Operations

Operational context and population trends

The upcoming Olympic Games in 2016 will likely present increased labour opportunities for refugees and asylum-seekers living in the main urban centres of Brazil.

Due to the rising cost of living in major cities, adequate housing for new arrivals is becoming increasingly difficult to secure. UNHCR will address housing and labour issues by providing limited financial support to refugees through the regional mobility and socio-economic integration project. The initiative will also help identify livelihood opportunities for people of concern to UNHCR.

According to official statistics, the number of new asylum claims submitted in Brazil has increased by approximately 2,000% between 2010 and 2014 (from 566 to 12,000 claims). UNHCR estimates that the numbers of new asylum claims in the country will continue to rise, possibly surpassing 20,000 asylum claims in 2016.

• Asylum-seekers in Brazil come from diverse backgrounds, with more than 80 different nationalities registered in 2014.
• The majority originated from Senegal (1,731), followed by Nigeria (1,632), Syria (1,326) and Ghana (1,163).
• The number of new arrivals from Syria has risen significantly, currently representing the majority of recognized refugees in the country (2.077); the number of Lebanese asylum-seekers has also increased by 74% between 2013 and 2014.

Key priorities in 2016

Priority will be given to support the implementation of the Brazil Declaration and Brazil Plan of Action. This will entail strengthening the RSD system as well as mobilizing and engaging the Government and increasing the number of partners to foster innovative solutions to facilitate integration. Activities include:

• Strengthening the Comitê Nacional para os Refugiados (CONARE) and Brazil’s national RSD system.
• Advocating for the approval of laws that enhance the protection space, such as national laws on migration and statelessness, as well as the ratification of the convention on the rights of migrant workers and their families.
• Supporting the creation and implementation of a national integration strategy in order to respond to the demands of a growing refugee population.
• Assisting with the implementation of regional solidarity mechanisms, such as the pilot project of refugee labour mobility, and the consolidation and expansion of the solidary resettlement programme.