THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION

ASSISTED VOLUNTARY RETURN AND

REINTEGRATION (AVRR)- A BRIEF OVERVIEW

Mark GetchellRegional Representative

IOM Canberra

About Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration

• Orderly, human and cost-effective return and reintegration of migrants who are unable or unwilling to remain in host countries and wish to return voluntarily to their countries of origin

• Part of a comprehensive approach to migration management, which includes timely asylum adjudication, effective removals of irregular migrants, regular immigration options and accurate public information on those options.

Voluntary Return

• Freedom of choice and informed decision• Absence of coercion

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR)

IOM Policy on AVRR

• Safeguard migrants’ dignity and rights

• Ensure migrants have access to protection and refugee determination mechanisms

• Preserve the integrity of regular migration structures and asylum procedures;

• Enhance cooperation between origin, transit & host countries

• Promote comprehensive voluntary return approaches, inclusive of post-return reintegration assistance

• Address the root causes underlying irregular

Principles of AVRR Assistance

• Return must be voluntary

– Fully informed decision without coercion

• Possibility for the migrant to change his/her mind

• Travel documents & immigration records devoid of any reference to deportation procedures

• No deportation procedures have been initiated

– Applicants not in receipt of a deportation order

Beneficiaries of AVRR

• Asylum seekers who, having claimed asylum, subsequently choose not to pursue their asylum claim;

• Persons whose asylum claim has been rejected;

• Migrants in an irregular situation;

• Persons with refugee status, or enjoying temporary protected status, who choose to return home;

• Victims of trafficking;

• Any person with legal status in the host country, but without means to return home (including e.g. stranded persons, and students);

• Labour migrants at the end of their contracts;

• Persons in emergency situations, requiring rapid return assistance.

Types of AVRR programmes

• AVRRs have been operating close to three decades now beginning with the German REAG programme

• At present, IOM operates more than 30 AVRR regular programmes and some 100 projects world-wide

• IOM operates three types of AVRR programmes

a) General return assistance for irregular migrants, unsuccessful asylum seekers, refugees and others wishing to return to their home country

b) Specific return and reintegration assistance tailored to the needs of certain groups (vulnerable, skilled nationals etc)

c) Assistance to migrants stranded in transit countries

AVRR Activities Worldwide

IOM facilitates voluntary returns of migrants worldwide. From 2005-2009 alone, IOM provided assistance to over 126,000 returning migrants

25,180 26,703

21,090 22,347

30,699

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Assisted Voluntary Returns, 2005-2009

Three Components of AVR

Pre-Departure• Outreach, Information & Counselling• Information on the country of origin • Health assessment & health care provision; family tracing for

unaccompanied minors• Travel preparation (passports, visa/stamps assistance, escort, shelter,

medical assistance)

Return-Transportation • Travel arrangements; assistance at embarkation• Payment of installation grant/pocket money (if applicable)• Transit assistance

Post-Return Post-Return • Reception, information & counselling• Socio-economic reinsertion & reintegration support – referrals & monitoring• Referral to medical care and service providers

Key Features of AVRR

Migrants:• Takes into account migrant’s decision• Ensures respect for human rights• Avoids stigma of forced return & negative repercussions for reintegration• Provides counselling, financial and/or logistical and reintegration support

GovernmentsGovernments:

• Generally more cost effective• Politically palatable • Enhanced cooperation between countries

Countries of Origin:

• Ensures the rights and dignity of their nationals• May include reintegration assistance for individuals and/or their communities

Statistical Overview (1)

Returns by Region (Emigrating Region)

Returns by Region(Immigrating Region)

**Data reflects 2009 statistics

85%

9%

3% 3%

EuropeAfrica/Middle EastAmericasAsia/Oceania

29%

26%

25%

20%

EuropeAfrica/Middle EastAmericasAsia/Oceania

Statistical Overview (2)

5143

4012

3241

2661 2582

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

UK Germany Austria Belgium Netherlands

Top 5 Sending Countries

26192537 2504

1016 941

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Brazil Iran Russia China Afghanistan

Top 5 Destination Countries

**Data reflects 2009 statistics

REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE

Reintegration Overview

• Reintegration assistance tailored to individual needs- a one size fits all approach is not most effective

• Key tools for facilitating reintegration assistance include- information on conditions in country- socio economic profiling of returnees- post return monitoring

• Reintegration assistance should not only be directed at the migrants but also assist in wider context the community affected by the return

