final policy framework for returnees and idps-01mar17 · outside afghanistan and return, according...

IslamicRepublicofAfghanistan

PolicyFrameworkforReturneesandIDPs

FinalVersion:1stMarch2017

FinalVersion:PolicyFrameworkforReturneesandIDPs 2

I.OVERVIEW1. Since July 2016, more than 570,000 registered and undocumented Afghans have

returnedfromPakistan,alargemajorityofwhom(roughly30percentofregisteredrefugees and 80 per cent of undocumented returnees) stated their intention ofspending the winter of 2016/17 in Nangarhar province. Jalalabad, the provincialcapitalofNangarhar,hasreceivedanestimated200,000returnees.OtherprovincialcapitalswithhighnumbersofreturneesincludeKabul,Pule-e-KhumriandKunduz1.

2. ThenumberofundocumentedreturneesarrivingfromIranhasalsogrownin2016comparedtopreviousyears,withover410,000arrivals.Followingareviewoftheirclaims,theEUalsohasstartedtoreturnAfghanswhoarefoundnottobeinneedofinternationalprotection.

3. The prognosis for 2017 is that around 1.7 million Afghans will be on the move,includinganestimated12,000AfghansreturningfromGermanyalone,followingtheJointWay Forward declaration betweenAfghanistan and the EU, aswell as otherbilateral agreements concluded with EU member states after the BrusselsConferenceinOctober2016.

4. As at mid-December 2016, more than 530,000 individuals have been internallydisplacedduetoconflict.Afteryearsofcontinuouslyascendingtrends,2016marksarecord high figure. Thus 31 out of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces are generatinginternallydisplacedpersons (IDPs),whileallprovincesofAfghanistanarehostingdisplacedpopulations.Followingthetrendfrom2015,theNorth-EastandSouthernregionsareattheforefrontofthehumanitariancrisis,accountingformorethan67.5percentofnewconflict-inducedIDPs2.Newdisplacementsduring2016addtothesubstantialnumbersofIDPsinmoreprolongedorevenprotractedsituations,somehavingbeendisplacedformorethan15-20yearsandinneedoflastingsolutions.

5. Planningforthesuccessfulreturnofrefugeesandmigrants,andrespondingtotheneedsofIDPs, isfirstandforemostahumanitarianandconstitutionalconcern,butabsorbingoveronemillionreturneesandIDPsposessevereeconomicandpoliticalrisks if not handled properly. Therefore, longer-term development interventionsalongside humanitarian ones are needed to facilitate durable solutions for bothreturnees and displaced populations. As noted in the Afghanistan National PeaceandDevelopmentFramework(ANPDF),well-plannedandmanagedsettlementand

1OfthosewhohavereturnedtoNangarharprovince,inter-agencyneedsassessmentsshowthatasmanyas52percentarelivinginrentedhousing,whichhascausedasharpincreaseinrentsinsomeareas.Asresourcesarerapidlydepletedanddebtburdensgrow,theexpectationofintensifiedsecondarymovementswillincreasecorrespondingly2https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/afghanistan/idps


re-integrationwillbringinskills,createnewlinkagestolabourandexportmarkets,andprovidevaluablelessonsinmanagementandnation-building.

6. Thegoal of theNationalUnityGovernment (NUG) is to ensure that returnees andIDPsreceivedecentandhumanetreatmentinlinewiththeirconstitutionalrightsascitizens of Afghanistan, enabling them to become productive and well-integratedmembersoftheircommunities.ThebasicframeworkforthesustainableintegrationofreturneesandIDPstakesplaceinthreestages,withlong-termactionsneedingtobe planned in parallel to the humanitarian intervention. In the first humanitarianstage, consideration must be given to issues such as the proper identification ofreturnees and IDPs, assessments of their needs and intentions and thedeterminationoftheirentitlements,initiallyasaprovisionofemergencysupport.Inthe second stage, when returnees and IDPs join existing or new communities orreturntotheirplacesoforigin,effortsmustbemadetoreceivethem,andplanningmustencompasshostareasandoffsettheburdenonlocalservices.Thethirdstageshifts toa focuson livelihoods, employmentand integrationwith the surroundinghostcommunities,marketsandgovernmentsupport.

