Refugee return in protracted refugee situations

Helpdesk Research Report www.gsdrc.org [email protected] Refugee return in protracted refugee situations Brigitte Rohwerder 30.09.2015 Question What refugee return initiatives have occurred in the Africa region? What lessons have been learnt from successful/sustainable return processes across the world, especially in relation to protracted refugee situations 1 ? Contents 1. Overview 2. Refugee return initiatives – with a focus on Africa 3. Lessons learnt 4. References 5. Annex: Annotated bibliography 1. Overview Voluntary repatriation/return is seen as one of the durable solutions to protracted refugee situations 2 (UNHCR, 2006, p. 129) and is the ‘preferred’ solution of the international community (Long, 2011, p. 1; Milner and Loescher, 2011, p. 17). Successful or sustainable return processes require the reintegration of refugees (Fransen and Kuschminder, 2012, p. 3), which can be complicated by their protracted refugee experience and conditions in the country of origin. This rapid literature review maps refugee return 1 UNHCR defines a protracted refugee situation (PRS) as one in which refugees have sought asylum in another country (or countries) and have since been displaced for five years or longer ‘without immediate prospects for implementation of durable solutions’ (in Long, 2011, p. 1). It is a situation in which ‘refugees find themselves in a long-lasting and intractable state of limbo. Their lives may not be at risk, but their basic rights and essential economic, social and psychological needs remain unfulfilled after years in exile. A refugee in this situation is often unable to break free from enforced reliance on external assistance’ (UNHCR, 2006, p. 106). 2 the others being local integration in the country of first asylum or resettlement in a third country.

Refugee return in protracted refugee situations

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