21:05
Unknown
Islamabad
At the invitation of the government of Afghanistan, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Region of Pakistan Shaukat Ullah Khan paid a three-day visit to Afghanistan to see first-hand the implementation of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Returnees (SSAR) in Afghanistan and the conditions in which refugee returns are taking place.
Together with Afghan Minister for Refugees and Repatriation Dr. Jamaher Anwary, the minister visited two high-return areas where they met refugees from Pakistan. They were also accompanied by representatives of UNHCR in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including UNHCR Representative in Pakistan Neil Wright.
While briefing the media after his return from Afghanistan at the UNHCR here on Thursday, Shaukat Ullah Khan said that during his visit, President Karzai thanked him for Pakistan’s long and traditional hospitality extended to Afghan refugees over last three decades and expressed his commitment to the voluntary return of Afghan refugees to their homeland. The president also hoped that the Pakistan government would soon agree to a mechanism in this respect for voluntary and dignified return. During this meeting, emphasis was made on the voluntary nature of return by the president.
Voluntary repatriation remains the preferred solution for refugees worldwide.
The short video made by Qaisar Afridi of UNHCR Public Information Unit after a recent visit to the Chamkani Voluntary Repatriation Centre was also shown. The video featured Afghan refugees who didn’t even see the land of Afghanistan since they were born. One of them was Sher Ali who was born, raised and had children in Pakistan.
The survey revealed that most Afghan refugees voluntarily repatriate to Afghanistan when they believe it is safe to return to their home country. The 1.65 million refugees remaining in Pakistan are a residual caseload experiencing challenges to their prospects for return. The ongoing returns are the largest voluntary repatriation operation anywhere in the world. From 2002 to 2012, UNHCR Pakistan has facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 3.8 million refugees.
In 2012, UNHCR Pakistan has so far assisted 71,841 persons to return to Afghanistan. At least 1,807 families, comprising 9,793 individuals, have repatriated since the beginning of the Voluntary Repatriation ‘Surge’ operations on October 23, 2012, which is more than double the figure during the equivalent period in 2011.
UNHCR Representative Neil Wright said that he would thank the media for the important role that they have played throughout the life of the Population Profiling, Vetting and Response (PPVR) project. Media has been involved in communicating with Afghans and covering the survey in media outlets while it was still ongoing.
“UNHCR would never have been able to reach so many Afghans and their Pakistani hosts, or to have raised awareness about the PPVR survey without media’s cooperation. He hoped to continue to work with the media as they use the database to address the many needs that were identified. Data collection began late in 2010 and continued in 2011 in 20 districts of Pakistan, covering around 65% of the entire Afghan population, over 135,000 households, or nearly 1 million Afghans.
The key findings of the survey revealed that 683 communities listed and a total of 1,35,452 households and 974,961 (51% male, 49% female) individuals surveyed in PPVR, average household size is 7.2. Sex ratio is 103 males per 100 females. Pashtuns are the largest (82%) ethnic groups among the Afghans followed by 5% Tajik, 4% Uzbek, 2% Hazara and 7% others. 74% of Afghans were born in Pakistan whereas 26% were born in Afghanistan. 18% are infants (0-4) children (5-14) youth (15-24) 20%, 26% are adults (25-59) and 4% are elders (60+) 97% male and 3% female head of household.
219,639 or 22.5% of the surveyed Afghans are economically active with 85.6% male and 14.4% female workforce. A lower percentage of people are active in camps (20%) compared to those living in urban (25%) and rural areas (26%).
The survey reveals that the literacy rate of Afghans is only 33%, whereas the female literacy is very low. 25.39% of female of age 12+years cant read or write. 45% of Afghans currently live in rented housing while 36% do not have to pay rent of their homes. On average, every household possess at least one mobile phone. Afghans with chronic diseases or life threatening conditions form 3.5% of the surveyed population. Hepatitis (31%), Asthma (28%), Diabetes (20%), and heart diseases (19%).
In the survey, it was interesting to note that 16.5% Afghans expressed an intention to return to Afghanistan while 83.5% of the household expressed no intention of returning nor did they have any time frame in mind as to when they intend to return to Afghanistan. 43% of the households identified conflict, employment (28%) and housing (12%) as the main obstacles in return to Afghanistan. Employment opportunities (34%) improved security (37%) and housing issues (23%) were highlighted as the major steps needed to be taken to consider a return to Afghanistan.
