7 November 2016

Concept note

Australian involvement to the annual UNHCR NGO Consultations in Geneva

The following information is meant as a brief guide for Australian organisations and individuals that are considering participating in the annual UNHCR NGO Consultations in Geneva, Switzerland. This note provides an introduction to the background and nature of these meetings, what a participant can possibly expect to get out of such an opportunity, how participants can register to attend, questions to weigh up in deciding whether to seek to participate in these Consultations, and how Australian NGOs can coordinate efforts to enhance international advocacy opportunities at the UNHCR NGO Consultations as well as other fora.

1. Background to the UNHCR NGO Consultations

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been holding annual consultations with its NGO partners for more than 25 years. The gathering in Geneva has evolved from a one-day meeting where NGOs prepared for their interventions at the annual meeting of UNHCR's governing Executive Committee to three days of dialogue on a wide variety of subjects of interest to NGOs and UNHCR. Growing every year, there weremore than 600 representatives and some 200 organisations from nearly 87 countries attending the consultations in 2016. Participants include representatives of small and large, national and international assistance and advocacy organisations, refugee diaspora community organisations, UNHCR and other UN agencies.

The UNHCR NGO Consultations provides an important forum for NGOs to raise issues, network and exchange views with UNHCR. Typical topics for discussion include human rights; urban refugees; the shrinking of humanitarian space; refugee law; internally displaced people; protection of women and children at risk; regional issues; and monitoring of refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants in detention. It is important to note that the UNHCR NGO Consultations provide very limited opportunities to discuss issues or concerns that relate to post-arrival settlement processes within Australia (where UNHCR has no involvement). Settlement issues are more often discussed at the Annual Tripartite Consultations of Resettlement (ATCR) which brings together resettlement states, NGOs and governments with UNHCR.[1]

The annual UNHCR NGO Consultations provide opportunities for high-level advocacy through side meetings with UNHCR personnel, government representatives and other key players, such as the UN Human Rights Council, that are based in Geneva.

In summary, the Consultations have been described as an opportunity:

  • To highlight the protection and assistance needs of refugees, stateless persons and internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly protection and assistance gaps. From an Australian perspective, refugee diaspora are often effective at identifying protection and assistance gaps in other countries where they have links.
  • To share information, get to know, and consult with, other NGOs. While the focus of these Consultations is not necessarily on resettlement or settlement, there are some more limited opportunities to network with NGOs from other countries and share information.
  • To influence UNHCR policies, processes, and programmes. While UNHCR has a more limited role in the Australian context as the Australian Government determines policies, processes and programmes relating to refugee and asylum populations, refugee diaspora in Australia can identify issues relating to UNHCR operations in other countries through personal experience or ongoing connections to refugee communities that are directly affected by UNHCR policies, processes and programmes.
  • To raise awareness of emerging issues. Some research and advocacy work undertaken in Australia can be of relevance to an international audience.
  • To gather information and resources to bring back to Australia. NGOs attending usually return home with new contacts, better sources of information, new policies, examples of good practice, and useful resources to assist them in their work. Sharing these new resources and information with other NGOs back home can help strengthen work and collaboration.

2. Registering as a participant at the UNHCR NGO Consultations

NGOs interested in attending the Consultations must notify the UNHCR Partnership Section in Geneva as early as possible (). UNHCR will send an “Information note” by e‐mail to all prospective participants three months prior to the meetings. The note contains information about the criteria for participation, how and when to register, and advice on finding accommodation and maps. Those interested must complete the registration form online and also send a credential letter from your organisation to the Partnership Section.

Organisations that can provide credential letters are:

  • Organisations with ECOSOC Status
  • Organisations that are members of the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)
  • Organisations that are implementing or operational partners with UNHCR

Due to the large number of participants and the limitations of venue size in Geneva, UNHCR has placed restrictions on the number of people that an accredited organisation can register. In most cases this is limited to threepeople per organisation and five people for a network.

