New York, NY, March 19, 2018 — The first draft of the Global Compact on Refugees’ Programme of Action, released on March 9, includes welcomed improvements from the zero draft, including: increased inclusion of legal frameworks and principles; increased reference to the Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda; the strengthening of language around commitments by States, and the detail provided on responsibility sharing arrangements.
This statement, supported by the IRC and NGO partners, offers ways for UNHCR and Member States to build on this progress to ensure the Global Compact becomes a robust tool for achieving refugee protection and solutions. The statement outlines five expectations the NGO community has for the Programme of Action, and what changes are required in the Programme of Action to achieve them. The following is a brief overview of our recommendations.
Expectation 1. The Programme of Action must provide the framework for improved responsibility-sharing in refugee protection and solutions. The success of the global compact will be reflected in the extent to which it creates an effective global partnership and fair burden- and responsibility-sharing among all states so that refugees receive adequate support in a sustainable way. The first draft provides more ideas on the modalities at different levels for burden- and responsibility-sharing. The next iteration of the GCR should provide clarity on how these national and regional approaches will interact and bolster the global summits and other proposed modalities.
Expectation 2. The Programme of Action must operationalize NY Declaration commitments in order to enhance accountability. We appreciate the stronger language on accountability in the first draft; however, there is a need to specify the follow-up and review mechanisms foreseen for global, regional and national structures to ensure their effectiveness. There should also be an explicit reference to a multi-stakeholder approach in designing the monitoring and accountability framework of the GCR so that other actors can be engaged in this important process.
Expectation 3. The Programme of Action must strengthen the protection framework. We are pleased to see a stronger reference to the international legal framework and to the international protection needs, the inclusion of specific reference to children at risk and of alternatives to detention, particularly for children. However, we urge stronger attention to the safety, security and protection of asylum seekers and refugees, including an equal emphasis on measures that prevent misconduct and abuses by authorities.
Expectation 4. The Programme of Action must expand solutions. The draft provides important guidance for operationalizing solutions ambitions. However, stronger commitments to creating the conditions for safe, dignified, voluntary, and sustainable solutions are necessary, as are a greater emphasis on centrality of national governance frameworks and the need to effectively monitor their application in achieving durable solutions.
Expectation 5. The Programme of Action must facilitate the inclusion and agency of people of concern. A robust consultation and accountability architecture in refugee response should be strengthened in three ways: first, by evaluating the context and need; second, by articulating how refugees and host communities will contribute to national arrangements and the development of ‘comprehensive plans’; third, by making the role of refugees and host communities explicit in all ‘areas in need of support’.
The full reaction to the draft is here.