7. In planning, the Government recognises that it is dealing with three distinctcategories of vulnerable people: returnees from the region (Iran and Pakistan),returneesfromEurope,andIDPs.Foreaseofreference,bothcategoriesofreturneesarereferredtoas‘returnees’inthisPolicyFramework.

Rationale

8. The surge in refugee returns from Iran, Pakistan and Europe, coupled with thenumbersofIDPs,haveplacedenormousstressonexistinghumanitarianresources.Therefore,theGovernmenthasagreedonaholisticandnon-fragmentedresponsetoaddress the crisis in terms of current returnees and the protracted IDPs. TheGovernment acknowledges the need for a coordinated response in the short,mediumandlongterm,andproposestodosoatthehighestlevelthroughthisPolicyFramework,ledbytheOfficeoftheChiefExecutive(OCE).

II. POLICYFRAMEWORKFORRETURNEESANDIDPs

BasisforthePolicyFramework

9. ThisPolicyFrameworkispreparedtocoverthespecificneedsandinterventionsinAfghanistanonissuesofrefugeesandIDPs,includingthosewhocontinuetoremaindisplacedwithinthecountry.ThisPolicyFrameworktakesintoaccounttheNationalPolicyonInternallyDisplacedPersons,endorsedin2013,whichprovidesabasisforachieving durable solutions for IDP populations in Afghanistan, and theComprehensiveVoluntaryRepatriationandReintegrationStrategy,approvedbytheGovernmentin2015.


10. ThisPolicyFrameworkisintendedtobeapplicabletoallGovernmentministriesandagencies, and to all actors operating within Afghanistan. In addition, this PolicyFramework is intended to be compatible with the Government’s obligations andcommitments under applicable international agreements and conventions withregardtoAfghanreturneesandIDPs.

11. The foundation of this Policy Framework is the Constitution of Afghanistan,especiallybutnotexclusivelythefollowingArticlesandclauses:

ArticleFour,Ch.1,Art.4

The nation of Afghanistan consists of all individuals who are the citizens ofAfghanistan.

No member of the nation can be deprived of his citizenship of Afghanistan.Affairsrelatedtocitizenshipandasylumareregulatedbylaw.

ArticleSix,Ch.1,Art.6

The state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive society based onsocial justice, protection of human dignity, protection of human rights,realization of democracy, and to ensure national unity and equality among allethnicgroupsandtribesandtoprovideforbalanceddevelopmentinallareasofthecountry.

ArticleTwenty-Two,Ch.2,Art.1

AnykindofdiscriminationandprivilegebetweenthecitizensofAfghanistanareprohibited.ThecitizensofAfghanistan–whethermenorwomen–haveequalrightsanddutiesbeforethelaw

ArticleThirty-Nine

EveryAfghanshallhavetherighttotravelandsettleinanypartofthecountry,except in areas forbidden by law. Every Afghan shall have the right to traveloutsideAfghanistanandreturn,accordingtotheprovisionsofthelaw.ThestateshallprotecttherightsofcitizensofAfghanistanoutsidethecountry.

PolicyObjectives

12. TheobjectiveoftheAfghanGovernment’sPolicyFrameworkforreturneesandIDPsis to ensure their safe and successful re-integration into the social and economicfabricofAfghanistan.TheGovernment’saimistominimizethetimereturneesandIDPsspendintransitionalarrangements,andtoencouragetheiractiveparticipationin the identification of long term, sustainable solutions that promote their self-reliance and development. Afghan citizens returning from other countries are avaluable source of knowledge, experience and skills able to contribute to thedevelopmentofthecountry;thisPolicyFrameworkaimsatdrawingonandrealisingthatpotential.


13. ReturneesandIDPsshouldbeassistedtofindproductiveemploymentasrapidlyaspossible. There is to be no distinction between returnees, IDPs and other citizenswith respect to their rights to public services, legal protection, or participation inAfghanistan’spoliticalandelectoralinstitutions.

14. The lackof consistentdocumentation and registration systems inAfghanistanhasbeen an enduring obstacle to the transparent, accountable provision of individualentitlement assistance in a context where fraud and corruption remain seriousobstacles. Lack of identity documents is an issue that cuts across all categories ofdisplacementandreturn.Modernization,innovationandpolicyreformsareurgentlyneededtofacilitatethedocumentationprocess.

