UNHCR Kosovo* update
January March 2017
Key Figures
January to March
33,054 arrivals in Europe
4,100 refugees and migrants
arrived by sea in Greece
62,200 refugees and
migrants present in Greece
959 died/ missing in
Mediterranean
4,422 Relocated during
January to March from Greece
to the EU under the EU
Relocation Mechanism
(in total 15,055 persons have
been relocated within the EU
from Italy and Greece)
Western Balkans
2,750 asylum-seekers are
residing in Albania
60 refugees remain in the
former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia
7,700 refugees and migrants
remain in Serbia
2,800 refugees and migrants
in Bulgaria
Resettlement for Syrian refugees: half of the 500,000
places sought have been achieved
As the number of men, women and children fleeing six years of
war in Syria passes the 5 million mark, the international
community needs to do more to help them. We still have a long
road to travel in expanding resettlement and the number and
range of complementary pathways available for refugees, said
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees. The remarks come one year after the High-Level
Meeting on Syria sought pledges to resettle 10 per cent of all
Syrian refugees by 2018. Despite the call during that meeting in
Geneva on 30 March 2016 to resettle and facilitate pathways for
500,000 refugees, to date 250,000 places have been made
available. UNHCR estimates that almost 1.2 million refugees will
need resettlement in 2017, among whom 40 per cent are Syrians.
The Mahmut family from Syria began a new life in Ottawa, under Canadas humanitarian
programme to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees. UNHCR
Mediterranean shipwreck: UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency,
is deeply saddened at the news of another shipwreck in the
Mediterranean, on 29 March, which may have left up to 146
people dead or missing. In Lampedusa, our team interviewed the
only survivor of a boat which is believed to have sunk in the
Mediterranean with 147 passengers on board, including five
children and several pregnant women. The 16-year old survivor
said their boat left two days ago from Sabratha, in Libya, and
started taking on water after a few hours of navigation. He
survived the shipwreck by hanging to a fuel tank, until he was
rescued by a Spanish ship operating under Operation Sophia.
*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council
Resolution 1244 (1999).
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As war enters 7th year, UNHCR warns Syria is at a crossroads
Syria is at a crossroads, said Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on 09
March. Unless drastic measures are taken to shore up peace and security for Syria, the situation will
worsen. In Syria, 13.5 million need humanitarian aid; 6.3 million are displaced internally; hundreds of
thousands have made perilous sea voyages
seeking sanctuary; nearly 3 million Syrians
under 5 have grown up knowing nothing but
conflict; and 4.9 million the majority women
and children are refugees in neighbouring
states, placing host communities under huge
strain as they shoulder the social, economic
and political fallout. Ultimately, Syrias
conflict isnt about numbers its about
people, Grandi added. Families have been Syrian refugee poses in Tripoli, in North Lebanon. She fled her family
torn apart, innocent civilians killed, houses home in Homs, Syria, with her four children after her husband was
destroyed, businesses and livelihoods killed. UNHCR/ Lynsey Addario
shattered. Its a collective failure. This year and beyond, UNHCR will continue to provide aid and
protection to the victims, in Syria and the region. UNHCR, with partners, has been providing life-saving
help for millions. UNHCR and partners have helped nearly five million Syrian refugees and those hosting
them with a range of protection and assistance including education, healthcare and shelter in the five
major refugee hosting countries in the region. UNHCR hopes that the recent peace initiatives will pave
the way to a lasting and sustainable resolution.

Refugees and migrants face heightened risks while trying to reach Europe UNHCR
report
In a new report, published on 27 February, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, details the impact of the
increased border restrictions introduced in 2016 on refugee and migrant movements towards and
inside Europe. It shows that people continued
to move but undertook more diversified and
dangerous journeys, often relying on smugglers
because of the lack of accessible legal ways to
Europe. After the closure of the Western
Balkan route and the EU-Turkey Statement in
March 2016, the number of people reaching
Greece via the Eastern Mediterranean route
drastically decreased. The Central
Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy
has since become the primary entry point to
Syrian refugees rest onboard a Hellenic Coast Guard vessel after Europe. However, arrival trends in Italy show
being rescued in the Mediterranean sea, off the coast of Lesvos, that the primary nationalities who crossed to
Greece. UNHCR/Andrew McConnell
Greece had not switched in significant numbers
to the Central Mediterranean route. People have continued to leave Turkey along the Eastern
Mediterranean route. Most cross the sea to Greece, but some also cross land borders to Greece and
Bulgaria, or cross the sea to Cyprus. The use of this route includes a large number of people in need of
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protection, in 2016 87% of those arriving by sea to Greece came from the top ten refugee producing
countries. This is also the case for those who have continued to move along the Western Balkans route.
In Serbia, for example, 82% of those who have arrived are from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria and almost
half are children 20% of those unaccompanied, though numbers have reduced since April 2016. As a
result of stronger border restrictions many rely on smugglers, taking high risks which resulted in several
deaths in 2016, says the report. According to the UNHCR study, tens of thousands of people have been
reportedly pushed back by border authorities in Europe, including in Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary,
Serbia, Spain, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with many cases of alleged violence and
abuses in an apparent attempt to deter further entry attempts.