3. Australian NGO advocacy in Geneva

Provided a person can attain an accreditation letter by an organisation with the necessary status, anyone from Australia can register to participate in the UNHCR NGO Consultations, whether they join the coordinated Australian effort or participate independently. However, there has been significant value for past participants in collaborating and coordinating advocacy efforts with other Australian NGOs.

Some of the benefits of coordinating Australian NGO advocacy in Geneva include:

  • Ensuring opportunities for key issues that Australian refugee communities and NGOs want to raise are clearly articulated and can be conveyed by multiple participants to maximise the chances of being able to ask a question and receive a response;
  • Ensuring that Australian NGOs do not inadvertently replicate each other’s efforts and undermine our credibility;
  • Ensuring we are able to request meetings with high-level UNHCR representatives (i.e. bureau meetings) and can use the limited time and space (for example, in most meetings a maximum of six Australian NGO participants is desirable) for the most productive discussions and advocacy outcomes; and
  • Ensuring those who are participating in the Consultations for the first time are able to access some support and guidance in navigating what can be a complex environment.

The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) as the national peak body has undertaken to coordinate the efforts of those from Australia participating in the Consultations for many years.[2] As the interest within Australia in participating in these consultations has grown significantly in recent years, the demands of coordinating Australian advocacy in Geneva has also grown.

The core organisations or types of organisations that have been among the Australian NGO representatives to Geneva in previous years include:

  • Refugee Council of Australia;
  • Amnesty International Australia;
  • Australian National Committee on Refugee Women (ANCORW);
  • Refugee Legal (formerly Refugee and Immigrant Legal Centre);
  • Act for Peace;
  • Refugee diaspora representatives and organisations;
  • Settlement NGOs;
  • Specialist NGOs (particularly those with an interest in Consultations themes, for example, torture and trauma services, youth, women); and
  • Active research academics (particularly, the Centre for Refugee Research at UNSW

4. Coordinating Australian NGO international advocacy efforts

Due to the growing interest among Australian NGOs in participating in the UNHCR NGO Consultations in Geneva, there is a need to articulate how Australian NGO international advocacy can best be coordinated in coming years to ensure our effectiveness and strong reputation as advocates continues. The need to consider what Australian NGOs can do in terms of utilising specific knowledge, expertise, networks and resources to enhance international refugee protection is particularly needed in the context of the global crisis in forced displacement and the gross funding shortfalls for humanitarian interventions (including UNHCR).

RCOA is proposing that those interested in participating in the UNHCR NGO Consultations could potentially be engaged in other international advocacy efforts, with the Consultations being one of a number of international fora that Australian NGOs engage more actively in and, importantly, in a coordinated way. It would be anticipated that such an approach would reduce the number of participants in the UNHCR NGO Consultations from Australia to a more manageable and effective team, but lead to more active participation and engagement in other (international) opportunities.

Opportunities for international advocacy and engagement include:

Annual:

  • UNHCR NGO Consultations in Geneva – annual
  • Annual Tripartite Consultations in Resettlement (ATCR) – annual
  • International Organization for Migration (IOM) NGO consultations – annual

Periodic:

  • ATCR Working Group on Resettlement (WGR) – two meetings a year
  • UNHCR Executive Committee – three meetings a year
  • UN Human Rights Council meetings - periodic
  • Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) – ongoing network
  • Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights Conference – every second year
  • Organising NGO delegations to UNHCR in Canberra involving UNHCR regional bureau
  • Organising Australian NGO study trips to South-east Asia

5. Deciding on the best opportunity

For Australian NGOs and individuals considering participating in the UNHCR NGO Consultations, the following questions may assist in deciding whether this opportunity is the most effective avenue for meeting your individual and organisational objectives:

  • Are the issues you want to raise about Australian refugee and asylum policy (i.e. of limited concern to UNHCR)?
  • Do you have the capacity to be involved in pre-planning, gathering information and issues, refining advocacy, reporting back and following up issues that are raised (see expectations below)?
  • Are there others who are going to Geneva who can raise the issues you have identified on your behalf (e.g. a refugee community representative? National or international advocacy organisations?)?
  • Are these the most effective meetings to target advocacy efforts?
  • Are there other avenues to raise international issues or concerns you have identified, such as those listed above?
  • Are there other ways you can support the international advocacy efforts of Australian NGOs in Geneva (for example, by identifying issues for other delegates to take, by providing financial support to refugee community advocates)?

