Multi-sector/UNHCR Programme

4.5.7 Multi-sector/UNHCR Programme

1. 
   Summary
   

The post-electoral crisis that broke out at the end of 2010 has led to armed clashes that caused massive displacement of populations inside and outside the country.

At the end of September 2011, the humanitarian community’s attention rapidly began to focus on areas of return. This was due to the significant return movements recorded despite security incidents, such as the deadly attacks against civilians in the area of ​​Taï in mid-September 2011.

2. 
   Analysis of the situation and humanitarian needs in 2012 according to the retained scenario
   

On the legal plan, the Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire governments and UNHCR signed a tripartite agreement on 11 August 2011 for the repatriation of Ivorian refugees. As of 10 October 2011, Liberia still hosts the majority of the 187,045 Ivorian refugees living in neighbouring countries, i.e. 85.3% (159,489 people). The monitoring of borders and areas of return carried out by the UNHCR monitoring teams has recorded some 130,000 spontaneous returns as of mid-October 2011, from camps and border areas.

A regional meeting was held in Abidjan from 22 to 26 September 2011 between the neighbouring countries of Cote d'Ivoire that host Ivorian refugees. They included Liberia, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Mali, Senegal and Nigeria. During the meeting it was decided to organize the repatriation of 54,800 Ivorian refugees in 2012. The priority needs identified are those relative to the movement of return and the reintegration in areas of return.

Refugees

There are currently 25,146 refugees in the country, most of whom are Liberian refugees. This population has been particularly affected by the post-electoral crisis and has also been displaced, thus weakening livelihoods.

Following the crisis, 372 people were transferred to San Pedro, while 456 were flown back to Liberia. Multi-sectoral assistance (health, income-generating activities, protection, etc.) continues for the remaining refugees in the country.

The priority needs of the 25,000 refugees in Côte d'Ivoire remain protection, documentation and the search for a sustainable solution (repatriation, local integration and resettlement).

Assistance to people at risk of statelessness has been marked by the acquisition and digitization of the entire collection of official newspapers from 1959 to 2010. This is in order to create a digital database of decrees of naturalization published in the official newspapers of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire from 1962 to 2010. The year 2011 also marked the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which provided a framework to advocate the ratification of the 1954 and 1961 Conventions on the Reduction of Statelessness.

In Côte d’Ivoire, there are still nearly 1 million people at risk of statelessness. The main root causes of statelessness are the succession of state (transfer of sovereignty/independence), the issue of civil status, administrative, legal or technical barriers and deficiencies in regulations (right of blood, cases not considered: abandoned children born from unknown parents). People at risk of statelessness break down as follows:

• 
  De jure stateless people (children born with disabilities, children abandoned and born from unknown parents): 348,000 people.
  
• 
  Groups of populations at risk of de facto statelessness: 1. Naturalized (major candidates) by the collective naturalization decree of 1995, facing difficulties to obtain a certificate of nationality and/or other identity documents (national identity card, passport, etc.) 2. Children and grandchildren of naturalized citizens not included in the collective decree of 1995, but benefiting from the provisions of article 45 facing the same difficulties as their parents): 100,000 people.
  
• 
  Groups of people suspected to be de jure stateless people: 1. Immigrants who arrived in Côte d’Ivoire before independence, permanently established since then and who have not taken any steps to acquire the Ivorian nationality by naturalization or marriage. 2. Descendants of immigrants born in Côte d’Ivoire before and after independence who have not acquired the Ivorian nationality by marriage or declaration: 500,000 people.
  

3. 
   Response plan
   

Transporting refugees in a secure and dignified manner will be essential to support their return to their main town or to major urban centres: the refugees will receive a financial allowance to cover the cost of secondary transport to their village or their final destination. A return package will be distributed to each repatriated family to provide them with essential means to restart their lives in return areas. Repatriates will also receive three months’ of food supplies distributed by WFP. Return kits will take into account the need for hygiene kits for women of childbearing age.

Upon arrival at transit centres, repatriates will have access to adequate housing preserving the family unit and special attention to single women or female heads of households.

Repatriates will receive medical screening and care as required. Particular attention will be devoted to unaccompanied children, who will be identified and monitored.

In return areas, reintegration programmes will be developed with an emphasis on access to shelter and community infrastructure, as well as on the reinforcement of peaceful coexistence between different communities.

Refugees

The cessation clause, determining the end of the refugee status for Liberians, will take effect at the end of the first half of 2012. Voluntary repatriation for this group of refugees will continue until 31 March 2012 to allow people to benefit from UNHCR repatriation assistance if they so wish. Requests for exemption will be reviewed gradually with relevant State institutions. This process will require an important mechanism to deal with all cases within reasonable time periods. Liberian refugees account for 97.35% of the refugee population. After the enforcement of the cessation clause, multi-sectoral assistance to Liberian refugees will end, while other nationalities will continue to receive the assistance (education, health, IGAs and welfare). The implementation of these activities will take into account the specific needs of women and vulnerable people.

In 2012, UNHCR plans to provide assistance to at least 90,000 of people in partnership with the authorities, mainly the Ministry of Human Rights and Civil Liberties, the Ministry of the Interior and governmental institutions in charge of humanitarian affairs, such as the Service for Aid and Assistance to Refugees and Stateless People (SAAR). The priority will be on advocacy for the ratification of the 1954 and 1961 conventions on the prevention of statelessness, the proposed amendment of the nationality code and assistance in obtaining duplicate birth certificates for children.