UNHCR, IOM and partners launch new plan to respond to Europes refugee and migrant
situation
UNHCR, IOM and 72 other partners
launched a new strategy and appeal to
help respond to the situation of
refugees and migrants in Europe in
2017. The Regional Refugee and
Migrant Response Plan aims at
complementing and reinforcing
Governments efforts to ensure safe
access to asylum and the protection of
refugees and migrants. It also aims to
support long-term solutions and
orderly and dignified migration
Young refugee girls at a camp in Greece. UNHCR and its partners have created
management. a safe space for unaccompanied children here. UNHCR/Achiellas Zavallis

Strengthened partnership and coordination will also be given priority in 2017. Over the past two years,
Europes response to the arrival of over 1.3 million refugees and migrants on its soil has been faced with
many challenges, including how to protect refugees and migrants. This Plan is an operational tool which
will play a key role to ensure more efficient operations and a better coordinated response throughout
2017, said Vincent Cochetel, Director of UNHCRs Europe Bureau. Added Leonard Doyle, chief
spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration: We are especially concerned about
vulnerability and needs of migrant and refugee children especially women and girls and this initiative is
exactly what is needed. The document stresses the need for long-term solutions for refugees and
migrants, including a robust relocation scheme, support to voluntary returns and reinforced alternative
legal pathways to dangerous journeys, including resettlement and family reunification. Particular
emphasis is placed on addressing the specific needs of refugee and migrant children as well as those of
women and girls. The total financial requirements amount to USD 691 million, with a population
planning figure of up to 340,000 people, based on previous arrivals trends and people present in
countries who will receive support through this Plan.

More of the latest information on UNHCR activities and programmes is available on the website:
http://www.unhcr.org/

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 UNHCR Kosovo key developments in January - March
Identification and implementation of durable solutions for displaced persons needs to
take into consideration a voluntary return as well as local integration
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and OSCE
Mission in Kosovo supported Ministry of
Communities and Return (MCR) in
organizing the inaugural meeting of the
Implementation Working Group for the
Inter-institutional initiative on durable
solutions for displaced persons from
Kosovo, held in Pristina on 2 March.
The meeting was addressed by Minister
Dalibor Jevti, Ministry of Communities
and Return, Ambassador Jan Braathu,
Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, and
Narasimha Rao, Chief of UNHCR Mission
in Kosovo.
In his opening remarks, the Minister Dalibor Jevti informed the participants of the meeting that the
Government recently adopted a decision which will further facilitate the process of obtaining personal
documents of the displaced persons. This was one of the recommendations that emerged from the
process of the Inter-institutional initiative on durable solutions for displaced persons from Kosovo.
Ambassador Jan Braathu, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, highlighted the difficulties of the
displaced persons and the concerns of the returnees in relation to security and access to rights,
thereby urging all stakeholders to work closely in addressing those concerns.
Narasimha Rao, Chief of UNHCR Mission in Kosovo, highlighted some of the challenges ahead as well as
stated that identification and implementation of durable solutions for displaced persons needs to take
into consideration a voluntary return as well as local integration on equal basis, depending on the well-
informed decision taken by the displaced persons.

Meeting of the sub-working group on

Personal Documentation held
Following the inaugural session of the Working
Group for Implementation of the Action Points in
Kosovo, deriving from the Inter-Institutional
Initiative for Durable Solutions for the Displaced
Persons from Kosovo (the so-called Skopje
Process), on 16 March, the UNHCR, supported by
OSCE and Ministry of Communities and Return
(MCR), facilitated the meeting of the sub-working
group on Personal Documentation. During the
meeting, the participants from UNHCR, OSCE, MCR, Ministry for Internal Affairs and the Agency for
Civil Registration reviewed Action Points endorsed by the respective delegations and discussed the
corresponding modalities for implementation of the same in the context of durable solutions for the
displaced persons from Kosovo. As result, the group identified and prioritized a number of concrete
actions that shall be implemented in close cooperation with other stakeholders during the period
ahead.

