and internally displaced persons within a wider context of the political and security nexus. The approach currently rests more on a policy of maintaining ‘acceptable’ living conditions in such camps and containing the effects they have on their surroundings.
Looking at the more recent actions of the European Union in Africa, two examples come into mind. The first was the EUFOR Tchad/RCA mission, which aimed to secure and stabilize the border region between Chad and the Central African Republic, and Sudan. While in general, security may have been provided for refugees and IDPs for the duration of the mandate, the EU did not implement a strong development policy that could have complemented the mission and provided opportunities for populations within the camps to be integrated into the local economy, since they certainly could not have been repatriated back to Sudan. This was a missed opportunity to contribute to the resolution of the political crisis and effectively deal with the refugee problem as their situation continues unchanged and prospects of poverty reduction in that region remain dim.
The second is the current EUNAVFOR Atalanta mission in Somalia, where the idea for such a mission stemmed from naval protection of World Food Programme convoys that support the massive refugee population just outside Mogadishu. Again, the refugee camps are being sustained rather than integrated into a wider policy of dealing with the country’s political and security crisis. In places like Chad and Somalia – regardless of the size of the EU missions – the EU has provided gestures in acting in those theatres, but has not established itself as an active actor in resolving the crises, where refugees are a crucial component in preventing further development of the countries.
The two missions above present clear examples of the intrinsic link between security and development, and where further progress is rendered by the fact that refugees remain in place and the situation in camps stagnate. I agree that they have an essential role in post-conflict reconstruction, but that role diminishes with ongoing fighting between spoilers, which consequently causes new refugee movements and radicalization within the camps due to a lack of sufficient prospects for rebuilding their lives. There is still a long way ahead in the realisation that enabling conditions, including a secure environment, for productive and self-reliable ‘former-refugees’ will pave the way for alleviating poverty and give access to resources – which are currently allocated for sustaining refugee populations – for development programmes instead.
Date : March 1, 2010 09:27
To participants in Forum
Migration is fact happen in every family.
People in county side dream about life in city
People in city dream about life abroad
What is wrong, what is right .Very few can image?
I would like to inform to you the fact “back migration happen in our country “
The reasons are: they don’t know the laws, the requirements of society: where they want to live inside.
Yesterday, I was in one Photo copy SHOP .The man migrated from country side to Hanoi .He rent the SHOP and do PHOTOCOPY .
He said “his wife and children live in home land “.Only he go to Hanoi and do photocopy.
He complains “the payment for house this month increasing, plus 500.000 VND (1 USD about 19000 VND).The price for electricity, for water increasing since march . The price for paper, for inks increasing .I don’t know how to live in future .At home my land is wide.
I said to him .In the past we live in country side without radio , telephone , cars , television .We feel big deference between city and country side .You know how to use Internet , you know the machines .Move to home land and open services here . Not far from Hanoi .You should not pay for house. Yours homeland is not far from Hanoi .Work by Internet and telephone .Came to do business and go back home during the day.
He said sadly : “ YES may be I will do it “
Global economic crisis lead the back migration.In Vietnam labor from Germany, Russia, east country go back to Vietnam. Many old Vietnamese people want to go back to Vietnam.
This is happen in our society.
How about city and country side?
I translate part of article :
Labor - workers “ worry “
Tuoi tre 01/03/2010 10:51 (GMT +7)
“ Migration back to country side “ –this is the fact is Regis rated by specialists of rural development in recently time.Because the economic crisis the workers lost work in the city .They came back to “ home land “ What is behind this fact ?
Dr Vu Trong Binh –director of Center for rural development – The Institute of Policy and strategy for Agricultural rural Development IPSARD
Because of economic crisis , many workers from city came back to country side ( Survey of IPSARD in 4 provinces Lang Son , Nam Dinh , Binh Thuan and An Giang in the starting of 2009 show that 21,7% workers migrated to city have to come back to home land , 17,2 % workers in abroad have to came back early time
But not all they find the job in country side .In this survey only 11,3 % can find the jobs .At the end 2009 and starting 2010, many workers again migrate to city
The migration of people from country side to city and from one province to other province are normal .But the situation is the workers are not professional trained .When they meet difficulties, they go back to country side .When they stay at home,they wants to go to city .In future we don’t have professional workers or professional peasants .
