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“Refugee Problems and their Solutions” - Address of Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at Oslo on 12 December 1955
12 Dec 1955 Essence of the refugee problem: find a home
2,200,000 refugees now under UNHCR mandate, over half in Europe
But this mandate still excludes many more (e.g. Palestinians, East Germans in West, Europeans in China, Indian Moslems in Pakistan, Pakistani Hindus in India)
Difference is that UNHCR mandate refugees are aliens in their country of asylum
Convention now ratified by 15 parliaments
Protection starts with the eligibility process
Within Europe the demand for repatriation following WWII has now subsided
9 million returned home 1945-7, only 70,000 1947-51
Most remaining refugees dream of a new life overseas
But in reality there are limited places, and they tend to go to the fittest and brightest
So assimilation becomes the most likely solution for most refugees, like it or not
UNHCR not an operational agency (voluntary agencies do this)
This keeps costs and staff requirements down (currently 123 at headquarters and branch offices)
Main battle for UNHCR has been to persuade governments that the refugee issue not solved
Turning point 1: authorisation to establish a Refugee Emergency Fund for neediest
Turning point 2: thanks to a Ford Foundation donation, longer-term integration projects possible and seen as workable
Turning point 3: General Assembly approves a 4-year programme
Unfortunately, raising the funds for the programme has proved troublesome
The existence of so many refugees in Europe in wretched conditions shames us all -
Address by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on the occasion of the award of the 1954 Nobel Prize for Peace to UNHCR, 10 December 1955
10 Dec 1955 -
Statement by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, 4 October 1955
4 Oct 1955 The Nansen Medal
The three solutions (repatriation, resettlement, integration)
Overriding rule: refugee must decide himself
However, his choice may not always be available
Thanks to government of USSR, meetings with refugees in camps in Austria, whose repatriation decisions appeared free and fair
5 years since UNHCR instituted, retrospective of achievements in that time
Difficulties with financing integration
Approval of UNHCR's 4-year integration programme a new departure
Advisory Committee becomes Executive Committee
Issue of refugee eligibility
15 ratifications of Convention (most recent Ecuador)
Protection: Importance of travel documents, particularly for refugee seamen
Situations in Germany, Austria, Trieste, Hong Kong
Importance of co-ordination on programmes
Difficulty of separating refugee and overpopulation issues
The new UNHCR programme targeted first of all at those still in camps (some 70,000)
HC also considering help for special groups in France and Belgium
Need for regular funding for programme success
Programme currently only 50% funded
Opportunities for resettlement limited, so realistic alternative for most refugees is integration
Resettlement developments by European governments (Sweden singled out for praise)
Importance of voluntary agencies at operational level
Dutch "give me a key to a door" campaign -
Address by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the death of Fridtjof Nansen, 13 May 1955
13 May 1955 Nansen's polar adventures
Diplomat and League of Nations delegate
Work for Russian and Armenian refugees
HC has instituted a medal in Nansen's honour
A model to the young
The only true way to honour his memory is to try to follow his great example -
Christmas Message for Refugees by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 22 December 1954
22 Dec 1954 Addressed to 80,000+ refugees in 200 camps across Europe
$12-million UN emigration and integration programme to begin in coming year
Includes training, housing, placement, special arrangements for old and ill
Copies in local languages in all camps -
Statement by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on the occasion of the entry into force of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 22 April 1954
22 Apr 1954 Convention comes into force in 5 new countries (Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia)
Convention already in force in Germany
These plus UK have now ratified -
Speech by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at the 14th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), 1 January 1954
1 Jan 1954 Basic needs of refugees
IRO legacy populations (Shanghai, Trieste)
Emphasis on long-term solutions should not be at expense of immediate assistance to needy
Understandable reluctance of governments to spend reconstruction funding on alien refugees in camps rather than their own citizens
Consequent need for UN to enable targeted lending
First steps toward this in Germany (Expellee Bank)
Issue of refugee integration in Austria, lack of credit facilities
Agreement with government of Italy on refugee documentation
Support of Holy See
Work of voluntary agencies -
Text of the speech by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to the Council of Europe, 1954
1 Jan 1954 Council of Europe a friend to UNHCR
HC's regard for Council because it includes elected representatives
Differences and overlaps between refugee mandates of Council and UNHCR
Issue of refugees who do not enjoy the rights of nationals
Number concerned is 350,000, including 88,000 in camps
UNHCR has no operational capacity for voluntary repatriation
Council's role in resettlement limited by need for preparation by the (non-European) receiving country
Similarly, continued integration requires an increase in economic absorptive capacity in the countries involved
Europe's special role in refugee affairs -
Statement by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at the Meeting of the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, 13 October 1953
13 Oct 1953 UNHCR's work to date involves both operations and protection
Statutes and General Assembly Resolutions governing UNHCR's work
Since refugee flows are not static, important for UNHCR to be flexible too
The "refugee problem" is in fact a myriad of separate problems (e.g. relations with governments, refugee records, unaccompanied children, camps etc. etc.)
UNHCR staff worldwide = 99 people
HC proud that so few have been able to achieve so much
Convention: 5 made of 6 ratifications needed to bring it into force (Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany)
Consequences of errors in assessing UNHCR's first-year budget requirements
Issue of 15,000 European refugees in Shanghai
Thanks to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland for help with "difficult cases" (and HC's hatred of term "hard core")
Issue of the Volksdeutsche in Austria
Issue of difficult cases in Trieste
Need for international oversight of spending by voluntary agencies of international money
United Nations Refugee Emergency Fund (for assistance to most needy) is broke
Issue of 100,000+ still in camps in Europe
Methods of spinning out scarce funds
Cheap housing in Germany
Issues of refugees in Yugoslavia and Chinese in Hong Kong
6 conclusions:
1. Solving refugee problems needs co-operation and co-ordination, UN right for the job
2. UNHCR works best when allowed to look at all aspects of refugee problems
3. "refugees do not require any new machinery to be established for their benefit, but a better use of existing machinery"
4. Governments should give attention at a higher level to refugee problems
5. Solutions require long-term planning; 5-year term for UNHCR seems better than current 2
6. Funding uncertainty for the most needy compromises UN principles and promises.