15. This Policy Framework also recognizes that large-scale resettlement poses socialandeconomicburdensonhostcommunities,especiallygiventherecordnumbersofnew returnees and IDPs. Host communities are faced with increased demands,especiallyonhealthandeducationservices.For this reason, theGovernmentaimsthroughthisPolicyFrameworktoensurethattheimpactsofreturneesandIDPsonhost communities are considered, especially when considering interventions tostrengthenbasicserviceprovisionforreturneeandIDPs.Hostcommunitiesshouldbe assisted to absorb newcomer populations. In addition, after a brief transitionperiod to resolve immediate humanitarian needs, there should be no perceptibledifference in the degree or nature of treatment or support offered to residentcommunities and newly arrived families and individuals. Doing so is necessary tomitigatetensionsandavoidstigmatizationofreturneesorIDPs.

Policyscope

16. ThisPolicyFrameworkisintendedtoapplytoallreturneeswhoaredeterminedtobecitizensofAfghanistanandtointernallydisplacedAfghans.

17. Thebasicprinciplesgoverningreturneereintegration,setoutbelow,areintendedtoapply to all Government institutions and to all local, national and internationalorganisations and agencies operating in Afghanistan. The principles, technicalstandards, and systems for redress are intended to apply to national andinternationalvoluntaryagencies,andtotheprivatesector.

Basicprinciples

18. TheBasicPrinciplesofthePolicyFrameworkaresetoutbelow:

a) A single Policy Framework will govern humanitarian and developmentassistanceforreturneesandIDPs.

b) Humanitarian assistance should transition to permanent solutions based onsustainabledevelopmentasrapidlyaspossible.

c) 100 per cent registration for all undocumented returnees is to be provided atmajorbordercrossingpointswithIranandPakistan,onafast-trackbasis.


d) The reduction of any barriers to accessing basic services, including but notlimited to education and health services, will also need to be fast-tracked,including the use of interim documentation measures, such as temporaryoccupancycertificates,whereconsideredappropriate.

e) TheGovernmentwillprovidefacilitationservicesforthosereturneeswillingtorelocateorre-establishtheirbusinessesinAfghanistan.

f) A “whole of community” approach should be followed wherever possible.According to resources available, this approach should include the hostcommunities in definitions of eligibility for humanitarian and developmentassistance.

g) Financialpackagesprovidedbynationalandinternationalagenciesandforeigngovernments must be calibrated at levels capable of being sustained for anagreedperiodoftime.Financialpackagesmustalsobeharmonizedtotheextentpossible, taking into account the various existing modalities for assistance, toavoidinequitiesintreatment.

h) Benefits for returnees and IDPs should distinguish between the legalentitlements being provided, and the longer-term investments that willmaterializeaspartofthegovernment’slong-termdevelopmentprogramming.

i) Buildingsustainablesettlementsforreturneesandtheirhostsisthemainmeansfor absorbing resettlers and IDPs. Given the constraints on budget, land, andotherresources,alloptions,includinglandallocation,landconsolidation,rentals,andothermeansforsupportingreturneesshouldbeexplored.

j) Landallocationwillbeacentralcontributortothesuccessofdurablesolutions,but land allocation and registration can only proceed following a properidentification of suitable and viable sites, according to established technicalcriteria;averificationof the land’s legalstatusbyARAZI(Tasfiyaprocess); theland is free of mines and explosive remnant of war and the determination ofclear and transparent eligibility criteria for the various categories of people ofconcern.OtherprocessestoensuresecurityoftenureforreturneesandIDPs,aswell as the urban poor, should accompany land allocation. To do so, theGovernment will seek approval of the Law on Occupancy Certificates torecognisethespecificneedsofreturneesandIDPs.

k) Settled returnees and IDPswill be assisted to join local representative bodiessuch as Community Development Councils, Ghozar and Nahia assemblies, andothermodelsoflocalself-government.TheCDCLawprovidesthelegalbasisforCDCsandGhozarassembliestoincluderepresentationfromreturneesandIDPs.


