The Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) has reviewed its internal processes in order to strengthen its individual case management system and implement simplification measures both at the registration and refugee status determination levels.
At the 2019 Global Refugee Forum, the Government of Georgia committed to share its experience and knowledge with interested countries within the scope of Asylum Capacity Support Group (ACSG) notably on issues of establishing refugee status determination (RSD) procedures, country of origin (COI) research capacity and quality assurance mechanism.
In Zambia, the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), within the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, is the mandated government agency to deal with refugee matters. COR registers and documents asylum-seekers and refugees in its territory on arrival and maintains refugee data in Zambia.
To ensure continuity of refugee status determination (RSD) procedures in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic, the General-Coordination of the National Committee for Refugees (CG-Conare) implemented measures to strengthen the use of remote eligibility interviews, via the Microsoft Teams app, which CG-Conare had already been using since 2015.
El Sistema del Comité Nacional para os Refugiados (Sisconare) es la plataforma digital en línea utilizada por el Conare para registrar y procesar las solicitudes de reconocimiento de la condición de refugiado en Brasil.
Also available in English: Improving electronic registration and case management through Sisconare
Según la legislación brasileña, la Defensoría Pública de la Unión (DPU) es la institución creada para, entre otras responsabilidades, promover la más amplia defensa de los derechos fundamentales de las personas necesitadas, cubriendo sus derechos individuales, colectivos, sociales, económicos, culturales y ambientales, siendo admisible todo tipo de actuaciones capaces de brindar su adecuada y efectiva tutela.
Also available in English: Legal advice and representation
According to the Brazilian legislation, the Federal Public Defender´s Office (DPU) is the institution created to, among other responsibilities, promote the broadest defense of the fundamental rights of people in need, including their individual, collective, social, economic, cultural and environmental rights, and to support all kinds of actions capable of providing adequate and effective protection.
Sisconare is an online digital platform used by Brazil’s National Committee for Refugees (Conare), as a registration and case management system. It is used by Conare and the Federal Police, to enable asylum-seekers to register their information, receive notifications, monitor the progress of their applications, and keep their personal data updated.
Debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, con el fin de mantener activos los procedimientos de reconocimiento de la condición de refugiado en Brasil, el Comité Nacional para los Refugiados (Conare) fortaleció la realización de entrevistas de elegibilidad a distancia, a través de la aplicación Microsoft Teams.
Also available in English: Remote interviews
In December 2020, Conare recognized that the situation in Afghanistan amounted to one of serious and generalized human rights violations, a finding permitted under the broader refugee definition contained in the 1997 Brazilian Refugee Protection Act (Law Nº 9.474, of July 22, 1997) which incorporates elements of the regional 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees.
The Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid (COMAR), in coordination with local authorities and UNHCR support, has strengthened its response capacity in recent years to register and process cases of people in need of international protection, given the gradual increase in the number of asylum applications in the country since 2014.
La Comisión Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados (COMAR) en coordinación con autoridades locales y apoyo de ACNUR, incrementó en los últimos años su capacidad de respuesta para brindar atención a personas en necesidad de protección internacional, que aumentó progresivamente desde 2014.
Also available in English: Mexico: Registration Centre in Tapachula, Chiapas
Costa Rica experimentó en los últimos años un incremento significativo en el número de solicitudes de estatuto de refugiado. En el 2020, Costa Rica acogió a 121.983 personas de interés, de las cuales 9.613 son refugiados y 89.770 son solicitantes de refugio pendientes de resolución.
Also available in English: Improvements in the registration and documentation process
In recent years, Costa Rica has experienced a significant increase in the number of asylum applications. In 2020, Costa Rica welcomed 121,983 persons of concern, of which 9,613 received refugee status while 89,770 are applicants awaiting decision on their asylum applications.
La Comisión de Inmigración y Refugiados del Canadá (IRB, por sus siglas en inglés) ha establecido un Grupo de Trabajo relacionado con el Género (GRTF, por las siglas en inglés de Gender Related Task Force) para mejorar aún más la calidad de la toma de decisiones en la División de Protección al Refugiado (RPD), órgano de determinación del estatuto de refugiado de primera instancia.
