Urban Refugees Hidden in plain sight Introduction According to UNHCRs most recent statistics, almost half of the worlds

10.5 million refugees now reside in cities and towns, compared to one third who live in camps. Only one of every two urban refugees is supported by the UNHCR. Who are urban refugees? In simple words they are refugees who live in urban centers or urban areas and not in refugee camps. Why do refugees move to urban areas? The points listed below will throw light on some of the reasons. They come to urban areas not to seek a good life but to save their lives and seek the protection they are denied in the own home countries. Refugees come to urban centers to seek security, education facilities, employment, housing and better services. They come because of the large restrictions on life in camps, no hope for a better living and to escape from harsh camp life. They come with a dream to stand on their own feet .Camp life can be harsh, characterized by poor standards of housing, sanitation, lack of adequate food, water, and medical facilities, a lack of security and, perhaps worst of all, enforced idleness and dependency. Unlike a closed camp, cities present obvious opportunities to stay anonymous and build a better future. But urban life also presents an array of dangers: They are often confronted with a range of inadequate and overcrowded shelter, as well as vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence, HIV-AIDS, human smuggling and trafficking, language barriers and extended period with no legal status and this makes them open to protection risks such as the threat of arrest and detention, refoulement, harassment, exploitation, discrimination, deportation. Forced to live in overcrowded slums and shanty towns, with little or no access to health and social services, most are obliged to eke out a living in the informal sector of the economy, where they are subject to exploitation. Many individuals prefer to remain "invisible" for fear of deportation. Also the influx of refugees to urban areas puts a strain on resources of the community that is already unable to meet the needs of the urban poor and in worst cases it can fuel xenophobia. Also for most urban refugees life in the city is an unending struggle to overcome poverty. Though hoping for a better life in the city they face a different reality. They lack supportive social networks and may not have the skills and knowledge required to survive in a city. They lack the required identity documents to avail of public services such as ration and education. They struggle to meet high cost living in cities are sometimes forced by these situations to return to refugee camps.

In September 2009 the UNHCR issued a new policy on refugee protection and solutions in urban areas This policy was formed taking in to consideration the growing number and proportion of refugees who are taking up residence in cities and towns; the serious difficulties encountered by many urban refugees in their efforts to access protection, solutions, livelihoods and services in urban settings; the limitations of the previous urban refugee policy, which was introduced in 1997. The UNHCR policy on urban refugees 2009 The policy document states that It is based on the principle that the rights of refugees and UNHCRs mandated responsibilities towards them are not affected by their location, the means whereby they arrived in an urban area or their status (or lack thereof) in national legislation. Protection must be provided to refugees in a complementary and mutually supportive manner, irrespective of where they are located. UNHCRs policy on refugees in urban areas thus has two principal objectives: to ensure that cities are recognized as legitimate places for refugees to reside and exercise the rights to maximize the protection space available to urban refugees and the humanitarian organizations that support them. By protection space is meant A primary UNHCR objective is to ensure that refugees in urban areas enjoy access to the social welfare systems that are available to nationals. The UNHCR policy on urban refugees document was revised in December 1997 after the arrival of the first document in March 1997. It was further revised in November 2003 and a new policy document on the same was issued by the UNHCR in 2009 that is in use till date. A comparison of all the features and limitations of every document of the UNHCR policy on urban refugees is available online on www.aldhomm.org . The first document that arrived in 1997 defined urban refugees as person of urban background in country of origin who is not an irregular mover, or part of a prima facie caseload; if of rural background, no rural settlement option exists. The document of November 2003 gave a more precise definition that was preferred it defined urban refugees as all refugees, whether of urban or rural background, who are resident in an urban area. The Urban refugee profile was explained by an assumption that urban refugees were young single males this was challenged in 2003 document. Also along with a need to place special emphasis on the protection of women and children the 2003 policy suggested gender and age mainstreaming.

The document in 2003 presented a less restrictive more refugee supportive approach than the earlier documents. It left several question relating to the exact nature of assistance, emergency assistance for groups with special needs and assistance to facilitate self-reliance/local integration to be provided by the UNHCR in different circumstances unanswered. The inherently complex nature of the urban refugee issue has put forth some important questions 1) Should urban refugees be provided with protection and assistance by the UNHCR in countries where they have an option of residing in camps or are obliged to do so by the country of asylum? 2) Does the provision of assistance act as a pull factor attracting refugees to urban areas? 3) At what level should assistance be provided in relation to the local standard of living? 4) To what extent should the UNHCR support public services in urban areas in view of the pressure that refugees will place on them. Though a comprehensive UNHCR policy on refugees in urban areas exists I will focus on highlighting the challenges with the implementation of this policy and the lives of urban refugees in different cities. Urban refugees in Yemen cities The great majority of urban-based refugees in Yemen are Somali, although there are also substantial numbers of Ethiopians, Eritreans and Iraqis. In 2008 over 50,000 Somalis arrived in Yemen - a 70% increase from 2007 - as increasing numbers flee conflict between the government of Ethiopia and Oromo insurgents. The key complaints by urban refugees in Yemen are the inefficiency of the UNHCRs implementing partners (IP) of the policy.The demand for better food and housing of females are not met forcing them to resort to theft and prostitution. What is very important is that Yemen adheres to the UNHCR policy of not employing refugees in foreign organizations. According to the Tim Morris an anthropologist and development worker, In Yemen, UNHCR lacks the funds and the political clout to fully exercise its mandated role to assist and protect urban refugees. In the worsening economic climate - and with the scale of internal displacement increasing significantly as a result of conflict in northern Yemen - opportunities for Somali refugees in Yemen's cities are likely to deteriorate further.

