Mixed Migration Flows in the Asia-Pacific Region: Presentation by Raymond Hall, UNHCR Regional Representative in Thailand and Regional Coordinator for South East Asia

1
Mixed Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region
Presentation by UNHCR
Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in
Persons and Related Transnational Crime Workshop
on Regional Protection, Resettlement and
Repatriation Bali, Indonesia 7-8 June 2010
2
Overview

• Mixed movements and triggers
• Key statistics in the region
• Key movements
• Protection environment
• Factors affecting irregular movements

3
Protection and migration in the Asia-Pacific

• People move for a web of reasons

3
4
People on the Move subjected to Smugglers and
Traffickers

• Economic Migrants, Refugees and Asylum-Seekers
• Travel in same directions
• Use same routes and means of transport
• Face same risks on route

5
Main Source Countries in the Region(Estimated
number of persons)
Source 2009 Annual Statistical Report for
UNHCRs geographical Asia-Pacific Region. Figures
rounded to the nearest thousand.
6
Main Host Countries in the Region(Estimated
number of persons)
Source 2009 Annual Statistical Report for
UNHCRs geographical Asia-Pacific Region. Figures
rounded to the nearest thousand.
7
Change in Newly registered asylum-seekers from
2009 to 2010 for key countries in the Region
Country of Asylum 1Jan-31Mar09 1Jan-31Mar10 Change in Number Percentage Change
Australia 1,259 2,444 1,185 94
India 847 1,362 515 61
Indonesia 498 968 470 94
Malaysia 4,439 14,168 9,729 219
Thailand 390 557 167 43
Total 7,433 19,499 12,066 162
Source 1st Quarterly Statistical Reports 2010.
For Australia, figures are reported by UNHCR
Canberra. Newly registered asylum-seekers in
Australia is the total number of protection visa
applications, comprising all onshore arrivals
(Australian mainland) during first quarter 2010,
and a number of offshore arrivals (Christmas
Island) who became eligible to apply for a
protection visa in first quarter 2010.
8
Resettlement Figures (Total 2009)
Malaysia Nepal Thailand Others in Asia the Pacific Total Asia the Pacific World
Submitted 10,228 22,139 19,879 3,215 55,461 128,558
Departed 7,509 17,442 16,835 2,546 44,332 84,657
9
Key Movements in the Region
LEGEND
10
Some factors affecting movements

• Armed conflict
• Human insecurity
• Demand for foreign labour
• People smuggling rings
• Disparate standards of protection
• Access to solutions

11
Protection Environment in the Region

• Lack of legal and social framework to protect
  refugees and asylum-seekers
• Accession rate to Refugee Convention low
• Processing arrangements
• Use of detention to curb irregular migration
• Few national asylum systems in place
• Low standard of treatment and poor access to
  basic services and employment
• Few available solutions

12
www.unhcr.org