Tras el inicio de la pandemia, la Comisión de Inmigración y Refugiados (IRB, por sus siglas en inglés) adoptó una estrategia para reanudar sus actividades basada tanto en la protección de la salud de sus empleados como en las personas que asisten ante la Comisión, al tiempo que proporcionó acceso a la justicia. La estrategia incluye el uso de audiencias remotas.
La Comisión de Inmigración y Refugiados de Canadá (IRB, por sus siglas en inglés) tiene el compromiso de resolver los casos de manera simple, rápida y justa. Al hacerlo, busca asignar el nivel apropiado de recursos al asunto que se decide.
Also available in English: The short-hearing and file-review processes
[Under discussion]
The Government of France through the coordination of the Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) has indicated that it is interested to discuss support for Chad’s National Eligibility Commission (CNE) to strengthen its asylum system and pursue asylum capacity strengthening efforts
Con el objeto de establecer procedimientos más eficientes que ayuden a mejorar el proceso de toma de decisiones, la Dirección de Protección Internacional (DPIN) del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana con el Alto Comisionada de Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados han venido desarrollando el proyecto de…
Also available in English: Improving Electronic Case Management through ProGres v4 system
Support to the Asylum Capacity Support Group: In line with its comprehensive agenda on migration, NL is actively looking to support efforts focused on improving reception and protection in regions hosting large numbers of refugees and displaced persons. Therefore, NL supports the establishment of...
La Ley sobre Refugio Nº 18.076 creó la Comisión de Refugiados (CORE), el organismo estatal encargado de determinar la condición de refugiado en Uruguay.
En Uruguay, la Comisión de Refugiados (CORE) es el órgano estatal encargado de resolver las solicitudes de estatuto de refugiado conforme la Ley 18.076.
Also available in English: Provisional document for asylum-seekers
The New Zealand Government, through its Immigration Department of the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE), has supported the Philippine Government, through the Department of Justice-Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Unit (DOJ-RSPPU) in strengthening its capacity in relation to Country of Origin Information (COI).
Pledge to strengthen the re-established Refuge Status Determination process in the Kingdom of Eswatini: The Kingdom of Eswatini pledges to conduct the following in the strengthening of the re-established national Refugee Status Determination (RSD) process. 1.1 To undertake a self-assessment that...
La Comisión Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados (COMAR), órgano encargado de la determinación de la condición de persona refugiada, implementa procedimientos aplicando la definición ampliada propuesta por la Declaración con miras a un procedimiento más ágil, eficiente y de calidad….
La legislación mexicana contempla el otorgamiento de protección complementaria. Esta forma de protección internacional se otorga al extranjero que no ha sido reconocido como refugiado conforme la ley (la legislación mexicana contempla tanto la definición universal del término refugiado como la definición ampliada) cuando se considera que su devolución podría poner en riesgo su vida o se dejarlo en peligro de ser sometido a tortura u otros tratos o penas crueles, inhumanos o degradantes.
Also available in English: Granting complementary protection
En el año 2019, México recibió 70.431 solicitudes de reconocimiento de la condición de persona refugiada. Las tres principales nacionalidades de solicitantes eran Honduras (30.283), El Salvador (9.079) y Cuba (8.732).
En julio de 2020 se creó la Unidad COI (en adelante U-COI) perteneciente a la Dirección de Protección y Retorno de la Comisión Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados (COMAR) con el objetivo de apoyar a los oficiales de protección en el procedimiento de reconocimiento de la condición de persona refugiada (RSD) y facilitar la decisión de las solicitudes.
La Comisión Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados (COMAR) implementa procedimientos fusionados aplicando la definición ampliada propuesta por la Declaración de Cartagena, con miras a un procedimiento más ágil, eficiente y de calidad…
Also available in English: Merged procedures and application of the broader refugee definition
1. Reception and admission: The Government of Republic of Malawi hereby commits to enhance Refugee Status Determination (RSD) through consideration of Group Determination (Prima Facie) for specific cases. 2. The Government of Republic of Malawi hereby commits to implement Legal and Policy Reform:...