6. Expectations of Australian NGO participants at the UNHCR NGO Consultations

For those who do wish to participate in the coordinated Australian advocacy effort at the UNHCR NGO Consultations, the expectations are that each participant would be involved in the following:

  • Gathering information and issues to raise in Geneva
  • Participating in pre-planning meetings, including face-to-face meetings or teleconferences with other Australian NGO participants in the 6 months prior to the Consultations
  • Be willing to ask questions or raise issues identified by those involved in the coordinated Australian effort during the UNHCR NGO Consultations and report back
  • Be willing to work together as part of a team (for example, take responsibility for a particular task or area of advocacy)
  • Be able to attend the Australian coordination and planning efforts while in Geneva (for example, breakfast planning meetings, debriefs and minute-taking)
  • Where possible, provide much needed financial support for an APRRN delegate to attend the Consultations
  • For those who have been to the Consultations before, be willing to mentor and support those who are participating for the first time to navigate the systems.

7. What joining the joint Australian advocacy effort means: coordination and support

For those involved in the joint Australian advocacy effort, the support and coordination offered include:

  • Coordination

RCOA will act as the central contact organisation for Australian NGO participants attending the Consultations, providing a Secretariat role. RCOA will also look for support from 1-2 other NGO representatives to assist in coordinating tasks such as: organising planning meetings, collating research, requesting meetings with UNHCR and others in Geneva, overseeing communication strategy and material from those in Geneva, and providing other administrative support. (This does not include logistical support in arranging travel and accommodation.)

  • Planning

3-5 face-to-face and teleconference planning meetings will be held in the six months prior to the NGO Consultations for those participating to work together on issues identification and advocacy strategies. Planning meetings will also happen throughout the Consultations in Geneva (breakfast meetings, debriefs, etc.)

  • Training and support for first time participants

For those attending the UNHCR NGO Consultations for the first time, a training session will be offered as will the opportunity to be paired with someone who has attended the Consultations previously and who can provide informal support in the lead-up and during the time in Geneva.

8. Process for joining the joint Australian NGO advocacy effort

1. Send an expression of interest to RCOA () before the 31 January 2017 detailing:

  • Who you are representing (NGO or community)
  • How you intend to register (accredited by who)
  • Rank your priorities for participating in the UNHCR NGO Consultations from the following:

I would like to participate in the UNHCR NGO Consultations because…

  • …I would like to raise issues of concern with senior representatives of UNHCR, particularly… (Insert which area of UNHCR you would like to discuss your concerns with e.g. regional bureau, Division of International Protection, Resettlement Unit).
  • …I would like to network with NGOs doing similar work. (detail why this is the best opportunity to network)
  • …I would like to better understand refugee protection issues from an international perspective. (detail why this is the best education opportunity.)
  • …I would like the opportunity to advocate on particular issues for communities that I work with/represent with particular governments’ representatives in Geneva.
  • …I would like to raise issues with other international bodies that are based in Geneva (e.g. Human Rights Council, ICRC).
  • …I would like to represent the Australian NGO sector/community views to the United Nations.
  • …other (specify).

2. Confirm you are able to attend the first planning meeting on the 13 February 2017.

Please note, we will respond to all Expressions of Interest and any queries on 2 February 2017.

[1] See: Participation in ATCR is limited. Four Australian NGO representatives participate each year (RCOA Secretariat, SCOA, FASSTT, and a RCOA member organisation).

[2] Prior to 2015, this was done alongside the Centre for Refugee Research at UNSW under the banner of the Australian Refugee Rights Alliance