• Rehabilitation of the Thi Al Norain Primary School for Girls / Kirkuk Governorate

Types of Assistance Description

Reintegration allowances

• consists of cash grants (pre departure/post arrival)

Temporary Reception Arrangements

• Can range from a few weeks to a few months accommodation

Micro/Small Business Development

• Provision of credit/grants to start small business

Community Assistance • Building of schools, hospitals, training facilities, etc

Institutional Approach • Promotion of self employment/on the job training

Socio Economic Assistance

• Consist of assistance in kind (education, business set up, training)

The Impact of Reintegration Assistance

• Contributes to a sustainable return

• Contributes to broader economic development

• Critical in post-conflict situations

• Provides support in reconstruction and rehabilitation

• Allows for effective evaluation and monitoring of returnees

• Contributes to capacity building of partner NGOs and institutions in countries of return

• Allows for cooperation amongst all actors

Tailoring return and reintegration assistance policies

• Tailoring return and reintegration programmes to country specific circumstances

• Adapting return and reintegration procedures to vulnerable groups

• Roles of possible contributions of countries of origin, transit and destination key in return migration management

• The need to develop partnerships to make effective return policies and practices

• Dealing with capacity issues in countries of origin and transit (i.e large numbers, post conflict situations, vulnerable migrants etc)

AVRR support for vulnerable groups

• Tailored assistance to vulnerable groups

– UAMs

– Returnees with health needs

– Victims of trafficking

– Single headed family with minors

– Elderly

– Minorities

Afghan support packages 2009-2010

Type of business # business

Grocery shop 171

Taxi car 127

Animal husbandry 82

Fabrics selling shop 50

Cloth business 30

Tractor 31

Auto spare parts 36

Mobile Phone selling shop 18

Construction material store 14

Cement selling 14

IOM has assisted over 7,600 Afghans with their returns, approximately 2,500 of whom received individually tailored reintegration assistance packages.

Over 70 different individualized packages developed. These represent the 10 most popular businesses

The recently completed temporary accommodation center in Kabul increases the government’s capacity to manage return migration through offering shelter and immediate protection to the returnees in need of assistance.

The facility can accommodate 38-76 individuals at one time.

IOM Afghanistan

AVR Iraq

AVR to Iraq 2003-2010 (Sept.). Total 18.843

3771

3116

1817

2736

2013

9261537

2527

0500

1000150020002500300035004000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010(Sept.)

Top 10 Business Set-up Categories

21%

13%

10%

5%4%4%4%

4%

3%

2%

30%

Livestock

Grocery

Clothes and Textiles

Electrical Appliances

Car Spare Parts

Telephones

Car Mechanic

Household Goods

Construction

Aluminum Works

Others

IOM Iraq AVRR

IOM Iraq AVRR

Top 10 Job Placement Categories

20%

15%

8%5%5%3%2%2%2%2%

36%

Worker

Sales Assistant

Driver

Assistant

Seller

Waiter

Guard

Accountant

Monitor

Employee

Others

IOM Iraq

AVR to Iraq by Age Distribution

7.5%

0.3%

19.2%

53.6%

17.8%

0.6% 0.5% 0.4%

0 - 14 15 - 17 18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 54 55 - 59 60 - 64 65 +

AVR to Iraq by Gender Distribution (Male 95%, Female 5%)

11%

30%

3% 3% 6%15%

47% 50%

89%

70%

97% 97% 94%85%

53% 50%

0 - 14 15 - 17 18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 54 55 - 59 60 - 64 65 +

Male

Female

IOM Iraq

IOM INDONESIAASSISTED VOLUNTARY RETURN BY CITIZENSHIIP

TOTAL2010

TOTAL2009

GRAND TOTAL (2004-2010)

AFGHANISTAN 366 352 1163

ANGOLA 0   4

BANGLADESH 5   7

CAMBODIA 2   4

EGYPT 0   1

INDIA 0   4

IRAN 24 13 138

IRAQ 1   92

JORDAN 0   20

MAROCCO 0   1

NEPAL 0   15

PAKISTAN 4 18 126

SAUDI ARABIA 0   2

SIERRA LEONE 2   4

SOMALIA 0   1

SRI LANKA 24 25 145

SYRIA 0   4

THAILAND 0   1

TURKEY 0   17

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 0   2

VIETNAM 15 5 135

YEMEN 0   3

 Totals 497 413 1941

Thank You

International Organization for Migration 17 Route des Morillons

CH-1211 Geneva 19 - Switzerlandwww.iom.int