Returnees
Amid expanding global conflicts, 70.8 million people are now displaced worldwide.
The decision to repatriate voluntarily is an individual one that is affected by many factors, including the circumstances surrounding flight and conditions for return.
UNHCR plays a leading role, collaborating with States and other partners, to promote, facilitate, and coordinate voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity. We do this through:
- Supporting the retaining and expansion of skills, resources and assets during displacement that will support refugees upon their return;
- Ensuring the exercise of a free and informed choice including by compiling and sharing updated information on their country and region of origin with refugees, organising "go-and-see" visits, and providing counselling;
- Supporting return transportation;
- Monitoring the situation of returnees upon their return;
- Facilitating the participation of returnees in peace and reconciliation activities; Supporting interventions such as access to justice and house, land and property restitution in return areas;
- Collaborating on livelihoods interventions in return areas;
- Promoting the inclusion of returnees in national development planning in countries of return.
Return: Background and analysis
- Difficult decisions. A review of UNHCR's engagement with Assisted Voluntary Return programmes. Helen Morris, PDES, Machiel Salomons, PDES 25 Jul 2013
- Broken futures: young Afghan asylum seekers in the UK and on return to their country of origin. Catherine Gladwell and Hannah Elwyn. 31 Oct 2012
- Back to the land: the long-term challenges of refugee return and reintegration in Burundi. Sonja Fransen and Katie Kuschminder 30 Aug 2012
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