Desde el año 2018, Costa Rica ha experimentado un aumento en el número de solicitudes de asilo provenientes de personas que llegan de países vecinos en la región. Para atender este incremento de solicitudes y gestionar su capacidad de procesamiento, en el año 2019…
Also available in English: Development of the asylum procedure in border areas
Since 2018, Costa Rica has experienced an increase in the number of asylum applications from neighboring countries in the region. To address this increase and manage its asylum processing capacity, in 2019 Costa Rica’s General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME) began the process of decentralizing its refugee services…
In Austria, the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (Bundesamt für Fremdenwesen und Asyl, BFA) is the first instance asylum authority responsible for adjudicating applications for international protection. In March 2020, the Austrian government announced a series of measures…
[Under discussion]
In Niger, past initiatives conducted by the Government with the support of UNHCR resulted into the commitment to reform the Asylum framework. Under the auspices of the Asylum Capacity Support Group (ACSG), Niger is determined to strengthen the quality and efficiency of its Asylum and Reception system.
En Argentina existe desde el año 2012 un mecanismo de asesoría y representación legal público y gratuito para las personas solicitantes de asilo, refugiadas y apátridas …
1. Establecer programas de cooperación Sur-Sur con al menos 5 países de la región con el objetivo de desarrollar herramientas de protección y de procedimientos de determinación de la condición de refugiado con altos estándares internacionales, a más tardar durante el año 2021. 2. Extender las...
Conforme la Constitución de la República, la Defensoría Pública del Ecuador es un órgano autónomo de la Función Judicial cuyo fin es garantizar el pleno e igual…
In accordance with the 2008 Constitution of the Republic, the Public Defender’s Office of Ecuador (PDO) is an independent body of the judiciary whose purpose is to guarantee full
In Kenya, the responsibility for implementing the Refugees Act, 2006 (Refugees Act) and its Refugees (Reception, Registration and Adjudications) Regulations, 2009 lies with the Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS) in the Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government.
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) established a Gender Related Task Force (GRTF) to further enhance the quality of decision-making at the Refugee Protection Division (RPD), the first-instance refugee status determination (RSD) body in Canada. The creation of the GRTF is in keeping with the IRB’s proud history of being a global leader in developing guidelines on how best to conduct hearings for asylum-seekers raising gender-related issues.
Following the onset of the pandemic, the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) adopted a business resumption strategy based on both protecting the health of its employees and those who appeared before the Board, while providing access to justice to the extent possible. The strategy included the use of remote hearings.
Asylum claims in Brazil are assessed by the National Committee for Refugees (Comitê Nacional para os Refugiados – Conare), within the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
In March 2020, the Government of Philippine declared a public health emergency to prevent and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Refugee Appeals Authority of South Africa (RAASA), established by section 8A of the Refugees Act 130 of 1998 (as Amended) in 2020, functions as an independent administrative tribunal.
In the Philippines, the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), is the attached agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that provides indigent litigants free legal assistance, counselling and representation.
The Migration Service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure (hereafter the ‘Migration Service’) is the mandated body responsible for carrying out Refugee Status Determination (RSD) in Armenia in accordance with the Law on Refugees and Asylum.
The Philippine Government has assumed full responsibility over the protection of asylum-seekers, refugees and stateless persons, through the refugee status determination procedure established in 1998 and later expanding to include the stateless status determination procedure in 2012, under the Department of Justice (DOJ).
1. Improving access to translation and interpretation for refugees who do not speak Spanish 2. Improving border security and documentation
South Africa's Intent to resolve the backlog in refugee status determination and promote durable solutions for deserving asylum seekers and refugees; The pledge relates to the Refugee Status Determination Backlog Elimination Project (Backlog Project) and the Pledge is to indicate the Government of...
