South Asia

Operational information on the South Asia subregion is presented below. A summary of this can also be downloaded in PDF format. This subregion covers the following countries:
 

Subregion: South Asia

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Budgets and Expenditure in Subregion South Asia

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2017 {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017],"budget":[46.67074881,38.83990516,38.01255843,40.155756026,31.13609019,28.76000594],"expenditure":[26.37420412,21.59224672,20.09817583,21.52481164,15.50899342,16.95236163]} {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017],"p1":[36.20433892,30.53528496,31.38118692,30.414702728,29.54724963,27.91295062],"p2":[1.50142108,1.59597114,2.33688426,2.015722658,0.79978432,0.84705532],"p3":[1.411101,4.25807955,3.0300486,2.52347713,null,null],"p4":[7.55388781,2.45056951,1.26443865,5.20185351,0.78905624,null]} {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017],"p1":[20.5353762,18.64725819,18.17582881,15.66072641,14.42512168,16.19245821],"p2":[0.8580438,0.77786737,0.46339643,0.47847665,0.50810053,0.75990342],"p3":[0.623778,1.21656801,0.49188202,0.49332446,null,null],"p4":[4.35700612,0.95055315,0.96706857,4.89228412,0.57577121,null]}
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People of Concern - 2017 [projected]

[["Refugees",224246],["Asylum-seekers",9890],["IDPs",34000],["Returned IDPs",5500],["Returned refugees",2500],["Others of concern",767]]
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Response in 2017

While not signatories to the 1951 Convention, the Governments of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka continued to provide asylum to nearly 250,000 refugees, largely from neighbouring countries. In 2017, UNHCR provided assistance to nearly 40,000 refugees, asylum-seekers, and returnees in the South Asia subregion.
 
In Nepal, with the conclusion of the large-scale resettlement programme, over 112,000 refugees from Bhutan were resettled by the end of 2017, while approximately 7,400 refugees remain in two camps. Following the conclusion of the programme, UNHCR focused on enhancing refugees’ self-reliance and access to health and education.
 
The traditionally generous protection environment in India became constrained in 2017, impacting refugees’ access to documentation and basic services, as well as the right to seek asylum. UNHCR registered more than 30,000 refugees using biometrics, and provided cash assistance to 1,500 families following vulnerability assessments.
 
UNHCR facilitated the return of 1,520 Sri Lankan refugees who were residing in Tamil Nadu, India, signifying the largest return in five years.
 
Regional attention was largely focused on the situation facing Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar, and the approximately 18,000 Myanmarese who were already registered with UNHCR in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India.
 
Refugees throughout South Asia struggled to meet basic needs as a result of inadequate access to employment, education, and health care. UNHCR was working to enhance protection and opportunities for solutions, through community based initiatives, innovative partnerships, and strengthening self-reliance.
 

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.

2017 Budget and Expenditure in South Asia | USD

Operation Pillar 1
Refugee programme
Pillar 2
Stateless programme
Pillar 3
Reintegration projects
Pillar 4
IDP projects
Total
India Budget
Expenditure
15,124,166
6,577,829
106,270
105,570
0
0
0
0
15,230,436
6,683,399
Nepal Budget
Expenditure
7,229,512
6,320,162
680,619
636,626
0
0
0
0
7,910,131
6,956,788
Sri Lanka Budget
Expenditure
5,559,272
3,294,468
60,166
17,708
0
0
0
0
5,619,439
3,312,175
Total Budget
Expenditure
27,912,951
16,192,458
847,055
759,903
0
0
0
0
28,760,006
16,952,362

2017 Voluntary Contributions to South Asia | USD

Earmarking / Donor Pillar 1
Refugee programme
All
pillars
Total
South Asia overall
United States of America 03,300,000 3,300,000
South Asia overall subtotal 03,300,000 3,300,000
India
Private donors in Japan 1,253,5700 1,253,570
India subtotal 1,253,5700 1,253,570
Nepal
Australia 0210,974 210,974
Canada 0148,699 148,699
European Union 676,0990 676,099
Private donors in Italy 106154 259
Private donors in Japan 456,6220 456,622
Private donors in the Netherlands 478,1300 478,130
Nepal subtotal 1,610,957359,827 1,970,784
Total 2,864,5273,659,827 6,524,354
Note: