10

1
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Prospective delegates,

We welcome you all to the 3rd edition of Kalinga International Model United Nations (KIMUN)
2024. We are glad and honored to be a part of this simulation and look forward to an enriching
debate in the forthcoming conference. In the first place, we would like to thank and appreciate
each delegate who has chosen to participate in the UNHCR committee in this edition of the
conference. We will ensure our very best to make you not regret your decision and enjoy the
debate throughout the duration of the conference.

This Background Guide is designed and crafted in the most comprehensive way to cater to the
basic needs of all the delegates participating in the conference. We, as the Executive Board
(EB), have kept in mind some important requisites to kick-start the maiden research on the
agenda.This guide shall give you an insight to the matter in hand and thus advise the delegates
to delve deeper into the intricacies of the agenda. We shall be formulating UNA-USA Rules of
Procedure and Conduct of Business which shall be explained to you in brief prior to the first
session as well as throughout the working of the committee, as and when required.

We, at Model United Conferences, simulate and deliberate on many major topics that require
immediate action and a gesture of problem solving. It is to be noted that a thorough
Understanding the problem is the first step towards solving it. It is to be kept in mind that this
a study guide shall serve as the starting point of direction and thus, should not become a
hindrance to research beyond the matters enclosed herein.

We sincerely hope that our committee in this edition of KI Model United Nations will help you
sharpen your cognitive skills thereby broadening your horizons, as a thinker, debater and a
change maker. In case of any queries, feel free to reach out to us as and when you require.

Priyanshu Mohanty Aryagni Panda

Chairperson, UNHCR Vice-Chairperson, UNHCR
mohantypriyanshu1@gmail.com aryagnip@gmail.com

2
ABOUT THE COMMITTEE
UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United
Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and
stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a
third country.

BRIEF HISTORY:
Following the demise of the League of Nations and the creation of the United Nations the
international community was acutely aware of the refugee crisis following the end of World War
II. In 1947, the International Refugee Organization (IRO) was founded by the United Nations.
The IRO was the first international agency to deal comprehensively with all aspects of refugees'
lives. In the late 1940s, the IRO fell out of favor, but the UN agreed that a body was required to
oversee global refugee issues. Despite many heated debates in the General Assembly, the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was founded as a subsidiary organ of the General
Assembly by Resolution 319 (IV) of the United Nations General Assembly of December 1949.
However, the organization was only intended to operate for 3 years, from January 1951, due to
the disagreement of many UN member states over the implications of a permanent body.

FUNCTION:
The agency is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees (other
than Palestinian refugees, who are assisted by UNRWA) and resolve refugee problems
worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to
ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another state,
with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.

SOME IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS:

● Refugees:
Refugees are outside their country of origin due to fear of persecution, conflict, violence
or other circumstances which have seriously disrupted public order and which, therefore,
require "international protection" . The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of
Refugees, but also regional instruments and the UNHCR statutes make it possible to give
a definition of a refugee.

● Migrants:
According to the United Nations, this term designates "any person who has resided in a
foreign country for more than one year, whatever the causes, voluntary or involuntary, of
the movement, and whatever the means, regular or irregular , used to migrate. However,

3
 it is common to include certain categories of short-term migrants, such as seasonal
agricultural workers who move during planting or harvest time.

● Asylum Seekers:
Just like a refugee, an asylum seeker is a person seeking protection because of dangers in
their home country. Although every refugee is initially an asylum seeker, not all asylum
seekers will ultimately be recognized as refugees. Indeed, the right to be recognized as a
refugee is determined by law after an asylum seeker has requested protection in the
country of refuge.

INTRODUCTION TO THE AGENDA:

(Refugees’ Access to Jobs and Financial Services)

Over the past decade, the global refugee crisis has more than doubled in size. In 2022, UNHCR
announced that we had surpassed 100 million total displaced people, meaning that more than
1.2% of the world's population was forced to leave their homes. By mid-2023, this also included
30.51 million refugees. More than half of these refugees come from just three countries. These
numbers are high – almost incomprehensible – but each represents a person who was forced to
leave everything behind due to circumstances beyond their control.