1. Strengthening the asylum system; The Government of Zimbabwe hereby commits to improve the asylum process. By 2021, establish a national data management system, construct reception centres at major entry points and strengthen the Refugee Status Determination procedures. 2....
Mise en place d'un Bureau des apatrides et réfugiés; Le Ministère de la Sécurité Publique s'engage à mettre en place avec la collaboration des autres départements ministeriels et l'appui technique et financié du Haut Commissariat pour les Réfugiés, et l'appui technique d'un ou de pays francophones...
La RDC a mis en place un systeme simplifie de determination du statut des refugies qui a permis cette annee la reconnaissance, selon les 2 conventions de 1951 et de l'OUA, de 41.243 personnes, toutes nationalites confondues. The DRC has set up a simplified system for determining the status of...
1. Strengthening the asylum system; The Government of Angola pledges to re-establish regular meetings of the National Commission for Refugees (CNR), with representatives from all relevant Ministries as established by law. 2. Registration and documentation; The Government of Angola pledges to...
Nigeria pledges to strengthen its protection capacity; Nigeria pledges to strengthen the protection environment by ensuring the integrity of the asylum system in line with international legal instruments and freedom of movement for refugees, IDPs and returnees; maintaining its open-door policy;...
Garantir léffectivité du système d'asile au Niger par la réforme du cadre normatif et procedural; Epicentre des mouvements migratoires en Afrique de l'ouest et situé à la lisière de conflits affectant durablement les populaitons limitrophes, le Niger s'est engagé en faveur d'une politique...
1. Réforme du cadre normative; Le gouvernement du Mali s’engage à : Adopter une législation pour domestiquer la Convention de Kampala sur la protection, l’assistance et les solutions aux problèmes des déplacés internes au Mali, de revoir le système d'asile en vue du renforcement du processus...
Adopter la loi d’asile et transposer la Convention de Kampala dans la législation nationale; La République du Tchad est signataire de la Convention de Genève de 1951 portant statut des réfugiés et de la Convention de l’OUA de 1969 relative aux aspects propres aux réfugiés en Afrique. Cependant, le...
Uganda pledges to ensure integrity of the asylum system; In the past two years, Uganda has taken concrete steps to promote transparency and accountability related to financial and protection related risks and to ensure accountability to the refugee community and their engagement in the response....
1. The United Republic of Tanzania pledges to ensure that asylum seekers have access to fair, efficient and transparent process of refugee status determination. 2. The United Republic of Tanzania pledges to continue to allow access to its territory to all persons facing persecution as...
Strengthening of institutions and community structures that manage asylum, deliver services and provide security in refugee-hosting areas; Subject to adequate international support, the Government of Kenya will continue to strengthen institutions and community structures that manage asylum,...
Strengthening the Government of Ethiopia’s Asylum System and Social Protection Capacity; In line with existing related commitments, this pledge aims to strengthen the overall protection capacity of relevant government entities with particular focus on enhancing social protection and asylum systems...
1. Prepare the bill on the right to asylum for its adoption by 2020; In order to strengthen the governance for refugees and host communities, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania undertakes to prepare the bill on the right to asylum for its adoption by 2020. 2. Register refugees and issue them...
To enhance capacity-building of officers involved in implementing the national screening system to differentiate persons in need of international protection from those seeking economic opportunities.
Strengthening the National Capacity for Protecting Refugees; As the first Asian country to enact a stand-alone refugee act in 2013, Korea has made continuous efforts to support the capacity building of its institutions and workforce for refugee status determination (RSD). To this end, the ROK...
1. To enhance policy, legal, and operational framework to ensure full access to rights of refugees as guaranteed by the 1951 Refugee Convention; The Philippines has a generally favorable protection environment for refugees and asylum seekers, but there are measures that may be taken by...
Support protection capacity within the Pacific region; Working with the UNHCR and Pacific States to support Pacific States to develop and strengthen their asylum systems and protection capacity. This support will be undertaken through the Asylum Capacity Support Group; and In-line with existing...
