ProjectsFundedbytheBureauof)Population,) …Population,) ... Department’s’ Bureau’ of’ Population,’ Refugees,’and’Migration’ ... Document’ for’ Peace’ in ...

Written and compiled by Jay Saker

Projects Funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

2014 – 2015

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Acknowledgements

Jesuit Refugee Service/USA thanks the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) for its generous support for refugee programs in Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Thailand. PRM has funded JRS programs across the globe since 2005.

Secondary education in Kounoungou Refugee Camp, Chad. (Christian Fuchs –

JRS/USA)

Music lessons in Mai Aini Refugee Camp, Ethiopia. (Christian Fuchs – JRS/USA)

Basic Counselling Skills training in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. (JRS/USA)

Urban asylum seekers and JRS staff in Bangkok, Thailand. (JRS/USA)

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Table of Contents

Chad: Secondary Education for Sudanese Refugees in Mile, Kounoungou, Iridimi, Am-‐Nabak, and Touloum Refugee Camps ............................................................................................................... 4

Background ......................................................................................................................................................... 4

Program Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Accomplishments ............................................................................................................................................. 6

Lessons Learned & Challenges ................................................................................................................... 7

Ethiopia: Provision of Psycho-‐social and Recreational Services for Eritreans in Mai Aini Refugee Camp ............................................................................................................................................................. 9

Background ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Program Objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 10

Accomplishments .......................................................................................................................................... 11

Lessons Learned & Challenges ................................................................................................................ 11

Kenya: Kakuma Social Services Program ................................................................................................... 12

Background ...................................................................................................................................................... 12




Thailand: Bangkok Urban Refugee Assistance and Protection Project ......................................... 17

Background ...................................................................................................................................................... 17




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Chad Secondary Education for Sudanese Refugees in Mile, Kounoungou, Iridimi, Am-‐

Nabak, and Touloum Refugee Camps (S-‐PRMCO-‐14-‐CA-‐1135)

Country: Chad

Locations: Mile, Kounoungou, Iridimi, Am-‐Nabak, and Touloum Refugee Camps

Program Dates: 07/01/2014 – 06/30/2015

PRM Funding: $440,685 JRS Co-‐Funding: $0

Direct Beneficiaries: 4,965 People Indirect Beneficiaries: 113,890 People

Refugees: 4,965 People Non-‐Refugees: 0 People

Background

The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 when the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Army took up arms against the Sudanese government in Khartoum. The rebels wanted a greater share of political power and demanded further development of Darfur’s infrastructure, which had been greatly neglected by the central administration. The Sudanese government fought the rebels directly and with armed proxy forces – mostly Arabic speaking pastoral tribes. The government-‐supported militias, known as the Janjaweed, embarked on a campaign that depopulated large swaths of land.

The violence displaced farmers who were sympathetic to the anti-‐government rebels – predominantly those from the Fur, Massaleit, and Zaghawa tribes. Fighting erupted among tribes competing for scarce resources and access to land. In July 2011, one rebel group, the Liberation and Justice Movement, and the Sudanese government signed the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. Despite this agreement, insecurity, limited economic opportunity, and land occupation prevent many IDPs and refugees from returning home.

The crisis in Darfur displaced nearly three million people. Refugees predominantly fled to the Central African Republic and Chad. The influx of refugees since the conflict’s start in 2003 led to the establishment of twelve refugee camps in eastern Chad. However, the environment in Chad was hardly a safe haven, as refugees still faced insecurity, violence, and banditry. In 2013, the refugee situation became worse as 30,000 new refugees fled Darfur for eastern Chad because of fighting over gold mines; intertribal violence between the Salamat and Misseriya was also a cause of migration. UNHCR opened a camp at Ab Gadam for these new refugees.

In December 2014, UNHCR reported that 368,290 Sudanese refugees lived in Chad, all fearful to return home because of the instability.

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Education in the camps of eastern Chad offers a measure of protection for students, as well as a sense of normalcy, dignity, and a hope for a better future. JRS started operating in the Mile and Kounoungou camps in 2007, where it offered training for primary school teachers. By 2008, JRS had partnered with UNHCR to offer preschool and primary school in the camps. Like the other camps of eastern Chad, access to primary education had been generally guaranteed; however, secondary education opportunities for students completing grade eight were limited.