III.OVERSIGHTANDMANAGEMENTOFPOLICYIMPLEMENTATION

19. The Government, through the Cabinet and Council of Ministers, will manageimplementationofthisPolicyFrameworkasfollows:

a) The High Migration Council, chaired by the President of Afghanistan, is theapex body for defining national policy and resolving issues of policyinterpretationandupdating.

b) Council of Ministers’ Sub-Committee on Migration Affairs. The ChiefExecutive will lead the Government’s short, medium and long-term responseefforts on returnees and IDPs through the Council of Ministers’ Sub-CommitteeonMigrationAffairs.TheSub-Committeewillbethemaindecision-making body on operational issues relating to returnees and IDPs. TheSecretariat of the Sub-Committeewill beprovidedby theMinistryofRefugeesandRepatriation(MoRR).

c) DisplacementandReturnExecutiveCommittee(DiREC).DiRECwillleadandoversee the implementation of this Policy Framework, which will be chairedjointly by nominated representatives from theOffice of Chief Executive (OCE),Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations (MoRR), and the United NationsAssistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA). Membership of DiREC willcomprisenominatedrepresentatives from:theOfficeof thePresident, theOCE,MoRR,UNAMA,theNationalSecurityCouncil,theMinistryofFinance,theOfficeoftheStateMinisterforDisasterManagementandHumanitarianAffairs,ARAZI,theWorldBank,UNHCR,IOMandOCHA.DiRECwillprovidefortnightlyreportsto the Cabinet, the High Migration Council, the Council of Ministers’ Sub-Committee on Migration Affairs on crucial returnee issues in the country. ACoordinationandOversightUnitwillsupportDIREC.

d) DiRECWorkingGroups:Threeworkinggroupsaddressingpolicy,technicalandfinancialsupportissueswillsupportDiREC.Membershipintheworkinggroupswillvarydependingontheissuesathand.

i) Policy Support Group: The Policy Support Group will compriserepresentativesoftheOfficeofthePresident,NationalSecurityCouncil,OCE,MoRR,,ARAZI,UNHCR,IOMandOCHA.ThePolicySupportGroupwillbeco-chairedby representatives from theOffice of theNational SecurityAdvisorand UNHCR. The Policy Support Group will produce policy inputs andrecommendations to DiREC and be responsible for providing a summaryoverview of gaps between existing legislation and directives, based on thefunctionalrequirementsofcurrentcircumstances;definethepopulationstowhomthepolicy inputsandrecommendationsshouldapply;providepolicy


analysis briefings on patterns, trends, forecasts, and susceptibility issuesderived frommigration-related information and data collected by nationalandinternationalagencies.

ii) Technical Support Group: The Technical Support Group will compriserepresentatives of theOffice of thePresident,OCE,MoRR, theMinistries ofFinance, Interior Affairs, Rural Rehabilitation & Development, Agriculture,Irrigation & Livestock, Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs & Disabled, UrbanDevelopment Affairs, Education, and Public Health, the Office of the StateMinister for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs, theIndependent Directorate for Local Governance, ARAZI, CRIDA, UNAMA,UNHCR,IOM,OCHA,UNHabitatandtheWorldBank.Itwillbeco-chairedbyrepresentatives fromtheOfficeof thePresidentandARAZI.Thepurposeofthe Technical Support Group is to provide guidance on the technicalstandards and instruments to be used for the resettlement at each of thethreecrucial stages.Technical standardsand instrumentsrecommendedbythe Group will be based on research, analysis and contextualized to thecurrentsituation.

iii) Financing Support Group: The Financing Support Group will compriserepresentatives of the Office of the President, Ministry of Finance, MoRR,WorldBank,UNAMAandUNHCR.Itwillbeco-chairedbyMoFandtheWorldBank. The Financing Support Group will catalogue existing resources thatmay be available to support immediate, medium- and long-term responseneeds; identify policy decisions and actions required to access availableresources; prepare DiREC mechanisms to help the Policy and TechnicalSupport Groups to cost proposals and calculate aggregate financing needs,with appropriate classifications for humanitarian and redevelopmentprogrammingaswellason-andoff-budgetsupport.

