South Asia

Operational Environment and Strategy

The Governments of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka continue to offer asylum to a considerable number of refugees. The main populations of concern to UNHCR in the subregion include some 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers of various origins living in India (of whom over 38,000 are registered with UNHCR); over 27,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Nepal, including approximately 12,000 refugees from Bhutan living in two camps; and nearly 1,400 refugees and asylum-seekers and more than 54,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) and returnees in Sri Lanka.

Sustainable livelihoods, reliable community-support networks, and access to specialized services for people with specific needs are some of the main challenges faced by refugees in the three countries. In India, poverty remains a key challenge for the majority of refugees and asylum-seekers. The quality of public health and education in the refugee camps in Nepal has suffered from the departure of skilled refugee workers who have been resettled. In Sri Lanka, many people of concern including refugees, refugee returnees and IDPs still struggle to meet their basic needs, although a number of positive steps have been taken by the Government since the beginning of 2015 to address these issues.

UNHCR cooperates with the concerned governments in the South Asia subregion, as well as with NGOs and other stakeholders, to protect, assist, and find durable solutions for refugees and other people of concern. In close coordination with governments, UNHCR continues to fill gaps in protection and assistance, with a focus on the most vulnerable, including women, children, the elderly, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and people with specific needs. Through stronger partnerships with the concerned governments and non-governmental partners in 2017, UNHCR aims to enhance protection and opportunities for solutions, including through community outreach, strengthening self-reliance and livelihoods, and identifying and facilitating solutions through voluntary return, resettlement and local integration.