JRS recognized the gap, and by October 2008 launched secondary schools in Mile and Kounoungou, supported by private donations and the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund. By 2012, UNHCR had designated secondary education as a priority for Chad. The success of primary education created a growing student population, but UNHCR budget cuts made it difficult to adequately meet students’ needs. In 2013, JRS assumed responsibility for three additional secondary schools in the camps Iridimi, Touloum, and Am-‐Nabak. JRS sought support from PRM so it could continue to provide quality secondary education.

In 2012, an additional challenge was introduced: UNHCR and the Chadian government mandated that refugee camp secondary schools would adopt the Chadian school curriculum by the 2014-‐2015 school year, replacing the Sudanese curriculum. Their objective was to begin integrating Sudanese refugees into the national educational system, instruct students in French and Chadian Arabic, and increase opportunities for students to continue their studies outside the camps. However, the refugee communities were resistant to adopting the Chadian curriculum, as most still expect to return to Sudan, resulting in dissatisfaction among refugee parents in Chad.

Image is courtesy of UNHCR. JRS program sites are circled in yellow.

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Program Objectives

In 2014, JRS identified that there were considerable gaps in terms of student attendance and performance, qualified teachers, and the community’s level of engagement and self-‐reliance in the secondary schools of the Mile, Kounoungou, Iridimi, Am-‐Nabak, and Touloum refugee camps.

JRS sought to increase the number of students enrolled in secondary school. However, this increase in students would create intense demands on the educational infrastructure in place, requiring new teaching and learning materials, classrooms, desks, latrines, incentives for additional teachers, and additional teacher training.

The JRS secondary education program planned to fill the gaps by providing the students with all necessary school supplies, furnishing classrooms with desks and furniture, paying for teacher incentives, creating better learning environments, and offering teacher development training. JRS also sought to teach students about important life topics like conflict resolution, human rights, and the prevention of sexual and gender-‐based violence and HIV/AIDS, in order to increase their resilience in the refugee camps.

Because JRS seeks to empower and build the capacities of refugee communities, JRS also taught French language classes and prepared students for the Chadian Baccalaureate exam, allowing students to seek higher education and employment in Chad. Further, JRS developed Associations of Parents of Students for each school in order to involve parents more in the administration of the schools and to strengthen their ownership of their children’s education.

Accomplishments

Improved learning environments and opportunities:

• 963 students were enrolled in the five secondary schools, and all received instruction with proper school supplies in a safe and learning conducive environment.

• Provided textbooks, a school kit (three pens and six notebooks), and one math kit (compass and ruler) to all enrolled students.

• Added a nursery to each camp so that the 62 students who are single mothers can attend school.

• 639 students completed French language classes to support their transition to the Chadian educational curriculum.

“The secondary schools in Milé and Kounoungou are now well equipped with computers, generators, desks for students, chairs for teachers; and the new classrooms in Milé have solar power. The refugees often thank us for these materials. They feel more self-‐reliant, and it motivates teachers and students to do their work well.” Jean Guy Kwuimi, Program Officer for JRS/Chad

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• 91 students completed preparation courses for the Chadian Baccalaureate exam. These classes included supplementary instruction in physics, math, philosophy, Arabic, English, chemistry, and life sciences.

• 70% of students in the Terminale class sat for the Chadian Baccalaureate exam. • 130 desks and benches were purchased and distributed for the classrooms. • 4 cabinets were built for secondary school libraries, and English and Arabic books

were purchased for all five camps. • 3 classrooms were rehabilitated, 1 classroom was constructed, and 1 teachers’ room

was constructed.

Provided teacher training and support:

• All 65 secondary school teachers received the necessary teaching materials, (wall charts, sports equipment, and science equipment), and proper supplies, (office equipment, chalk, paper).

• All teachers attended 5 training sessions focused on reinforcing their teaching skills and promoting crosscutting subjects, such as peace education and HIV/AIDS prevention.