In 10 years , when the economy reduces , the rural is the “hide place “ for majority peasants .They go to city and work in the low quality sector .They don’t have social insurance .The insurance for employment we have just expanding .
Land in the country side is insurance for workers .They keep the land in case they can’t live in city.
This is very bad for development .They are youth persons .They can’t become professional workers .For example this year they came back to country side for Lunar new years .But after holidays they do not go back to city .And factory and enterprises hard to find the workers .
Some youth follow friends go to city Hanoi , Binh duong , Ho Chi Minh … .They meet the barriers in jobs , income and the differences between workers in city and workers from country side .Stay in city they can’t , left rural areas they,when came back they lost chance to find job in country side
Dr Binh suggest to create the non agricultural jobs in rural area, for this need the net of small city towns in country side with good infrastructure and net services, We allow put factory in villages. But we don’t have the scheme for industrial and services .We can’t mix it with agricultural work .We need the training for youth and develop the professional villages .This is big problem needs system intervention .Mostly we have to listen to the needs of markets.
Vo Van Thanh -Tuoitre
Date : February 24, 2010 08:33
Nice piece of article. The issue of refugees is a big vicious loop. People run away due to war, conflict and as a result employment opportunities, production capacity die out leading to a chaos. Public services come to a halt. The people who ran away can't think of going back unless they are sure that they can support themselves and their family.
The first step required is initiation. Government and agencies should first try to attract people by building proper infrastructure and may be a new public industry can be opened up inviting the refugee people with jobs. The industry may be an agro based or may be based on the skill bank of the refugee people. Initially there will be a lot of problems- but once peoples start coming in, there will surely be an upward curve.
People who are in need of employment will surely be dedicated to their work.
But all this will be like building and collapsing- the main issue to be focused is stopping the people from running away - means stopping internal unrest and armed conflicts - which can only be possible by a Democracy with a government completely answerable to people. And providing subsidies incentives to minority groups- providing safeguards for them for their security.
Date : February 17, 2010 16:11
Les aides offertes aux organisations non gouvernementales des pays d'accueil des réfugiés sont, pour leur partie non détournée pour des fins personnels, dans leur majorité utilisées pour des besoins de fonctionnement et dans les salaires, sans parler des salaires énormes octroyés au personnel des agences des Nations Unie.
C'est claire que le but des pays qui financent les projets pour les réfugiés est de transformer les pays de transit en pays d'accueil afin de préserver leurs frontières et limiter les flux migratoires vers eux. Mais je vois que même en voulant réalisant cet objectif avec diplomatie, les projets financés ne sont pas capables de changer la vie des réfugiés dans les pays ou ils sont, surtout ceux de l'Afrique, à tel point qu'ils décident d'y s'installer définitivement et de ne plus tenter de traverser la mer pour aller en Europe ou aux Etats Unies.
La seule solution qui peut freiner ce flux de réfugiés ainsi que des migrants clandestins, est d'accentuer les efforts sur l'amélioration des conditions de vie dans leurs pays d'origine et de leur garantir la sécurité et la dignité pour qu'ils puissent retourner chez eux!
Le financement des aides pour les réfugiés dans les pays en développement nous fait tourner dans un cercle vicieux, et ne fait profiter que les ONG qui font de ces projets un moyen de gagner plus d'argent et de faire du social une économie anti humanitaire!
Date : February 16, 2010 17:27
I agree that there has to be a coherent approach to development and poverty reduction in a world in which the majority of people are poor.
But recent events have revealed that those few with all the money are not in the least interested in this.
At the moment I live in Greece. It is a country with a massive debt, and a significant number of people living below the poverty line.