La Suisse s’engage à améliorer la procédure de reconnaissance et la protection des réfugiés sur son sol. A cet effet, la Suisse a restructuré son domaine d’asile afin de permettre de mener des procédures plus efficaces et rapides. Les nouvelles procédures sont entrées en vigueur dans toute la...
With regard to strengthening asylum systems, Sweden has long experience from twinning projects and other asylum support arrangements. We intend to continue sharing our experience as well as supporting and participating in projects in order to strengthen asylum systems where needed. Sweden is...
1. Providing national experts and expertise; Providing national experts and expertise to enhance the capacity of host governments to respond effectively and efficiently, particularly in situation of refugees influx, in coordination with EASO and/or other projects in order to avoid overlapping. The...
Mechanism for early warning and emergency preparedness or mass influx of refugees and migrants established; The Republic of Serbia has established a system of coordination for the regular preparation and updating of the Response Plan in the event of a massive influx of refugees. The plan is...
1.Develop an adequate strategy to upgrade asylum capacity; Under the different programmes Portugal has so far received over 2100 refugees. Will be an objective to develop an adequate strategy to upgrade asylum capacity in Portugal. 2. Strengthen the Refugee Status Determination system; To...
1. Support the Asylum Capacity Support Group (ACSG); Norway supports the establishment of the Asylum Capacity Support Group. Given that it can be supported within existing budgets, Norway will be able to support the group with experts. How many and from which agencies will have to be considered on...
Strengthen asylum case management, through upgrading asylum module of the database for aliens to increase capacity for protection of asylum-seekers and persons under international protection in the country; Demonstrating determination to further improve asylum case-management, while increasing...
1. Increase of the reception capacity in Montenegro according to standards and in a protection sensitive way; Since mid-2017, the Montenegrin reception capacity has been exceeded on several occasions. The Government has responded by renting additional accommodation facilities from a private...
Extension of the validity of the temporary identity documents issued to asylum-seekers; The Republic of Moldova pledges to amend its legislation by 2021 to ensure that the validity of the temporary identity documents of asylum-seekers is extended.
Review of quality control mechanisms within Malta's Office of the Commissioner for Refugees; Undertake a review of quality control mechanisms within the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees.
1. Further improvement and alignment of national legal framework related to international protection with well-established international standards; Being signatory to the 1951 Convention and/or 1967 Protocol, as well as relevant regional instruments, Georgia has enhanced its national legislation...
1. Commitment to a multi-stakeholder partnership to strengthen the asylum capacities of the requesting States: support States engaged in the development of asylum law; 2. OFPRA could usefully share its expertise and best practices in the following areas: – Expertise in the assessment of asylum...
Support the Asylum Capacity Support Group (ACSG); Denmark supports the establishment of the Asylum Capacity Support Group and wishes to contribute to the mechanism both financially and with technical support. Denmark stresses the importance of cooperation with states that express a need for...
Strengthening efficiency of the asylum system in Bosnia and Herzegovina; BiH shall continue with improving simplified and prioritized implementation of asylum procedure upon manifestly well-founded asylum claims (continuously). -By end 2020, BiH expresses readiness to roll out...
1. Have been finetuning our system for asylum (in collaboration with UNHCR) and continuation is priority. 2. Improving the quality of asylum decisions via capacity building activities of the staff members of the Asylum and Legal Affairs Division of the Migration Service of Armenia; The...
Ensuring that asylum procedures are fair and efficient, and strengthening the quality of asylum decision making; The Republic of Albania Ministry of Interior (MOI), through its asylum authority, will develop a mechanism to assess asylum processes and decision making with a view to enhancing their...
1. Ampliar las acciones y transversalización de la protección de personas en situación de vulnerabilidad; Fomentar la incorporación de la protección en las convocatorias de concurrencia pública de acción humanitaria, así como la transversalización de actuaciones conducentes a la protección de...