• 43 teachers attended a pilot course on the French language.

Increased parent involvement and ownership of the secondary schools:

• 5 Association of Parents of Students (APEs) were created for the secondary schools • A training session was offered in every camp on the role of APEs and school

management.

Lessons Learned & Challenges

963 students enrolled in the secondary schools, 689 less than initially expected. The primary sources of lower enrollment were declining income, gender issues, early marriage, and curriculum change. While school fees have remained the same, the economic standing of the refugees was negatively affected by the cuts in monthly food distribution by the World Food Programme. Therefore, families have been less able to pay for their children to attend secondary schools. Further, the food cuts have increased malnutrition among children and young mothers, decreasing attendance.

In the refugee camps, girls still remain disproportionately engaged in family life by caring for children, gathering water, and doing other household chores. Therefore, girls have a higher rate of absenteeism and school dropout. In addition, many girls left school because of early marriages. Therefore, girls’ attendance and performance in secondary school is much lower in terms of quantity and quality when compared to primary school.

For teachers, the lack of manuals in different subjects and the difficulty in procuring teachers’ materials has created day-‐to-‐day gaps that cannot be filled by training alone.

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Finally, in the Kounoungou camp, water supply shortages have led to delays in finishing work constructing and rehabilitating classrooms. This water scarcity also affected the wellbeing of secondary students attending classes.

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Ethiopia Provision of Psycho-‐social and Recreational Services for Eritreans in Mai Aini

Refugee Camp (S-‐PRMCO-‐14-‐CA-‐1243)

Country: Ethiopia

Locations: Mai Aini Refugee Camp

Program Dates: 08/15/2014 – 08/14/2015

PRM Funding: $159,838 JRS Co-‐Funding: $7,101


Refugees: 1900 People Non-‐Refugees: 100 People

Background

In 1993, after a thirty year war for separation with Ethiopia, Eritrea gained independence. Since then, it has been ruled by an authoritarian regime which is responsible for systematic human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, domestic surveillance, indefinite military conscription, torture, forced labor, severely limited free expression and press freedoms, religious persecution, and sexual violence against women.

Five years later, Eritrea invaded Ethiopia, and the conflict that followed killed nearly 100,000 people, displaced 1.4 million more, and resulted in 400,000 land mines being placed in Eritrea’s most fertile regions. After the war ended in 2000, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki consolidated power, and has established an authoritarian rule that has made life unbearable for most in Eritrea.

In Afwerki’s Eritrea, national military service is compulsory. In practice, this means indefinite labor on government owned farms and businesses, sometimes extending several years past the initial enlistment period. Women in the military are frequently sexually assaulted and abused by their superiors. Conscripts face tremendous penalties for deserting or evading military service, including torture or detention in overcrowded prisons. Eritreans are subject to arrest for criticizing their government or practicing an unapproved religion. When detained, they often live in overcrowded conditions that are exposed to the weather, and are beaten, tortured, and fed starvation rations.

Since the conclusion of the 1998 Eritrean-‐Ethiopian War, Eritreans have been fleeing to Ethiopia in large numbers. As of December 2014, UNHCR reports that there are 363,077 refugees from Eritrea, 106,670 of which have fled to camps in Ethiopia. Seeking asylum is no easy task,

“One of the most challenging things that the refugees face is that need of going back home. Hope (to return home) is not yet visible in the near future … They have flashbacks of what they have seen in their lives, the dear ones they have seen being killed, the rape situations they have (experienced), and all these situations are a great challenge.” Tium Debesai, JRS Psychosocial Coordinator in Melkadida

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however, as those who flee risk capture and torture by the Eritrean Defense Forces or exorbitant fees from human traffickers.

The Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia cannot return home, as they face indefinite detention and abuse. Therefore, they languish in Ethiopia, waiting for permanent resettlement to a third country. Camp life has provided few creative outlets, opportunities for education, or recreation. This has been especially difficult for the young refugees who make up more than 80% of the Eritrean refugee population. They have increasingly turned to unhealthy activities like drinking and gambling in search of recreation. Further, many developed significant mental health problems, like loneliness, depression, boredom, and alienation. Parents and older refugees worry that younger refugees are losing their cultural identity.

