Refugee Situation in Indonesia and UNHCR Mandate

Every year, the number of refugee and asylum seeker numbers rises in Indonesia – from a population of several hundred through most of the 2000s, to approximately 13,700 refugees and asylum seekers as of March 2021. Aid groups and refugees themselves describe growing desperation as options narrow for those refugees and asylum seekers. Indonesia is typically seen as a transit country rather than a destination for asylum seekers – half of whom come from Afghanistan. Others left countries like Somalia, Myanmar, Iraq, and Sudan.

Many fled conflict to come to the Southeast Asian nation, hoping to be resettled in safe countries. Instead, most have found themselves stuck in stasis for years – unable to be resettled, unwilling to return home, and unable to make a new life in Indonesia. It highlights the need to find other solutions beyond resettlement – including local integration in countries like Indonesia, and job and education opportunities so that refugees can continue their lives while they wait. However, Indonesia bars permanent resettlement, and offers few rights: Refugees cannot work or marry, and have only limited access to education.

In order to raise awareness on refugee issues Indonesia, the United Nations launches a radio programme to raise issues facing by refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia. The target audience of this programme is the practitioners of Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) and general public. Not only sharing the refugee issues, this radio talk show will also share good practices of refugee empowerment initiative that has been done by some companies in Indonesia.

The talk show session is implemented by a UN project “Employment and Livelihood: An Inclusive Approach to Economic Empowerment of Women & Vulnerable Populations in Indonesia”. The project is funded by the UN Multi-Partner Trust Funds (UN MPTF). Four UN agencies, International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Development Programme (UNDP), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) implement the project.

Smart FM is part of the Kompas Gramedia Radio Network, one of the biggest radio network in Indonesia. Smart FM is broadcasted in 10 cities in Indonesia with their target listeners are mostly workers in private companies. The followers of Smart FM’s social Media are as following: Facebook 13,972; Instagram 7,129; Youtube 7,650; and Twitter 13,900,000.