In international law, a refugee is a person who has fled their own country of nationality or
habitual residence and who cannot return there for fear of persecution because of their race,
religion, nationality, belonging to a particular social group or their political opinions. These
recent migratory movements are caused by various reasons. Some refugees stay in refugee
camps, others are urban refugees in individual accommodation, still others live in self-settled
camps, and the location of some refugees is undefined or unknown by UNHCR .

Welcoming refugees is a major global challenge, posing economic, political and social
challenges to the countries that host them. Several nations face considerable pressure to provide
resources, infrastructure, jobs and financial services to refugees, which can lead to internal
tensions and difficulties in maintaining a balance between the needs of refugees and those of
their local populations. Thus, the question of easing the pressure on these countries is crucial to
guarantee dignified living conditions for refugees while preserving the stability and wellbeing of
host nations. This problem raises humanitarian and political issues which require a global
approach and concerted solutions on an international scale. Our committee will work on the
current challenges faced by countries hosting refugees and primarily the problems faced by such
countries in providing them with jobs and proper financial aid. The committee should also aim
to explore the different potential strategies and measures to alleviate this burden in order to
promote better integration of refugees and guarantee the stability of host countries.
Current Situation of The Refugee Crisis:

4
Wars and violence had led to the forced displacement of around 114 million people by the end of
September 2023. The main factors driving forced displacement in the first half of 2023 were: the
war in Ukraine and conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Myanmar; a
combination of drought, floods and insecurity in Somalia; and a protracted humanitarian crisis in
Afghanistan, according to UNHCR's Biannual Global Trends Report, which looks at forced
displacement in the first six months of this year. Low and middle-income countries host 75% of
refugees and others in need of international protection. Globally, 1.6 million new individual
asylum applications were filed in the first six months of 2023, the highest number ever recorded.

1) High-income nations only take in 24% of all refugees. Just 24% of the world's refugees are
hosted by the richest nations. The remaining 76% are hosted by underdeveloped, middle-class,
and low-income nations. The largest nation that hosts refugees is Turkey. Since 2011, families
have been displaced by a continuous conflict in Syria, which is home to the majority of refugees
living in Turkey.

2) The majority of refugees reside in nearby nations.

3) Just three nations accounted for 52% of all refugees worldwide by the end of 2022: Syria,
Afghanistan, and the Ukraine.

4) There is a global accord to safeguard refugees; under the 1951 Refugee Convention, 149
nations have committed to offer refugee safeguards. After World War- II, when a great number
of refugees escaped persecution and violence in Europe, this agreement was created.

THE CHALLENGE:

After fleeing war or persecution, the opportunity to work and earn a living is one of the most
effective ways refugees can rebuild their lives with dignity and in peace. Through safe work,
people forced to flee can meet their families’ basic needs, improve their self-reliance and
resilience, and contribute to society– which is what they want. Nonetheless, two-thirds of
refugees live in poverty.

75% of refugees have access to work in law, fully or partially. In practice, however, 62% of
refugees live in countries where access to formal employment is restricted. Refugees are
hindered by high unemployment rates, a lack of access to education and training, limitations on
their movements, restrictions on rights concerning housing and land, and a lack of access to
financial services.

WHY IS THIS CHALLENGE IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS?

● Rebuilding lives: Rebuilding one’s life implies more than having a roof over your head

5
 and a safe place to sleep. It means reclaiming control of your future. A powerful way to
do so is through finding work. After fleeing war or persecution, one of the most effective
ways people can rebuild their lives with dignity and in peace is through the opportunity
to earn a living.

● Ensuring safety: Safe employment gives refugees the means to meet their own needs
without resorting to negative coping mechanisms, such as finding work in the gray and
black economies or putting their children to work. It also protects them from exploitation
by criminal organizations,and reduces the likelihood of onward movement in search of
work elsewhere.

● Growing the economy: Many studies show that refugees can boost the economy of the
countries that host them, even in low to middle-income countries. Economic inclusion,
access to employment and entrepreneurship enables refugees to contribute to their host
economies as consumers, taxpayers and employers.

● Skills-sharing: Refugees with access to labour markets often enrich their host
communities with their skills. Those who are allowed to go to school and progress to
higher education, including technical and vocational education and training, are better
equipped for their futures, whether in their host communities, after resettlement to a third
country, or when they return home.