IVCOREFOCUSAREAS20. The National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons and the Comprehensive

VoluntaryRepatriation andReintegration Strategy are key guides forGovernmentaction.Basedonrecommendationsreceivedfromtheconsultativeprocessestodate,the three DiREC Support Groups will focus on the following core areas forprotection, assistance and sustainable solutions to returnees and displacedpopulations:

a) The facilitated repatriation of documented returnees from Pakistan has beentemporarilyhaltedforthewinterperiodsince16December2016until1March2017.Theprognosis is that theprocessof returnwill then restart.However, asmallnumberofundocumentedrefugeesmightarriveduringthepause,aswellas limited numbers of refugees from Iran,. A financially sustainable assistancepackageisneededcoveringallcategoriesofreturnees.


b) Analysis is needed of current settlement patterns of returnees, includingimprovements to the registration of new arrivals at Afghanistan’s borders.Development of a clear methodology of identification of returnees and theirintegration is required. Moreover, technical assessments of the demand onpublicservicesisrequiredbytrackingmechanismstoenabletheidentificationoffinalsettlementsandsecondarymovements.

c) Winterization coordination between humanitarian agencies and theGovernment, clarifying (and where needed defining) the roles andresponsibilitiesofallhumanitarianactors,establishinginstitutionalstructuresatlocal and national levels in line with applicable policies and laws, andimplementingbothemergencyanddurablesolutions.MoRRandANDMA,aspartof the Office of the StateMinister for DisasterManagement andHumanitarianAffairs, have designed winterization plans that have been presented to theCouncilofMinisters.Ifapproved,bothbodieswillactandcoordinatetheirplanswithrelevantinternationalagencies.

d) Otherprioritiesinclude:

i) Improving the registration and documentation of all returnees throughdigital registration, rapid and transparent access to tazkeras, acceptingalternate documentation for quick access to educational institutions forreturneechildren,promotingbirthregistration,electronicIDs,etc.

ii) Addressing land allocation and security of tenure through viable siteselection criteria, clear eligibility/prioritization criteria for target groups toapplyforland,landtenuresecurity,LawofOccupancyCertificates,upgradingirregular settlements on non-contested land, affordable social housingoptions,transitionalshelters,formaltransfersoflandtitles,andexpansionofservicedeliverytotheseareas.

e) Access to education and representation in community-based decision makingstructures:

i) Access to education for returnee students through acceptance of alternatedocumentationforquickschooladmissions,waiversforcertificationfeesforeducationaldocuments,registrationofrefugeeschoolsinPakistanandIran,recognitionofcredentialsofreturneeteachers/professors,etc.

ii) Enhancing representation in community-based decision making structuresthrough allocation of a fixed percentage of urban CDCs to informalsettlementswithhighnumberofIDPsand/orreturnees,provisionofalegalbasisforrepresentationofnewlyarrivedreturneesand/orIDPsinCDCsandGhozars, ensuring IDPs’ and returnees’ representatives are included in citygovernancestructuresandmunicipaladvisoryboards,ensuringtheright toinformationforallcitizensonservices,includingandespeciallyIDPsand/orreturnees.


f) Improving returnee access to livelihoods and jobs through socio-economicbaselines,market assessment, institutionalmapping, Jobs for Peace initiatives,facilitatedaccesstolabourmarketsandanenablingenvironmentforlivelihoodsinthehost/returnarea.

V.MONITORING,CITIZENFEEDBACKANDREPORTING21. TheGovernmentwillestablishaninter-agencymonitoringcellundertheauthority

of the DiREC whose purpose is to collate information on the progress of thesettlement operation. This body will have final jurisdiction over the accuracy ofinformation.

22. MoRR will be responsible for recording information on the progress of thehumanitarianeffort,andprovideafortnightlyprogressreporttotheDiREC.

VI.REVISIONSTOTHEPOLICYFRAMEWORK23. All three Support Groups will regularly collect, compile and analyse field

implementation data in their respective areas to review what changes may berequiredinthePolicyFramework.ThesewillbesharedwiththeDiREC,whointurnwillmaketherequiredamendments,followingconsultationswiththeCabinet.

24. ThisPolicyFrameworkwillbe implementedafteradoptionbyCabinet.ThePolicywill be reviewed and adjusted as necessary to better prepare for support toreturneesandIDPsfrom2018onwards.

25. Following adoption of the policy by Cabinet, an Implementation Plan will bedevelopedforagreement.

final policy framework for returnees and idps-01mar17 · outside afghanistan and return, according...

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