At the invitation of the government of Afghanistan, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Region of Pakistan Shaukat Ullah Khan paid a three-day visit to Afghanistan to see first-hand the implementation of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Returnees (SSAR) in Afghanistan and the conditions in which refugee returns are taking place.
Together with Afghan Minister for Refugees and Repatriation Dr. Jamaher Anwary, the minister visited two high-return areas where they met refugees from Pakistan. They were also accompanied by representatives of UNHCR in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including UNHCR Representative in Pakistan Neil Wright.
While briefing the media after his return from Afghanistan at the UNHCR here on Thursday, Shaukat Ullah Khan said that during his visit, President Karzai thanked him for Pakistan’s long and traditional hospitality extended to Afghan refugees over last three decades and expressed his commitment to the voluntary return of Afghan refugees to their homeland. The president also hoped that the Pakistan government would soon agree to a mechanism in this respect for voluntary and dignified return. During this meeting, emphasis was made on the voluntary nature of return by the president.
Voluntary repatriation remains the preferred solution for refugees worldwide.
The short video made by Qaisar Afridi of UNHCR Public Information Unit after a recent visit to the Chamkani Voluntary Repatriation Centre was also shown. The video featured Afghan refugees who didn’t even see the land of Afghanistan since they were born. One of them was Sher Ali who was born, raised and had children in Pakistan.
The survey revealed that most Afghan refugees voluntarily repatriate to Afghanistan when they believe it is safe to return to their home country. The 1.65 million refugees remaining in Pakistan are a residual caseload experiencing challenges to their prospects for return. The ongoing returns are the largest voluntary repatriation operation anywhere in the world. From 2002 to 2012, UNHCR Pakistan has facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 3.8 million refugees.
In 2012, UNHCR Pakistan has so far assisted 71,841 persons to return to Afghanistan. At least 1,807 families, comprising 9,793 individuals, have repatriated since the beginning of the Voluntary Repatriation ‘Surge’ operations on October 23, 2012, which is more than double the figure during the equivalent period in 2011.
UNHCR Representative Neil Wright said that he would thank the media for the important role that they have played throughout the life of the Population Profiling, Vetting and Response (PPVR) project. Media has been involved in communicating with Afghans and covering the survey in media outlets while it was still ongoing.
“UNHCR would never have been able to reach so many Afghans and their Pakistani hosts, or to have raised awareness about the PPVR survey without media’s cooperation. He hoped to continue to work with the media as they use the database to address the many needs that were identified. Data collection began late in 2010 and continued in 2011 in 20 districts of Pakistan, covering around 65% of the entire Afghan population, over 135,000 households, or nearly 1 million Afghans.
The key findings of the survey revealed that 683 communities listed and a total of 1,35,452 households and 974,961 (51% male, 49% female) individuals surveyed in PPVR, average household size is 7.2. Sex ratio is 103 males per 100 females. Pashtuns are the largest (82%) ethnic groups among the Afghans followed by 5% Tajik, 4% Uzbek, 2% Hazara and 7% others. 74% of Afghans were born in Pakistan whereas 26% were born in Afghanistan. 18% are infants (0-4) children (5-14) youth (15-24) 20%, 26% are adults (25-59) and 4% are elders (60+) 97% male and 3% female head of household.
219,639 or 22.5% of the surveyed Afghans are economically active with 85.6% male and 14.4% female workforce. A lower percentage of people are active in camps (20%) compared to those living in urban (25%) and rural areas (26%).
The survey reveals that the literacy rate of Afghans is only 33%, whereas the female literacy is very low. 25.39% of female of age 12+years cant read or write. 45% of Afghans currently live in rented housing while 36% do not have to pay rent of their homes. On average, every household possess at least one mobile phone. Afghans with chronic diseases or life threatening conditions form 3.5% of the surveyed population. Hepatitis (31%), Asthma (28%), Diabetes (20%), and heart diseases (19%).
In the survey, it was interesting to note that 16.5% Afghans expressed an intention to return to Afghanistan while 83.5% of the household expressed no intention of returning nor did they have any time frame in mind as to when they intend to return to Afghanistan. 43% of the households identified conflict, employment (28%) and housing (12%) as the main obstacles in return to Afghanistan. Employment opportunities (34%) improved security (37%) and housing issues (23%) were highlighted as the major steps needed to be taken to consider a return to Afghanistan.
Posted in: Islamabad
0 comments:
Post a Comment