CHALLENGES TO THE ECONOMIC INCLUSION OF REFUGEES:

1. POLITICAL DISCOURSE:
Refugees are often cast as an economic burden for host countries, although research
provides evidence that they are not. In Europe, for example, far-right groups often
exploit public fears that refugees may be taking their jobs, undercutting wages and
putting pressure on public resources (e.g. hospitals, schools, transport, welfare). In low to
middle-income countries, some communities are already struggling to meet their needs
and are concerned about refugee arrivals. Sometimes, tensions between host
communities and refugees result from concern over the use of local resources.
2. LEGAL RESTRICTIONS:
Even though the right to work is set out in the 1951 Refugee Convention, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, and various other instruments, some host countries limit
the right of refugees to work and are reluctant to ease those restrictions. Three out of four
refugees have access to work in law, fully or partially, however in practice, far fewer
refugees are able to work. Other restrictions exist even in countries where refugees are
permitted by law to work, such as limits on which sectors refugees can work in.
Most people seeking asylum are unable to work while their claim is being processed,
which can take several months or years. Therefore, many asylum seekers live in poverty
and are not able to pay for their basic needs. Restrictive laws and limited economic

6
 inclusion frequently push refugees to work in low-paying and risky informal
employment.

3. LABOUR EXPLANATION:
Refugees who face obstacles to formal job opportunities may resort to finding work in
the informal economy, making them more likely to fall victim to exploitation. They may
face a broad range of challenges, including underpayment, risk of injury, job insecurity,
lack of rights and discrimination. In Türkiye, it is estimated that approximately 1 million
Syrians are working informally without legal protection, and three out of four earn less
than the minimum wage. In situations of displacement, families may also involve their
children in helping generate income to ensure their survival, thus putting them at risk. In
Lebanon, for example, 180,000 children, mostly refugees from Syria, were estimated to
be working, according to 2018 research. Those working in the informal sector are also
extremely vulnerable to shocks. The economic effects of COVID-19 had a
disproportionate effect on refugees. Data from eight hosting countries (Colombia,
Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Peru, Türkiye, Uganda) shows that refugees are 60 %
more likely than host populations to be working in the informal sector in areas such as
manufacturing or food, which was hit hard by COVID-19. The pandemic caused
widespread job losses, disrupting livelihoods and increasing poverty among refugees.

4. ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND SKILL TRAINING:

Education helps refugees rebuild their lives. It is protective and empowering, giving
them the knowledge and skills to live independently. However, in many parts of the
world refugees face multiple barriers when it comes to education and skills training, such
as restricted or no access to schools and colleges, language differences, and prohibitive
costs of learning materials, transport,fees and more. Refugees might also face difficulties
in getting their previous academic qualifications recognized. Thus, refugees’ prospects
and opportunities for education beyond primary school are extremely limited.
5. LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES:
A large majority of the world’s refugees – 83 % – live in countries with developing or
the least developed economies. The size of a host country’s population and the strength
of its economy will affect how it copes with the economic impact of refugee flows.
Countries bordering Syria, such as Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan, have received the
largest number of refugees relative to their host populations. States with limited
economic growth and high unemployment rates need international support to cope with
the cost of refugee arrivals and to facilitate the economic integration of refugees.

6. ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES:

A lack of access to financial services such as deposit accounts, payments, credit,
insurance and other mainstream services can be a major hurdle to self-reliance and
economic independence. 56% of refugees live in countries where the legislation does not
recognize UNHCR or government-issued ID as a valid document to open a bank

7
 account, which makes it difficult to spend, save, borrow or send money, as well as to
start and operate a business. Without such services, refugees cannot fully participate in a
country’s economy or build a stable life for themselves and their families.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE?