The Mai Aini refugee camp in northern Ethiopia, in which JRS operates, is the second oldest camp in Ethiopia, and is full to capacity. UNHCR estimates that 18,500 Eritrean refugees live there, of which the majority are under age 24, and significant numbers are unaccompanied. These refugees face limited opportunities, and have been frustrated by the inability to seek asylum in Europe and other locations. Increasing numbers of refugees are choosing to leave the camp for Europe, which carries high risks, including kidnapping and death at the hands of human traffickers.

Program Objectives

In 2012, JRS began a three-‐year project to increase recreational opportunities for Eritrean refugees in the Mai Aini camp, in order to combat mental health issues and self-‐destructive behaviors. These activities were intended to promote both the mental and physical well-‐being of refugees, and today include intermural sports, sports skills and officiating classes, basic instrumental and vocal music courses, music appreciation and theory classes, talent competitions, dance lessons, dramatic theater workshops, and a fine arts program. In addition, a camp library has been administered, and new books for this library have been purchased

The program’s recreation activities intended to decrease idleness and ensure that participants remain healthy, active, and productive while they wait for a durable solution.

Image courtesy of UNHCR. JRS program sites are circled in yellow.

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In addition, it sought to prevent dangerous migration to Europe, which leaves refugees vulnerable to human traffickers.

Accomplishments

Promoted the mental and physical well-‐being of refugees and the positive use of their time:

• On average, 130 refugees used the recreational services every day. • Classes in sports skills were provided to 253 refugees, (in soccer, basketball, and

volleyball). • 4 classes were provided to train sports officiating. • 138 refugees completed basic keyboard, guitar, vocal, or traditional instruments

classes. • 137 refugees completed a course on music appreciation and music theory. • A year-‐long talent search competition was conducted, in which 72 refugees

competed. • 4 week-‐long traditional and modern dance classes were provided. • 4 week-‐long theater workshops were taught, two on acting training, one on theater

directing, and one on dramatic performance. • 10 theater and dance performances were conducted; most were centered on

important social themes, like deforestation, human trafficking, and pre-‐natal care. • 352 books were purchased for the camp library. • 6,181 refugees and host community members used the library. • 62 refugees participated in a sketching, drawing, and painting class. An exhibition

was opened during their graduation.


The host community from the nearby town has been allowed access to library services and sports games. This has helped develop a closer relationship between the refugee and host communities, as both groups have worked together in workshops, performances, and sports competitions.

Activities relating to physical fitness had the strongest attendance, and participants were generally very excited to learn new sports and improve their skills. Classes in traditional music and dance were least attended, likely due to refugees already being familiar with traditional arts. However, as promoting the refugees’ own culture is important to the objective of protecting mental health, JRS will continue to offer these traditional music and dance classes, seeking other ways to increase participation.

Refugees in different classes have requested more performances to demonstrate what they have learned to community members. Increasing the number of performances has the added benefit of recruiting more participants in recreational classes.

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Kenya Kakuma Social Services Program (S-‐PRMCO-‐14-‐CA-‐1268)

Country: Kenya

Locations: Kakuma Refugee Camp

Program Dates: 07/15/2014 – 07/14/2015



Refugees: 17,070 People Non-‐Refugees: 898 People

Background

The Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya is home to 174,920 refugees from twenty-‐two different countries. It was established in 1992 to serve Sudanese refugees. Today, the most significant refugee populations in the camp have fled from Somalia (55,050 refugees) and South Sudan (91,892 refugees), and others are from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan, and Uganda.

Somalia: Following the collapse of the dictatorial Barre government in 1991, Somalia entered a civil war which continues today. For nearly fifteen years, the country was without a legitimate or effective central government. War has ravaged the country’s infrastructure. Basic services are non-‐existent and the population suffers from extremely high mortality and malnutrition rates. Poor roads and insecurity hamper the delivery of international aid. Al-‐Shabaab – an Islamic insurgency that has been challenging the legitimacy of the Federal Government of Somalia – controls the country’s south, and bans most international humanitarian assistance.

