Tajikistan

Working environment     

• The Republic of Tajikistan was affected by ongoing border disputes in the north and increased insurgency activity in the south along the country’s border with Afghanistan. 
• Tajikistan’s increasingly fragile economic environment continued to limit livelihood opportunities for refugees residing in the country.
• The country has ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention. 

Population trends

• By the end of 2015, there were over 1,950 refugees and 340 asylum-seekers in Tajikistan, almost all of whom originated from Afghanistan. In total, 955 new asylum-seekers arrived in Tajikistan in 2015, twice that of 2014.
• According to regional contingency planning figures for 2015, UNHCR anticipated a possible influx of some 10,000 Afghan refugees, primarily from the north-eastern province. Although the situation in Kunduz province was quite volatile in 2015, displacement patterns were predominantly internal, with only small increases in cross-border movements.
• Over 19,300 individuals with undetermined nationality, including former Soviet Union passport holders were registered in three target regions. Of these, 585 people have since had their nationality confirmed, and over 1,400 people have submitted applications to confirm their nationality.

Achievements and impact    

• The national refugee status determination recognition rate rose from approximately 45 per cent in 2014 to 70 per cent in 2015 after the implementation of technical support initiatives for government officials processing asylum claims.
• Following the launch of UNHCR’s new livelihood strategy, 640 refugees (468 males and 172 females) were hired; more than 250 refugees benefited from vocational trainings and national skill certifications; 65 refugees received small business grants; and over 100 refugees were provided with work equipment.
• Over 19,300 people with undetermined nationality were registered in  2015. Of these, more than 1,400 received technical support to lodge applications to confirm their nationality, and 585 received their nationality cards.
• As a result of UNHCR’s continuous advocacy efforts, the Constitutional Law on Nationality was adopted in August 2015. 

Unmet needs

• In 2015, UNHCR expanded the scope of its activities in Tajikistan, engaging more robustly in the areas of prevention and reduction of statelessness, comprehensive solutions for refugees and emergency preparedness, but there were still significant unmet needs in these sectors.