● By the GOVERNMENT:
- Governments can help to ensure that refugees have the same rights as locals when it
comes to access to services, administrative processes and legal rights. Such rights
include work permits and ownership of property (eg, ending restrictions on
foreign ownership of land and businesses). In 2021, Jordan issued a record
62,000 work permits to Syrians. And under the 2016 Jordan Compact, an
initiative to improve access to education and legal employment for Syrians,
Syrian refugees were allowed to work in several sectors of Jordan’s economy.
- Governments can provide training and education to facilitate refugees’ access to the
job market, since refugees may live in countries where their diplomas and
experience are not recognized or where their skills are not in demand. For
example, in 2016, the German Government created a programme providing
regional vocational centres with the funds to enroll refugees in a six-month
apprenticeship scheme, including training in trades such as metal and electrical
work, as well as language and integration classes.
- Governments can help ease the pressures on host countries. For example, the
Canadian government increased its refugee resettlement levels for the next three
years in its 2021–2023 Immigration Plan. Such actions can help host countries
with limited economic growth and high unemployment rates to cope with the cost
of refugee arrivals and to facilitate the economic integration of refugees.
● By HOST COUNTRIES:
- Refugees, host communities and NGOs can leverage innovative ways to create jobs
for refugees. For example, NaTakallam provides income to refugees, displaced
persons and their host community members by hiring them as online tutors,
teachers, translators and cultural exchange partners.
- Host communities and NGOs can help equip refugees with the tools and skills
needed to access the job market. For example, Powercoders International is an
NGO that provides free intensive coding courses and a subsequent work
placement, allowing its students to gain valuable, market-relevant skills as well as
work experience, which increases their chances of employment.

8
CONCLUSION:

Hosting refugees is a complex challenge for many countries. Beside the main economic
challenge, there are several impacts which can be seen and observed such as pressure on
resources, social and politic, security etc. The UNHCR committee has to analyze those main
obstacles. The arrival of large numbers of refugees can place enormous pressure on the already
limited resources. Infrastructure such as health systems, schools, housing and social services can
be overwhelmed, causing strain and hardship for local communities and refugees themselves.

The arrival of refugees can fuel social and political tensions. Some groups of the local
population may feel threatened by the presence of refugees, fearing increased competition for
jobs and resources besides that cultural differences may cause crucial disagreements and
conflicts between the local people and refugees. This can give rise to hate speech, acts of
discrimination and inter-community conflicts. Moreover this situation may raise some concerns
about security. Governments face challenges in guaranteeing the safety of refugees while
ensuring that ill-intentioned people do not enter their territory. Securing the internal safety and
security of refugees governments are facing challenges regarding the social integration issues.
Objectively, international cooperation is needed in this circumstance since the refugee challenges
often transcend national borders, requiring international response and cooperation. Host
countries need financial, logistical and political support from the international community to
address these challenges effectively and sustainably.

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE THE DEBATE:

● How can we expand the rights of refugees to access employment and entrepreneurship? ●
How can we expand the rights of refugees to access financial services, including opening
bank accounts or contracting loans to start a business?
● How can we convince the private sector to play their part in supporting the economic
inclusion of refugees?
● What are the obstacles and how can they be overcome?
● How can governments hosting large numbers of refugees balance the need to support
refugees with the needs of their own citizens when it comes to employment and business? ●
How can we tackle the unfounded fear that refugees present an economic threat? How can
we counter political narratives that perpetuate this?
● What are the differences when it comes to supporting the economic inclusion of refugees
in wealthy resettlement countries (such as Germany or the US) versus supporting them in
less wealthy host countries (such as Lebanon or Bangladesh)?
● In host countries, what are the priorities for supporting the economic inclusion of refugees
living in camps as opposed to urban areas?
● What kind of practices can be used to address economic problems caused by refugees
(illegal work and unfair competition environment) in host countries?

9
 ● How can a solution be reached for low-income and developing countries accepting a large
number of refugees?
● Can each country have a separate refugee admission policy or should a collective policy
be determined by the UN?
● What role can NGOs, international organizations and local communities play in helping
host countries manage the refugee crisis?
● How can we ease tensions between host communities and refugee populations to create a
more cohesive environment?
● What are the advantages of investing in development aid in refugee-hosting regions? ●
What innovative solutions or approaches have been successful in alleviating pressure on
countries hosting refugees?

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
● https://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_High_Commissioner_for_Refugees
● https://help.unhcr.org/
● https://www.unhcr.org/media/refugee-livelihoods-and-economic-inclusion-2019-2023-glo
bal-strategy-concept-note
● https://www.unhcr.org/media/digital-payments-refugees-pathway-towards-financial-inclu
sion
● https://www.unhcr.org/global-compact-refugees-indicator-report/#_ga=2.184823657.170
3960029.1666055719-1415890587.1666055719
● https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics
● https://www.unrefugees.org/

10