Al-‐Shabaab has become a destabilizing force for Somalia and Kenya. The group executes terrorist attacks inside Kenya – most notably the Westgate Mall shooting in September 2013 – which have negatively influenced Kenyan attitudes about Somalis inside their country. Because of this deteriorating relationship, the Kenyan Government has enacted a policy that forces urban refugees to move to refugee camps like Kakuma.

Due to the Civil War’s violence and low standards of life inside Somalia, UNHCR estimates that there are 1.1 million Somali IDPs and another 1.1 million Somali refugees, of which 462,970 are registered in Kenya. In 2014, UNHCR facilitated a tripartite agreement between itself, Kenya, and the Federal Government of Somalia to begin the voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees living in Kenya. However, many believe that the high targets of repatriation are unrealistic and will not be achieved.

South Sudan: Historically, the Kakuma refugee camp has been a refuge for South Sudanese fleeing violence in Sudan. In 2011, South Sudan state peacefully declared independence from Sudan. By December 2013, however, civil war broke out over a political impasse between President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Reik Machar, both members of the two largest ethnic groups in the new country. Both Kiir and Machar utilized existing ethnic

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fissures and fearmongering to mobilize their bases throughout South Sudan. In addition to the deaths of thousands of civilians, the conflict has created 1.4 million IDPs and 754,544 refugees. The fighting has also resulted in widespread Sexual and Gender-‐Based Violence (SBGV) and other human rights violations, including unlawful killings, detainments, and arrests.

Kakuma Refugee Camp: JRS has provided services in Kakuma since 1994. Even though the population demographics have changed over time, the needs have remained largely the same. Refugees arriving at Kakuma have physical, material, and psychological issues that threaten their survival. JRS has specialized in providing psychosocial support that other NGOs in the camp do not provide.

Program Objectives

Due to the large influx of South Sudanese refugees and the forced encampment of Somali urban refugees, the population of Kakuma has expanded rapidly in the past few years. These population increases have led to shortfalls in the provision of psychosocial support to refugees and children, case management, alternative care support for separated and unaccompanied children, strengthening of community support mechanisms, and awareness of child rights and sexual abuse.

Therefore, in 2012, JRS began a three-‐year project to increase psychosocial support for Sudanese and Somali refugees in the Kakuma camp. These services include: individual and group counseling, training community counselors, a specialized facility for the protection of women and children from SGBV, and a mental health program that teaches education and life skills to refugees with developmental disabilities.


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Accomplishments

Improved psychological well-‐being through mental health services and training:

• Refugees were trained in three different levels of Basic Counselling Skills: 281 graduated from level one, 38 graduated from level two, and 25 graduated from level three.

• 9 Basic Counselling Skills graduates were hired as community counsellors. • Counsellors were trained in family and group therapy. • 45 group therapy sessions were offered to refugees. • 4,511 refugees received an average of eight individual counselling sessions from a

trained counsellor. • 220 refugee families received an average of eight counselling sessions from a

trained counsellor. • A large, permanent counselling space with three rooms for alternative therapy was

constructed. • 5885 newly arrived refugees were provided with psychological screening and

psychological first aid to help them adapt to the refugee camp.

Increased the psychosocial well-‐being of SGBV survivors by placement in a protection facility and offering counseling:

• 134 women and children were admitted to Safe Haven.

• All Safe Haven beneficiaries received psychosocial support, food and non-‐food items, counseling, life skills training, and case management services.

• 36 women participated in at least 80 hours a month of tailoring training and adult literacy classes.

• 49% of children admitted to Safe Haven continued their education at least 80 hours a month.

• A training event was held on the root causes of, prevention of, and responses to SGBV.

• 74 beneficiaries were discharged after durable solutions were found for their cases. • Sports equipment, games, and books were purchased for the boys’ Safe Haven

facility. • 193 unaccompanied girls in the Safe Haven were provided with sanitary kits. • A total of 51 camp community leaders attended two different SGBV-‐awareness

trainings. • 27 foster parents attended child protection principles classes, focusing on caring for

child survivors and preventing child abuse. • 113 unaccompanied children were provided with secure accommodation with a

foster family.