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Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muinieks, visited displaced
persons and voluntary returnees in Kosovo
UNHCR assisted the Council of Europe Commissioner
for Human Rights, Nils Muinieks, during his field visit
with displaced persons and returnees in Kosovo. The
Commissioner was informed about the concerns of the
displaced persons and assured them that he will bring
their situation to the attention of the authorities.
During his visit to a collective centre in northern
Mitrovica, he said that collective centres need to be
urgently closed and durable solutions should be found
for displaced persons. The Commissioner was also informed about the problems of displaced persons
and returnees in southern Mitrovica. Following his visit to Kosovo, the Commissioner Muinieks noted
that displaced persons need to be at the centre of the dialogue so that they can rebuild their lives. The
Commissioner said that solutions must be found through sustainable return or durable integration for
more than 16,500 persons from all communities who remain displaced within Kosovo, while
approximately 470 of them are accommodated in 29 collective centers in substandard living
conditions.
You can read the Memorandum issued on Strasbourg on 10th April following Commissioners visit to
Kosovo from 5 to 9 February 2017, link here.

Programme to deliver civil status documents to displaced persons residing in

Montenegro
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency supported a
bilateral meeting between the Civil Registration
Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the
Ministry of Interior in Montenegro held in Pristina
on 1 March. Parties discussed the achievements,
obstacles and further needs to advance the
implementation of the 2011 Memorandum of
Understanding on Civil Status Registration
between Kosovo and Montenegro. Since mid of
2014, Kosovo officials from the Civil Registration
Agency, with the support of UNHCR and its
implementing partner Civil Rights
Programme/Kosovo, conducted several visits to Montenegro in order to register the displaced persons
originally from Kosovo. During the visits, applications for civil status documents were collected and
were delivered to the applicants. In addition, extracts of birth certificates were delivered to those in
need. During the ongoing programme to deliver civil status documents to displaced persons residing in
Montenegro, a considerable number of them have been registered and documented.
During the meeting it was reviewed the overall implementation progress. Mr. Erdon Arifaj, Coordinator
of mobile team that visited displaced persons in Montenegro, informed that out of 1,400 cases that
applied for Kosovo documents, 900 have been already completed by obtaining birth extracts, IDs and
other documents. He also informed about other cases that should soon receive requested documents.
The meeting was addressed by the representatives of the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry
of Interior in Montenegro, UNHCR in Kosovo and Montenegro, OSCE in Montenegro, NGOs Pravni
centar in Podgorica and Civil Rights Programme/Kosovo.

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 Chief of mission met with Deputy Minister of
the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Chief of UNHCR Mission in Kosovo, Narasimha Rao,
met with Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs, Valdet Hoxha. They agreed to continue
cooperation and harmonize the activities to help
persons of concern. UNHCR provides support to the
Ministry of Internal Affairs in the area of reception of
people seeking international protection.

Students from the European Master's Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation
(EMA) from Venice and Vienna visited UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency office in Pristina was
glad to welcome a group of students from the
European Master's Degree in Human Rights and
Democratisation (EMA) from Venice and Vienna, who
came to learn about our work in Kosovo. The students
were informed about needs of asylum-seekers and
refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees
and the support provided by UNHCR.
UNHCR continues to support voluntary returnees
Bashkim is a returnee who came back home from Skopje after
spending there many years as a displaced person. He was very
excited when the UN Refugee Agency delivered him a kiosk,
which he can use it as a shop for repairing equipment. UNHCR
also provided to him tools for work. Bashkim returned
voluntarily to Kosovo, Municipality of Obiliq/c following house
construction by EU-RRK IV an EU-funded program managed by
the EU Office in Kosovo in partnership with the Ministry of
Communities and Return (MCR), implemented by the IOM in
Kosovo. I can repair electronic equipments. Finally, I can do
this work at my kiosk and at my home! he said. UNHCR also delivered to the family food and non-food
items, basic furniture, house appliances and firewood.
Returnee women learn about small business
Together with the returnee women from Nakll near Peja/Pe
we met on Womens Day a lady that plants flowers and opened a
small business. She told her experience and a good will to
progress. She encouraged returnee women to take this example
and start their business. Returnee woman from Konik camp in
Montenegro who voluntarily returned a year ago in Kosovo met
also Sabiha Berisha Spahija an advisor of Employment office in
Peja who informed them about procedures on registration for
seeking job. They were informed on how they can attend free
courses to develop skills and make possible their inclusion in the job market. They also met Artan Gashi, Director
of the Directorate of Economic Development of Municipality of Peja who informed them about procedures of
registering a business.

Contacts: UNHCR office in Pristina, E-mail: halilis@unhcr.org, Tel: +381 38 241 509 Ext. 2701