UNHCR Kosovo* update

May June 2017

Key Figures

January to June
98,000 arrivals in Europe

8,975 refugees and migrants

arrived by sea in Greece

47,555 refugees and Two men carry sick and injured children to safety through the rubble of a
migrants present in street in the old city of Mosul on June 24, 2017. UNHCR/Cengiz Yar
Greece
Annual Global Trends - UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, issued
2,174 died/ missing in its annual Global Trends report which showed the number of
Mediterranean people displaced worldwide had risen to 65.6 million by the end
of 2016, its highest level ever.

13,973 Relocated during World Refugee Day marked

January to May from Greece
to the EU under the EU
Relocation Mechanism
(20,300 persons have been
relocated within the EU
from Italy and Greece by
end of May)

1,217 Returns from Greece

to Turkey under the EU
Turkey Statement On 20th June, UNHCR in partnership with the Ministry of Internal
Affairs, DokuFest (Kosovo film festival) and a singer Mentor Haziri
Western Balkans organized an open event for public in Pristina with screening of a
short movie Home, promotion of a song Survivor dedicated to
60 refugees remain in the
people forced to flee and with music concert by Mentor Haziri.
former Yugoslav Republic of
Chief of UNHCR mission in Kosovo, Narasimha Rao, made an
Macedonia opening speech followed by the Deputy Minister of Ministry of
5,900 refugees and migrants Internal Affairs, Valdet Hoxha. Participants included authorities,
remain in Serbia media and the general public.
*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council
Resolution 1244 (1999).

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UN High Commissioner for Refugees Statement on World Refugee Day
In a statement marking World Refugee Day, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said the
uncertainties of todays world could make people want to shut their eyes to the plight of those displaced
by war, persecution and violence. However, he added that fear and exclusion would only lead to barriers,
alienation and despair. On June 20, World Refugee Day, we honour the resilience and courage of more
than 65 million people who have been forced to flee war, persecution and violence, Grandi said. But
its also a moment to recognise those communities and people around the world who receive refugees
and the internally displaced in their midst, offering them a safe place, and welcoming them in their
schools, their workplaces and their societies. World Refugee Day provides a moment to ask ourselves
what each of us can do to overcome indifference or fear and embrace the idea of inclusion, he said,
concluding: Because, when we stand together #WithRefugees, we also stand for respect and diversity
for all.

Security key to solving soaring South Sudan displacement

The biggest displacement last year was
South Sudan, the worlds youngest country
where the disastrous breakdown of peace
efforts last July contributed to the outflow
of 739,900 people by the end of the year.
As the conflict and hunger grew, that
number has soared to 1.87 million today.
If there is no security, there is no point,
Grandi said, after meeting and talking to
displaced families at the protection of
civilians site about their needs. The theme
of security is very prevailing here. With Internally displaced women from South Sudan, now living in a site for
violence raging on the outside, and massive displaced people in Juba. UNHCR/Petterik Wiggers
overcrowding in the site, UNHCR and humanitarian partners are struggling to provide basic needs such
as water, food and medical care.

UNHCR chief praises Ugandas commitment to refugees

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo
Grandi (right) talks with South Sudanese refugees after their
arrival at Imvepi settlement, Uganda. UNHCR/Rocco Nuri
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi
praised Ugandas continued commitment to hosting
refugees and called for greater global support for the
countrys progressive policies for helping the forcibly
displaced. In his address to the Uganda Solidarity
Summit on Refugees, held in the capital, Kampala,
on 23 June, the High Commissioner said Uganda
continues to show a profound commitment to
enabling refugees to pursue self-reliance and live in
dignity while in exile. The goal of the meeting is to
give due recognition to Ugandas generosity in
hosting nearly 1.3 million refugees, and to call on the
international community to do more.
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UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie in Nairobi, appeals for child refugees
UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie marked
World Refugee Day 2017 visiting adolescent
refugee girls in Nairobi. Ms. Jolie met around
200 refugee girls, who are unaccompanied or
separated from their parents and are now living
in the Heshima Kenya Safe House and
participating in a Girls Empowerment Project.
The girls have fled extreme violence or
persecution in Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi,
and Rwanda. Almost all have suffered sexual and
UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie meets children and siblings of
gender-based violence, robbing them of their vulnerable female refugees in Nairobi. UNHCR/Mark Henley
childhoods. Many have given birth after being
raped, or are pregnant. They told the Special Envoy about their personal stories and their lives today.

