Goal 3: Network of Stakeholders Supporting Refugee Communities is Strengthened

Refugee communities can only become resilient if they are well supported by strong civil society engagement, particularly at the grass roots level.

In the past, there have been a few, but highly committed non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working with refugees. This was due, in part, to the unregulated and unpopular nature of refugee work and a concomitant lack of resources.

The five-year Strategy seeks to transform this into an integrated, multi-dimensional, and collaborative network that is better capacitated and resourced to work with refugee communities in Malaysia. Sustainable capacity-building and predictable resources are key to this process.

In preparation for the strategy, UNHCR Malaysia undertook in 2015-2016, a comprehensive mapping and assessment of the capacity of NGOs and civil society working with refugees around the country. The assessment identified critical geographical and sectoral gaps where support services for refugees were weak or non-existent. It also provided a road map by which a range of existing and new partners could work more closely with each other and with refugee communities in various sectors and locations in Malaysia.

To accomplish this goal, we will:

Conduct detailed mapping and exploration of the capacity of new and existing partners with an emphasis on identifying partners with skills, experience and resources that are transferable to refugee communities;
Encourage networking and exchanges between partners through bilateral and multilateral meetings, roundtable discussions, and other platforms;
Roll-out and expand the Community-Based Protection (CBP) model that was developed in 2016. This will widen the range of partners engaged with refugee communities and be targeted at sectors and locations where refugees have the greatest need;
The development and sustained capacitation of a ‘refugee support sector’ is a crucial building block of UNHCR’s Strategy. It is important also to widen the ownership of refugee issues to other parts of civil society, including corporate, academic, philanthropic, faith-based, media, and political entities.
To support this goal, public outreach will be used to leverage more positive empathy and support for refugees among the general population. Public discourse must show that humanitarian support for refugees is not inconsistent with but rather, reinforces national and community interests of ordinary Malaysians. Greater awareness can reduce misconceptions about refugees and mobilise more positive support, including more resources for refugee programmes.
Build on the refugee case referral and management system as a practical tool in CBP;
Develop and document a learning programme of best practices, supported by training and capacity-building for partners across the network;
Increase public awareness that promotes a more balanced and well informed