What has become clear is that over the last ten years, at least, the merchant bankers have been devising monetary schemes that enable sovereign states like Greece to borrow money, and to secure the profits of the banks by up-front fees, and completion deals. The banks are indifferent to the problems of the country and to the difficulties of the population simply because the bankers get their $millions, win or lose. This example can be repeated across the world. The bank lenders are only interested in money and balance sheets.
Until this changes, then the rich will get richer, and the poor poorer. The United Nations with the World Bank have to control and regulate merchant bankers along with the 8.6 million $millionaires across the world so that they spend their riches for the benefit of the poor. Once this is achieved, then we can all adopt a coherent approach to development and poverty reduction.
Date : December 15, 2009 17:12
I work in Cote d'Ivoire. Here we work with some IDPs and our biggest challenge is in relation to poverty : how to ensure that when those IDPs, as well who are already back, will be able to earn what is necessary to live and to develop their villages, settlements, etc... I agree we should review our approach to development.
http://afrikaniyana.blogspot.com/
Cheers, Marc
Date : December 15, 2009 14:53
STOP THIS DEVELOPMENT AID!
A political pressure group called “Bonner Aufruf” (Bonn Appeal) www.bonner-aufruf.eu (English version) urges the donors of development aid to drastically change the rules of the game because of the failure seen during the last half century of aid giving. Their most recent declaration (“10 Proposals for a Better Development Aid Policy” – see below) by several members of the Bonn Appeal group was originally addressed to the newly elected German Federal Government, but aims at aid donors in general.
The Proposals include demands to end all grants in development aid cooperation and to hand out aid only in the form of loans. Furthermore, to abandon the 0.7 per cent donor goal because it has lost its sense.
More than fifty personalities – development experts, politicians, scientists, journalists, etc. –
endorsed the “10 Proposals” with their signatures.
If you have concrete experience in development aid or if you come from a Third World country you are invited to endorse the Proposals by adding your name to the list of signatories (see “Your signature”).
10 Proposals for a Better Development Policy
directed to the governments of the donor countries
1. Given the disappointing results of development policies up to now, we call on you to make a fundamental change in direction.
2. Give up the idea that more money means more development. Abandon the 0,7% donor goal, because it is based on this false premise.
3. Change over, within 10 years, to providing aid principally in the form of loans. Insure that all people in developing countries have access to loans.
4. Focus aid on strengthening the efforts of individuals and society, especially through promoting education and better conditions for private economic initiative.
5. Finance infrastructure projects only in countries where previously built installations are consistently maintained. Design these projects in such a way as to create jobs for as many people as possible.
6. End the wasteful competition between and among the EU and its member states with regard to developing countries. Recognizing its own interest, Europe must react more decisively to the growing importance of developing countries.
7. End development aid to countries such as China and India that can help themselves.
8. Do not give further aid to countries that are not willing to disclose their revenues, especially from natural resources.
9. Give budgetary aid only to countries in which an independent and effective parliament, that serves the common good, controls the use of these funds in a transparent way.
10. Refuse development aid to the five countries that are the most corrupt according to the index of Transparency International.
Date : December 3, 2009 23:19
Refugee has always been one of the thorny issues for International community. Apparently, most refugees have been stricken by poverty. There is by no means a safety net for them, since violent and chaotic situation in their home counties force them to leave, while host countries are unable or reluctant to extend guarantees. I absolutely agree that coherent approach should be exercised to improve the livelihood of refugees. As the article points out that since resources are limited, it would be burdensome for host countries to receive the refugees influx. Especially during the period of economic stagnant, it’s even hard for host countries to create jobs for their citizens. So, I think international community should provide favorable conditions to encourage countries to receive refugees by providing development assistance as much as possible. Moreover, I do agree that training refugees is a viable way to help reconstruct their home countries. To some extent, they are lucky than their fellow countrymen who are still suffering the armed conflicts. They have a chance to know what peace is, and what a better life is. Since usually it is easier for NGOs to access to host countries than refugee’s home countries, International organizations should take advantage of refugees to train them in various fields including basic health care, skills training, and the knowledge of reconstruction, to make them contribute to the rebuilding of their countries.
