Argentina Regional Office

UNHCR’s Regional Office in Argentina covers activities in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.  

Working environment

• In 2015, the Brazil Declaration and Plan of Action (BPA) boosted the protection and solutions agenda, and the regional cooperation in the Southern Cone. 
• Within the framework of MERCOSUR, a Forum of National Refugee Commissions (CONARE) was put in place to enhance regional cooperation and specific plans were adopted at national level for the implementation of key BPA programmes.
• Refugees residing in the region have benefited from an overall favourable political and economic environment. However, after a decade of political stability and prosperity, 2015 was a year of economic and social challenges. Throughout the region, a debate was initiated to discontinue key welfare programmes developed in the last decade to transfer resources to the most impoverished populations. 
• Local integration is the solution that poses the greatest challenge for the majority of refugees. According to participatory assessments, self-reliance has proven for most refugees to be a key challenge, in particular access to adequate housing and permanent employment.
• Countries in the region demonstrated solidarity with Syrian refugees and others fleeing humanitarian emergencies in the world. The Humanitarian Visa Programme was expanded in Argentina and Chile declared its intention to re-activate the resettlement programme, provided financial support is provided by the international community.

Population trends    

• At the end of 2015, the region hosted some 10,700 refugees and asylum-seekers, primarily from the Latin American region (Colombia), but also from West Africa and Syria.
• Out of the total estimated number of refugees and asylum-seekers in the region, approximately 38 per cent were women.
• In 2015, approximately 27 per cent of the new arrivals - mainly in Bolivia, Chile and Peru - were from Colombia.
• There is an increase of Syrian asylum-seekers in the region. They represent some 13% of new arrivals in Argentina, 80 per cent in Paraguay and 10 per cent in Uruguay. 
• The number of Venezuelan refugees and asylum-seekers has also increased in 2015, mainly in Peru (195). 

Achievements and impact    

• All countries have functional state RSD systems and the Quality Asylum Initiative was launched in Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia;
• Some governments (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) assumed more responsibilities towards local integration and provided humanitarian assistance - either in-kind or in cash.
• The network of Cities of Solidarity was expanded. In Chile, Quilicura developed specific services/programmes to support asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants and, in Buenos Aires, refugee families benefitted from rental subsidies and other social welfare services, such as temporary accommodation.
• Some 20 per cent of the PoC (2,140) were assisted by UNHCR with documentation, primary and secondary education, vocational training, and legal and social counselling. Self-reliance and livelihoods improved PoC quality of life through targeted support given to 279 persons in the region.
• In line with the BPA, the evaluation of the Solidarity Resettlement programme was carried out in 5 countries and the Resettlement programme continued to be implemented in Uruguay (Colombians and Syrians).
• Southern Cone countries joined the campaign to end statelessness and, in Chile, a presidential instruction on migration policy (November 2015) advised the National Migration Council to work towards adhesion to the Statelessness Conventions.
• Based on a study sponsored by UNHCR, MERCOSUR countries are analysing the possibility to benefit refugees from the existing migratory systems (Acuerdo Residencia) in order to facilitate their mobility and include the necessary protection safeguards. 
• The protection network was strengthened at the Bolivia-Chile-Peru border with NGOs and Ombudsman Offices, reinforcing monitoring mechanisms and improving reception capacity in shelters managed by religious organisations.  
• Argentina has developed standard operational procedures for unaccompanied and separated children and measures were taken towards the protection of women and girls at risk of sexual and other forms of gender-based violence.
• In Bolivia, the CONARE carried out a census of the refugee population and developed a practical guide of resources available for PoC to promote their local integration. 
• Media interest in refugee issues increased due to the Syrian crisis and the humanitarian situation in the Mediterranean. During the last quarter more than 60 TV, newspapers and radio interviews were given by UNHCR, CONARE and UNHCR’s goodwill ambassadors.

Unmet needs

• Outreach capacity is very weak and many refugees living in the region face economic hardship. They are also exposed to social marginalisation and, in the case of women and children, to violence and abuse.
• The current economic crisis, discrimination and language barriers affect the access of refugees to affordable housing solutions and permanent employment. Asylum-seekers face additional challenges in their access to a first job because their documentation is not always recognised by the private sector. 
• In most countries, institutional capacity to address humanitarian needs of refugees is weak, particularly for the provision of temporary shelter, specialised health services and higher education.
• Advocacy and public awareness are key to include refugee and stateless issues in the political agenda and promote the adoption of the legal and administrative frameworks. 
• The private sector has only minimally included refugees in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. In addition, there are few civil society organizations with expertise in refugee issues and livelihoods.