The French government through its Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA),Council of State and National Court of Asylum (CNDA), in conjunction with the Ministry of the Interior (Directorate of Foreigners in France, DGEF) and the United Nations Directorate of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), will support Niger through its General Directorate of the Civil Registry, Migration and Refugees and Ministry of Interior (DGEC-M-R)
The Government of Denmark, through the Special Envoy on Migration in the inter-ministerial migration task force, and the Government of Kenya through its Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, have agreed to collaborate to strengthen Kenya’s asylum institutions as part of a project implemented within the framework of the Asylum Capacity Support Group (ACSG) Mechanism.
Canada and Mexico have agreed to implement activities developed under the Regional Asylum Capacity-building Initiative (RACBI) through the framework of the ACSG Mechanism to strengthen asylum capacity in Mexico on refugee issues
1. Expediting and streamlining processing of refugee status applications, by reducing the backlog of applications through the restructuring of internal processes and the increase in human resources, as well as the development of technical tools and continuous training plans for public officials at...
1. Eficiencia en el registro, procesamiento de solicitudes y coordinación interinstitucional para documentación de calidad que asegure acceso a derechos; Este componente tiene tres enfoques principales: fortalecimiento, eficiencia y digitalización del proceso de registro y manejo de casos; esquema...
Fortalecer las capacidades de identificación de personas con necesidades de protección internacional; Desarrollo de talleres regionales sobre protección internacional Gestión de intercambio de buenas prácticas con otros países Fortalecimiento de capacidades de los integrantes de la Comisión de...
1. Strengthening RSD procedure; The Ecuadorian state, within the framework of the LOHM, its secondary regulation and by the signature of the Interinstitutional Cooperation Agreement between the MFAHM of the Republic of Ecuador – and the UNHCR, for the strengthening of the refugee status...
Fortalecer la Dirección General de Migración/Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración en temas de atención y protección; La Dirección General de Migración/Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración- IGM- con la aprobación del Reglamento para la Protección, Determinación y Reconocimiento del Estatuto de...
Strengthening of protection and solutions mechanisms at the national level for the attention of internally displaced persons, deported persons with protection needs, refugees and asylum seekers; In order to mitigate the impact of forced displacement, this contribution includes the establishment of...
Medida complementaria para la documentación de las poblaciones migrantes que no obtienen la condición de refugiado en Costa Rica; Dentro de las dinámicas migratorias, los Estados constantemente enfrentan situaciones donde su campo de acción se ve limitado por aspectos legales, cuando un...
Asylum capacity-building: Since 2015, Canada has participated in asylum capacity building activities in the Americas, focusing on Mexico. Canada is continuing asylum capacity building projects in Mexico and will explore expanding this work to other countries identified by the United Nations...
1. Sharing the Brazilian eligibility processing system; Brazil commits to offering technical cooperation to countries interested in implementing eligibility processing systems based on the Brazilian "SISCONARE" platform. 2. Strengthening of the Brazilian eligibility processing system; Brazil...
1. Belize shall display protection information advising on the right to seek asylum in Belize at border entry points; To ensure protection seekers can effectively access their rights, Belize pledges to provide clear and comprehensive information sets at all points of entry to Belize where asylum...
In order to establish efficient procedures and improve its decision-making process, the Directorate of International Protection (DPIN) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility together with UNHCR developed a project “Strengthening Administrative Processes for refugee status determination (RSD) in Ecuador”. One of the immediate aspects to be strengthened as part of this project was Ecuador’s electronic case registration and case management system.
The Ghana Refugee Board (GRB), established under the Ghana Refugee Law of 1992, is the mandated agency for coordinating activities relating to the management and care of asylum-seekers and refugees in Ghana.
Uruguay’s 2006 Law No. 18.076 on refugees led to the establishment of the Refugee Commission (CORE), the state body in charge of refugee status determination (RSD) in Uruguay. The Permanent Secretariat of CORE is the body in charge of receiving and analyzing asylum applications in the country.
In Uruguay, the Permanent Secretariat of the Refugee Commission (CORE) is the state body in charge of processing applications for refugee status in accordance with the 2006 Law No. 18.076 on refugees. Since 2015, it is required that when individuals request for recognition of refugee status with CORE, they file for a provisional identity card with the National Civil Identification Directorate (DNIC)