Date : November 30, 2009 05:27
The relationship between poverty reduction and refugees is very interesting as well as the new approach of work between the IOM and UNHCR. In order to help refugees settle in their host country they need first of all to be aware of the political situation of their "new country" as well as the language. That is how the refugees will most likely integrate in the new host country and find a job and make a career in order to rediscover their country of origin on better grounds with all the security measures. South Africa can become a model of refugee protection for Africa because it is an industrialised country with a well designed technology which can attract refugees in search of real democracy by also contributing through employment and being able to support the positive changes in their country of origin.
Date : November 30, 2009 04:39
To Mr António Guterres and participants in forum
War born refugees. This act we can’t avoid.
But refugees in peace time are problems for them, for origin country and host country. It a little difference from migration.
I agree with you that “conflicts, the governance failures and the human rights violations that prompt people to leave their countries and seek protection in other states “.
So to avoid the refugees we need to improve the governance, improve human rights.
A coherent approach to poverty reduction, development and displacement
I think:
- For improving the governance we need to establish 2 way communication from community to high levels and back : by Internet, mass media, telephone .Let people know more and chose the way for development ..
The law and rules should be improved
-People know about their rights, about human rights by education way, thought mass media and examples from good neighbor community.
- Put the development activities and select good persons from those activities.
Avoid war is first priority.
In Vietnam some lazy people like to go to abroad because they think social subsidies for unemployment is to big , do not hard to work in country .They try to go abroad at any price: they give illegal money to the labor company, hope that they will go abroad, live in the camps and receive subsidies it may be bigger than salary of Pri –minister in Vietnam more than salary of excellence professor in University .But in Vietnam low salary –low price for goods, and do not pay for living place if they are at home .They don’t understand it. They think: very good - do not work and receive money and house .It very nice life .They never think who will work money for subsidies? This trouble for host country.
Compettion in labor market can’t avoid .If they are lazy in origin country, how they join to the labor market of host country. Low quality in the work, bad skills and thief. How you involve them to the labor market of host country?
Many excellence people like to go abroad because they find the work and good professional support .It in Vietnam we have to ask many steps permission to interact with high quality workers .Few officials (Who give permission) understand that knowledge is important more than money .Knowledge leads you stable earn money for life.
Excellence people feel they don’t have conditions for learning, they leave country.
Thank God, because of Internet – now, I can interact with high levels consultants and have much information.
I can’t image how I can improve my knowledge without daily using Internet.
Other they need to try, to work and directly communication they leave country.
Thank you
Date : November 30, 2009 01:20
Thank you for this posting, Antonio. I completely agree with you, that refugees are rarely incorporated in censuses of nations. However, since refugees often migrate according to where their needs are most likely to be met, it seems that this is the pivotal reason why it is so difficult to keep track of the number of refugees in a particular region at a specific time. Also, since many nations are having such difficulty providing for their "own" citizens, such displaced individuals seem to be low on the priority list of their basic needs being met. However, as nations become more 'developed,' and citizens have increased access to resources, refugees' rights will hopefully be met. I wholeheartedly agree that employment (and a sense of purpose) significantly decreases violence, so if refugees are responsible for some of the violence within nations (or between nations), providing these individuals with a sense of "purpose" is essential. However, if nations do not have resources to provide these individuals with employment in the formal sector, could community-building strategies be a good substitution until employment is a feasible option? Essentially, if there are low-cost strategies implemented to "empower" these individuals with a sense of purpose, I believe that violence in these regions will decrease substantially. The reason why I suggest this is since this alternative is not contingent upon funds; rather, individuals who are willing to commit the time and effort to empowering refugees are the necessary first step. I believe that this solution will have a great deal of longevity; since it is not contingent upon funds, drastic changes in aid will not affect this method. Once these displaced individuals have a greater sense of their worth, then the issue of granting them formal employment can be addressed.
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