“Equipping the safe haven participants with these skills improves their healing process and enables them to feel safe, secure and at ease with themselves.” Jeremiah Orongo Otieno, JRS Safe Haven Assistant Coordinator in Kakuma

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Improved the psychosocial well-‐being of intellectually and developmentally disabled persons and their families through training and support:

• A five-‐day training course on learning disabilities was provided to 54 refugees. • 54 parents were trained in the management of people living with intellectual and

developmental disabilities. • Four centers provided daytime care to 169 children with learning disabilities. They

received instruction in numeracy and literacy skills, fine and gross motor training, help with daily activities, music therapy, group therapy, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy.

• 28 daycare students were prepared and discharged to rejoin school or vocational training.

• 7 disability awareness campaigns were conducted for students throughout the Kakuma refugee camp, and World Disability Awareness Day was celebrated.

• 8 trainings on mental health were delivered to refugees and host community members to build their capacity in providing services for children with learning disabilities.

• Disability-‐friendly furniture was purchased for daycare clients. • 55 children with cerebral palsy received specialized nutritious food.


With the increase in population, there has been a corresponding demand on the available resources in the Kakuma camp. Further, the new camp that was expected to open this year has been delayed. However, some progress has been made in the recent past, as an agreement was signed between the Kenyan Government, the Turkana County Government, UNHCR, and the host community to open the new camp the next few months, hopefully reducing the demand for JRS services in Kakuma.

Mental health trainings offered to parents and community members were highly valued by the refugee community, and most participants wished that the trainings would continue. Due to the strain on transportation – JRS has a limited number of vehicles available in Kakuma – the trainings all occurred in a central location. This was an inconvenience to most participants, who had to travel long distances from different parts of the camp. Therefore, the program plans to use available resources to alternate training locations, rather than hosting all events in a central place.

One of the greatest values of the Safe Haven facility has been its ability to provide a safe environment to women and children survivors of SGBV free from stigma, threats, and prejudice. However, this capacity is challenged by the small space available, which limits the number of SGBV survivors that can be assisted. An additional challenge is that finding durable solutions to SGBV cases is a long process, which requires survivors to stay at the Safe Haven for a long time. This overstaying has increased anxiety and conflict between

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Safe Haven beneficiaries, who have a limited number of activities and resources that they must share.

Staff turnover continues to be one of the greatest challenges to the program. In response, JRS is seeking to increase salaries and to motivate the staff through team-‐building activities.

Many parents have approached the mental health centers seeking material support, which is not readily available. This is because the agencies charged with providing non-‐food items (NFIs) cannot meet the overwhelming demand due to increases in the Kakuma camp’s population.

In the course of outreach, new children with cerebral palsy in need of supplementary nutritional support were identified, doubling the total number of children. However, these new children were not accounted for in the original budget, straining the financial resources available.

Although the Kakuma Refugee Camp has not had serious security issues in the past, residents have been warned several times that it may be a soft target for terrorist attacks, especially those seeking to target humanitarian aid workers. This has made aid agencies anxious about serving refugees in the camp.

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Thailand Bangkok Urban Refugee Assistance and Protection Program (S-‐PRMCO-‐14-‐CA-‐1184)

Country: Thailand

Locations: Bangkok

Program Dates: 09/15/2014 – 09/14/2015



Refugees: 2,610 People Non-‐Refugees: 5,500 People

Background

Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. Therefore, the Thai government regards all persons without valid visas – including those seeking asylum and those recognized by UNHCR as refugees – as illegal immigrants. Refugees in Thailand are subject to arrest, detention, denial of services, and deportation. Consequently, Thailand is home to growing populations seeking international protection, but who are unable to work, and have no access to health, education, or other public services.