Refugees in Kuala Lumpur city of Malaysia Burmese refugees live around 25 in a single apartment in the city of Kuala Lumpur. Mr. Le Pe says he was forced to flee from his home at gun point. His family that followed was arrested and kept under detention for seven months were they were traumatized. Today they live in perpetual fear of being arrested during frequent raids by law enforcement agencies. Their only dream is to live a peaceful life without any fear. Columbian refugees in the neighboring country city of Ecuador According to a UNHCR official in Ecuador, home to more than 2 million Columbian refugees says, What is generally observed in that, they come to cities first with the intention of protecting themselves due to invisibility. They fear they will be deported and sent to refugee camps. They come seeking anonymity and employment, education and housing. They come thinking they will get an access to services in order to re establish themselves. They are traumatized by city life. Our goal is to identify them make them visible so that the local government recognizes their presence. Urban refugees in Nairobi, Kenya Urban refugees in the city of Nairobi are mostly people having fled violence in Somalia and Mogadishu. Many of these people have escaped the overcrowded, underserviced and insecure camps of Dadaab and Kakuma to seek refuge in Nairobi. However, refugees living in Nairobi are confronted; not only with inadequate governmental and nongovernmental assistance, but also ongoing, acute protection threats from their precarious legal status as refugees. They live on the margins of society. Urban refugee women here are the most vulnerable. They are subject to rape and most of them are left alone to bring up children and families. They do not have work permit and are forced to do menial jobs in the city. It is not very difficult to distinguish Somalis from Kenyans and are hence subjected to harassment by local police at work and on the roads. However they still find life better in the city than in their home towns. According to the UNHCR Urban Refugee Policy a refugee who is unable to live in decent and dignified conditions and who has no real prospect of finding a durable solution in or from their country of asylum within a reasonable timeframe cannot be considered to have found effective protection (UNHCR, 2009) The RSD (Refugee status Determination) process should lead to the recognition of refugees and their interests and rights. In reality, however, registered UNHCR refugees and asylum-seekers in Nairobi are not enjoying the protection that their status should afford them. In the absence of adequate national and international attention and assistance, refugees in Nairobi have established community networks and initiatives over the past two decades.

According to the survey conducted by the UNHCR, despite being a key target for routine extortion, harassment and violence, the influx of Somalis and other refugees since the 1990s has contributed greatly to the transformation of Eastleigh (the suburb of urban refugees) into a commercial and business area of central importance. Refugees in Nairobi also contribute to assistance to their counterparts in the camps. The UNHCR clearly says, What is clear is that wherever refugees are - in cities or in camps - they have the same human rights, and both UNHCR and host states have an obligation to protect them and respect their refugee status. And the UN refugee agency needs to work in more innovative partnerships with municipalities, local community associations and others to adequately serve refugees in towns and cities. Thus the UNHCR points out to the role of the local government as pivotal in dealing with urban refugees. According to the statement of the International Council for Voluntary Agencies (ICVA),In many cases it in incorrectly presumed that the longer refugees remain in urban situations the more likely they are to be locally integrated. However, whether registered with UNHCR or not, large numbers of refugees in protracted urban situations are often at significant risk of arbitrary arrest and detention. The source has pointed out that refugees in urban areas face difficulties in accessing resettlement as compared to those in camps. The UNHCR is working through various initiatives and programmes to lessen the problem of urban refugees that are specific in different national settings. With assistance of NGOs and local governments the UNHCR is trying to ensure the basic needs and rights of urban refugees are protected amidst the challenges of mixed migration, other asylum seekers who may or may not be refugees, resentment from local populations and bureaucracy and government regulations of the host country. Through the various studies, research and surveys conducted on urban refugees by the UNHCR and other NGOs recommendations specific to the refugees of that area are made taking into consideration the UNHCR policies, the local and national government.