The FC Barcelona Foundation and UNHCR launch campaign in support of refugee children
In an exclusive video, FC Barcelona players Messi and Neymar Junior kick off the #SignAndPass campaign,
urging football fans and ordinary citizens to stand with refugee children. The Sign and Pass Campaign
is inspired by Barcelonas football philosophy where one-touch, short passing between players has been
a hallmark of their recent success. Supporters can digitally sign a football online and then pass it to their
friends via social media. By signing the ball supporters add their name to UNHCRs #WithRefugees petition
which calls on world governments and fellow citizens to make sure all refugees can have a safe place to
live, receive an education and are able to work so they can provide for their families.

Iraqis say militants gun down civilians escaping fighting in old Mosul
In the week to June 21, some 20,000 Iraqis
fled western Mosul. Most, like Abu Taha,
escaped intense street fighting in the old city
where Iraqi forces are trying to wrest back
control of the final pocket in the city held by
militants. According to government figures,
more than 875,000 people have fled Mosul
since the battle for the city began in October
2016, nearly 700,000 from western Mosul
alone. Over 679,000 people remain displaced,
the majority sheltering in camps around
People who have remained living in liberated parts of Eastern Mosul Mosul.
gather at an aid distribution. UNHCR/Ivor Prickett

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 May - June
Information event on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and
Global Compact for Refugees
On 18 May, IOM and UNHCR mission in
Kosovo held an information event in
Pristina on the Global Compact for Safe,
Orderly and Regular Migration and Global
Compact for Refugees, based on
commitments of the New York Declaration
for Refugees and Migrants adopted on 19
September 2016, by the United Nations
General Assembly. The New York
Declaration is based on the need to
enhance protection of refugees and
migrants. Participants of the event in
Pristina affirmed the need for solidarity and obligations for respect of the human rights of refugees and
migrants. Speakers also focused on the situation within the region and in Kosovo in relation to protection
of asylum seekers and refugees and migrants. Participants included the local government authorities,
international and local NGOs, UN representatives and local institutions that work closely on refugee and
migration issues. The event was addressed by Mr. Dalibor Jevti, Minister of Communities and Return,
Mr. Valdet Hoxha and Mr. Milan Radojevi, Deputy Ministers of Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mr. Kushtrim
Sheremeti, Senior Advisor of Ministry of Diaspora, Mr. Andrew Russell, UNDC and UNDP Resident
Representative, Mr. Peter Van der Auweraert, IOM Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Western Balkans,
Ms. Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Regional Deputy Representative for South-Eastern Europe and Mr.
Narasimha Rao, Chief of UNHCR Mission in Kosovo. This information event highlighted the need for a
closer coordination of all international and local actors to get stronger and be able to help refugees and
migrants.

Training on refugee protection focusing on principle of non-refoulement, non-

penalization and immigration detention
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and its
implementing partner Kosova
Rehabilitation Centre for Tortured Victims
(KRCT) organized in Pristina a three days
(27 29 June) training on refugee
protection focusing on important issues as
principle of non-refoulement, non-
penalization and immigration detention.
The training is facilitated by Mr. Ben Lewis,
an international human rights lawyer from
International Detention Coalition, which
has Memorandum of Understanding with UNHCR in a global context to help, provide resources and
training. Participants of the training include officials of Directorate for Foreigners and Migration, the
Department for Citizenship, Asylum and Migration (DCAM), Border Police, Ombudsman Institution,
Detention Centre for Foreigners, Centre for Asylum Seekers, and UNHCR implementing partner Civil
Rights Programme/ Kosovo.