According to recent UNHCR statistics, the number of registered asylum seekers and refugees in Thailand has quadrupled since 2013. The majority of asylum seekers are Christians and Ahmadi Muslims fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan, Syrians and Palestinians fleeing war in Syria, and Vietnamese. Small numbers of asylum seekers from countries like China, Sri Lanka, Iran, and Cambodia also live in Bangkok. In recent months, the inflow of Pakistani asylum seekers has increased, placing large demands on UNHCR’s capabilities.

In May of 2014, Thailand’s military briefly imposed martial law before staging a coup d’état and assuming control of the Thai government. Since then, the country has experienced low-‐level instability and public demonstrations, which have kept asylum seeker communities on edge. Beginning in March 2015, the Thai government has become more aggressive toward asylum seekers in Bangkok. Mass arrests of asylum seekers occurred in March and April 2015, and a second wave of immigration and security checks occurred after the Bangkok bombing in August 2015. These arrests have increased the vulnerability of asylum seekers, as in many cases heads of families were arrested or detained and are now unable to support their spouses and children.

Single women – especially those with children – are often the most vulnerable asylum seekers in Bangkok. These women often do not have financial support from their family, and cannot find day care for their children if they have jobs. Further, they are often illiterate and do not feel safe traveling around Bangkok to find social services for asylum seekers. Because most asylum seekers are illegally present in Thailand, women cannot

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have no means of protection, assistance, and redress for things like domestic violence or sexual assault.

Children are also a significant vulnerable population in Bangkok. Of the overall asylum seeker population of 8,000, UNHCR estimates that 3,000 are children, the majority of whom are under 15 years of age. There are approximately 80 unaccompanied or separated asylum seeking children.

Program Objectives

Since 2014, JRS has been the only service to provide a comprehensive and holistic range of services to the urban refugee community in Bangkok, including emergency protection, legal and financial assistance, and mental health programs.

JRS has two teams providing services to urban refugees. The JRS legal team gives professional legal advice and representation to asylum seekers speaking with UNHCR Thailand at every stage of the asylum process, including appeals and reapplications. JRS also has a team of social caseworkers and psychosocial counselors who provide social and mental health services through needs assessments, interviews, financial assistance, home visits, and counseling (individual, family, or group). Finally, JRS accompanies asylum seekers to access basic services in Thailand, such as education, medical care, and housing.

The primary targets of JRS services in Bangkok are extremely vulnerable asylum seekers, including: unaccompanied and separated children, single parents, pregnant women, LGBT individuals, survivors of SGBV, the elderly without family support, individuals with chronic illnesses, individuals with disabilities, and large families.

Accomplishments


“Group sessions help them feel less alone. … [Women can speak] with women who relate. They can also mirror positive behavior for their own development. … They need to find a way to function in a place where they are considered illegal, which is why these sessions are so vital.” Jennifer Martin, Psychosocial Group Counselor in Bangkok

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Improved access to primary healthcare, medical services, mental health, and psychosocial support for critically vulnerable urban refugees and asylum seekers:

• 636 extremely vulnerable individuals received intensive casework and financial assistance.

• 717 asylum seekers and refugees received emergency assistance, including shelter, food, medical treatment, and referrals to other organizations.

• 667 asylum seekers and refugees received psychosocial support. 86% reported improved mental health.


The mass arrests of asylum seekers and refugees in Bangkok, combined with the increased intensity of police and immigration sweeps, has affected JRS program implementation. The heightened police and military presence in the city caused a steep decline in the number of clients approaching JRS, many fearful of unnecessary travel. JRS had to cancel or postpone many large-‐group activities in order to minimize the security risks to asylum seekers. Further, staff members and interpreters who are asylum seekers were unable to come to work on several occasions due to increased security presence around their homes.

The large population of asylum seekers has placed a tremendous demand on the program. Caseloads are quickly increasing, despite an expansion in human resources. The stresses on staff and the risk of burnout are carefully being managed.

The program will continue to provide group sessions for counselling and psychosocial activity as it has proven to be an efficient model in responding to high needs with limited resources. Group sessions, as opposed to individual counselling or intake sessions, allow the counsellors to make assessments of many at a time and enable group members to form support linkages amongst themselves. The more vulnerable cases can be identified for individual follow-‐up if personalized counselling is deemed necessary.

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