The Jesuit Refugee service campaign (JRS) on urban refugees The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organization founded in 1980 with a mission to accompany, serve and defend the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. The JRS works in over fifty countries providing assistance to refugees and the forcible displaced. JRS is an implementing partner for the UNHCR in urban refugee programmes. The policies of the UNHCR must be put into practice that is where JRS comes in collaboration and partnership with UNHCR. To mark their 30 anniversary launched a campaign to focus on urban refugees. The urban refugee campaign focuses on refugees living in urban areas that comprises of half of the refugees attended by the UNHCR today.JRS also contributes to refugee research at the University of Oxford and the University of Deusto, Bilbao. JRS work with urban refugees in Thailand After asylum seekers have registered with the UNHCR they are referred to the JRS. The JRS works in co-ordination with the UNHCR to provide counseling to refugees prior to their refugee status determination. Each asylum seeker spends about three months with a JRS volunteer receiving social, psychological and emotional counseling. JRS explains to them the rights of refugees many times people cannot accept that whatever status they once had is lost. JRS prepares their files and also prepares them for mock interviews of RSD (Refugees status determination) with UNHCR. Not knowing the relevance of sharing certain pieces of information during the interview can lead to rejection of refugee status.JRS also informs them of their right to appeal if their status is rejected and follows up on cases if it feels the person deserves the right. The main assistance they provide to asylum seekers in Thailand

Counseling them on UNHCR Refugee Status Determination procedure Explaining Thailands immigration policies and how they affect asylum seekers, particularly those with no legal documentation Advising on appeals for asylum seekers who have been rejected by UNHCR Providing material assistance in the form of food packages, a small amount of money, and emergency funds for housing and medical Advocating at local and international level for the international protection of refugees and asylum seekers in Thailand

JRS recommends that the Thai government gives them temporary legal status so that they are protected from detention.

JRS work in Phnom Penh city of Cambodia The urban refugee population in Cambodia comprises people from all corners of the world. Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Burma, Sudan, China and Vietnam are just a few countries from which refugees living in Phnom Penh originate. Porous borders and the fact that Cambodia is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention are the standard reasons refugees give for seeking asylum here. Of the many refugees who apply to UNHCR, only a very small number are recommended for resettlement in third countries. With this in mind, JRS focuses on meeting the long-term needs of refugees, helping them to become self-sufficient. For example, JRS has facilitated small training workshops enabling women to gain skills which will help them to find employment in Phnom Penh city of Cambodia. In Rome, the Centro Astalli which is the Jesuit refugee service centre in Rome has assisted urban refugees since 1981.Its centre provides meals, medicines and help to vulnerable and elderly. Fr. Ballies the international director of JRS says, JRS has in its mission to Accompany and this is the corner stone of their service that is, to accompany the people wherever they are by visiting them. This is a kind of a pastoral work as JRS is a church organization. The JRS teams visit the families regularly and then refer them to places where they can get help. The second is they use to a great extent local structures be it church schools or even spaces of parishes where people can meet on neutral grounds, neutral in terms of politics. In a number of places JRS has centers to have activities for refugees activities like to learn English. Jesuit refugee service provides a variety of aid to urban refugees but they regard education as the most important. Education provides hope says Fr. Peter Ballies S. J. And there is a clear request by refugees themselves for courses like computer or sewing that they can earn some money. Education helps refugees survive in an urban setting and get involved in the market, and to find a living. Education also adds an extra point in their appeal to be re settled in another country like USA or other western countries and better their life. For example learning a foreign language. Education helps them thus to find a long term solution. In urban areas there is not always a world food programme distribution like in a camp; people have to fend for food themselves. Hence the JRS provides food packages. In Thailand, Cambodia, and Nairobi food is distributed to vulnerable families. The third is Advocacy that is to speak about refugees, to make it publically known to challenge government legislation when it becomes hostile or strict, to challenge society when it become hostile to foreigners

The JRS has thus recognized the needs of forgotten refugees and is helping them rebuild their lives.

Reference Hidden and exposed:Urban refugees in Nairobi, Kenya Sara Pavanello, Samir Elhawary and Sara Pantuliano HPG Working Paper March 2010 Evaluation of the implementation of UNHCRs policy on refugees in urban areas,www.unhcr.org Urban asylum seeker and refugees in Thailand by Veera Den Otter, Advocay officer JRS Thailand. (www.jrs.or.th) UNHCR policy on urban refugees -2009 www.unhcr.org

Websites www.unhcr.org- The UN Refugee Agency www.aldhomm.org For comparison of UNHCR policy on urban refugees documents 1997,2003 and 2009. www.jrs.net Jesuit Refugee Service, International Office Jesuit refugee service facebook page Videos Sort film -Hidden Voices-Urban Refugees in Nairobi, Kenya on Vimeo Surviving in the City: Bogota, Colombia, Video on www.unhcr.org Surviving in the City: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Video on www.unhcr.org JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service) services for urban refugees on Vimeo JRS(Jesuit Refugees Service)Urban Refugee programmes in Thailand on Vimeo JRS Advocacy in support of urban refugees on Vimeo JRS focus on Urban Refugees on Vimeo