Supporting Refugees

Summary

UNHCR Indonesia, through its Community-Based Protection (CBP) Unit, implemented four training programs within the scope of the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund in 2021. The training programs were Employment and Livelihood projects as well as Gender equality and an inclusive labor market Programme targeting 329 refugees, among which 234 are men and 95 are women.

Focused on promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, and the economic inclusion of vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia, the projects mitigated protection threats while improving the overall protection environment for refugees and asylum seekers. Vulnerable groups like children, people with disabilities, migrants, and refugees benefited from projects that assured the continuity, quality, and expansion of basic services like healthcare, education, and WASH.

Moving forward, UNHCR, in collaboration with ILO is working towards strengthening socio-economic growth and decent work for refugees and host communities. We are exploring the possibility of jointly advocating for refugee rights and access to basic services (building on the Indonesian government’s pledge at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum to design a refugee empowerment program), through the National Task Force for Refugees set up the government in 2019. (Activities postponed/ delayed because of COVID-19).

The COVID 19 global pandemic resulted in holding some livelihood activities such as the delivery of vocational training for refugees in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower and the collaboration on financial inclusion.

UNHCR has piloted a ‘Ready for Business’ (R4B)’training program together with ILO, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, and Dompet Dhuafa NGO to improve the self-reliance of refugee and local youth by improving their business and entrepreneurial skills, promoting emotional well-being and strengthen their relationship with the host community. UNHCR has selected an ILO certified trainer to deliver the entrepreneurship training (SIYB) following COVID-19 protocol. The activity was resumed with the evaluation for Batch 2 in late 2020. In 2022, the Ready for Business (R4B) with the local partners Atma Jaya and Dompet Dhuafa) will not be conducted.

Through MPTF on Employment and Livelihood in Indonesia, a Joint Programme between ILO, UNDP, UNAIDS, and UNHCR is being implemented, and one of the outcomes is engagement with Private Sector. With the support of ILO in identifying the private sector through business associations, a series of the webinar or other activities to sensitize the private sector on refugees are planned.

The implemented projects during 2021 include the following: