Tajikistan

Operational Environment

In 2019, the political and socio-economic situation in Tajikistan is expected to start changing due to improved relations with Uzbekistan, whilst the security situation on the borders with Afghanistan will remain a concern for Tajikistan. Despite the dire economic situation, Tajikistan continues accepting and hosting refugees, arriving mainly from Afghanistan. The Government provides an unhindered access to education and healthcare for refugees. However, access to territory and freedom of residence remain challenging. The Resolutions which prohibit refugees from residing in urban areas are strictly enforced and non-compliance results in the rejection of asylum applications, the revocation of refugee status and deportation. Despite guaranteed legal right to work, refugees’ access to jobs and livelihoods remains challenging due to prevailing economic situation in the country and residence in the government authorised areas only. The Government demonstrates greater acknowledgement and commitment to address statelessness through confirming citizenship to an increasing number of persons with undetermined nationality. 
 
During 2019, UNHCR will invest technical and material support to the Department for Citizenship and Works with Refugees (DCWR) and the Border Guards, and establish an MoU with the Office of the General Prosecutor and the Ombudsman’s Office. This cooperation aims to strengthen capacity of the state counterparts to identify and process statelessness cases and provide lasting solutions. In the context of refugee solutions, key partners include the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Education, Health, Social Welfare and Labour. The key partnership with the Executive Apparatus of the President will be operationalized through implementation of a joint Work-plan to be finalized in 2018. On statelessness, the UNHCR will further strengthen partnerships with the Passport Registration Services under the Ministries of Internal Affairs for active engagement in the provincial locations, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice for support to reduction of statelessness.
 
UNHCR’s two NGO partners will provide legal and social assistance to refugees and other two NGOs will be carrying out statelessness reduction and prevention activities. On birth registration, UNHCR will continue cooperation with UNICEF and UNDP, jointly advocating for legislative and policy changes.

Key Priorities

In 2019, UNHCR will focus on:

• Eradication and prevention of statelessness through technical assistance to the Government in the revision of legislation; carrying out country-wide registration, facilitating legal aid to stateless persons, as well as improving birth registration legislation and practices.
• Strengthening partnerships for sustainable asylum systems, through activities on introduction of a National Referral Mechanism for asylum seekers at the borders, bringing the national asylum procedures in line with international standards, strengthening the legal protection through enhanced cooperation with judicial bodies and regularization of legal status of Mandate refugees. Efforts on achieving long-term solutions for refugees will include enhancing self-reliance and access to livelihoods opportunities, promoting local integration through alternative stay arrangements and facilitating informed voluntary repatriation.
• Emergency preparedness, which will encompass a range of activities dedicated to enhancing the inter-agency response capacity for a possible refugee influx from Afghanistan.