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Support to the voluntary returnee families
UNHCR Deputy Regional Representative for South Eastern
Europe, office in Sarajevo, meets returnees in
Lubozhd/Ljubozda on 18 May 2017
On 17 May, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency visited
returnees who recently returned in
Lubozhd/Ljubozda in the municipality of
Istog/Istok. The visit was to learn about their living
conditions. Thirteen heads of families returned in
Lubozhd/Ljubozda on 27 March this year, after
spending many years in displacement. We plan to
work and to live here, said one of the returnees. I
feel very happy coming back, he added. The
returnees expect support from local authorities and
from donors to be able to reconstruct houses. Ms.
Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Deputy Regional
Representative for South Eastern Europe, office in
Sarajevo, was pleased to meet with returnees in
Lubozhd/Ljubozda. She was curious to know how
they lived while in displacement and about their
hope for the future.

On 22 May, UNHCR supported two returnee

families with an aid package of food and
non-food items and basic furniture in
Gjilan/Gnjilane town. The assistance
provided aims to help them to build their life
in a new location. The families spent many
years in displacement in Skopje. A returnee
woman Hamdije, mother of three children
was very happy to receive our assistance.
She showed us the rooms that were
renovated and the garden. The family has no
property and they are accommodated in the
house that belongs to someone else.
However, they were still happy to return to Gjilan. UNHCR will continue to support both families.

On 25 May, UNHCR office in Pristina

supported another family to return in
Kosovo after spending many years in
displacement in Skopje. The family of
five members is back in Plemetin,
Obiliq/ Obilic municipality and is
residing in a rental arrangement.
UNHCR will support the family with the
payment for the rent for the period of
one year. The family was helped with
food and non-food items and basic
furniture. UNHCR staff advised Qazim
about procedures on obtaining
personal documents to be able to
exercise his legal rights.

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UNHCR and Ombudsperson Institution signed a Memorandum of Cooperation
Chief of UNHCR Mission in Kosovo, Narasimha Rao, and the
Kosovo Ombudsperson, Hilmi Jashari, signed a
Memorandum of Cooperation, the purpose of which is
provision of a framework within which UNHCR and the
Ombudsperson Institution can develop and undertake
collaborative activities and projects in the area of
protection, monitoring and promotion of human rights and
fundamental freedoms of asylum seekers, refugees,
stateless persons, displaced persons and voluntary returnees.

Students learn on refugee law and refugee protection

On 19 May, students of Faculty of Law of University of
Pristina Hasan Prishtina told us what they learned
during the course on refugee law. They passed the
exam successfully after lectures presented by UNHCR,
the UN Refugee Agency mission in Kosovo and its
implementing partner Civil Rights Programme/Kosovo.
The lectures were part of the activities of UNHCR, Civil
Rights Programme/Kosovo and the Faculty of Law after
an agreement on cooperation was signed. The
students of Faculty of Law that attended the course
received certificates on the field of refugee protection.
They also worked on a case study by performing a
simulation of the refugee status determination
interview. In addition to area of the refugee protection,
the course included lectures on issues related
to statelessness. Dean of the Faculty of Law Professor
Haxhi Gashi, Vice-Dean for Education-Academic Affairs
Professor Besfort Rrecaj, UNHCR Chief of Mission
Narasimha Rao, UNHCR Protection Officer Merita
Ahma and Head of CRP/K Naim Osmani thanked the
students for their commitment and interest to learn
about international legal framework for refugee protection and legislation on asylum. We all
congratulated students for success and getting knowledge and the certificate about refugee concerns.
Sub-working group on Personal Documentation met
Following on the recommendations deriving from the Inter-
institutional Initiative on Durable Solutions for Displaced Persons
from Kosovo, sub-working group on Personal Documentation,
supported by UNHCR and OSCE held its second meeting on 19 May
in Pristina. The participants from UNHCR, OSCE, Ministry of
Communities and Returns, and the Agency for Civil Registration
discussed prioritized action points and agreed on concrete actions
to be undertaken in forthcoming period, as well as agreed on the
follow up actions.

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