UNHCR IRAQI REFUGEE ASSISTANCE RESPONSE PLAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000307

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/ANE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREF JO SY
SUBJECT: UNHCR IRAQI REFUGEE ASSISTANCE RESPONSE PLAN
FACILITATES COLLABORATION WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS


1. Summary: (SBU) While coordinating the 2010 Regional
Refugee Assistance Response Plan (RRP),UNHCR in Amman,
Beirut, Cairo, and Damascus improved the organization of all
the regional Iraqi refugee activities. The RRP performs the
function of a management mechanism previous filled by the
Country Operational Planning (COP) process. Over the past
three months, Karen Gulick of UNHCR conducted a series of
stakeholder meetings in the regional capitals to recruit
participants, and to establish the terms of reference for
sector working groups, the focal point of UNHCR's regional
plan. The result of Gulick's efforts has been an overall
approval for the process by the stakeholders, which most
describe as more collaborative, and less cumbersome than the
previously attempted coordination exercises. End summary.

A New Coordination Method Brings buy-in From NGOs
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2. (SBU) In preparation for the January 18, 2010 launch of
the refugee response plan, UNHCR held a series of meetings
with donors, NGOs, international organizations, and
governments to solicit their participation in the planning
sessions, and drafting exercise. The goal was to examine
sector by sector the needs of Iraqi refugees, and the
response capabilities of all actors currently providing
services to them outside of Iraq. Initial reaction from the
stakeholders was positive. UNHCR formed a series of working
groups based roughly on similar groups formed for CAP. These
working groups were responsible for drafting sector response
plans and for reviewing the overall document to ensure that
beneficiary needs in all sectors were reflected in the final
draft document. After the launch of the plan, the working
groups continue to act as an informal monitoring and
consulting body for each service sector.


3. (SBU) UNHCR invited both implementing and operating
partners, as well as those working independently of UNHCR, to
participate in the groups, with positive results. Although
the working groups were defined and formed by UNHCR, some
were led by NGOs in partnership with other IOs. The
membership of working groups varied from country to country.
The protection working group, in all cases, was chaired by
UNHCR because of its clear mandate for refugee protection.
However, UNICEF and NGOs were strong voices in these working
groups, advocating for special protection regarding the needs
of women and children. In Lebanon, where the NGO presence is
small, most international NGOs participated in all the
working groups. In Syria and Jordan, where NGOs are
numerous, the organizations rotated memberships. Governments
were also invited to attend. In Syria, the Ministries of
Education and Health participated in some of the working
groups, and UNHCR managed to attract the Syria Arab Red
Crescent as well. In Jordan and Lebanon, the government did
not participate regularly in any of the working groups.

Coordination Process Still Evolving
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4. (SBU) Some participants in the new coordination process
objected to the unilateral way UNHCR created the working
groups. NGOs active in mental health and psychosocial
activities in Lebanon and Jordan expressed concern that UNHCR
had not planned sufficiently to ensure that mental health
needs were appropriately covered by the response plan. UNHCR
responded to this criticism by asking WHO and International
Medical Corps to closely review the plan and ensure that
mental health and psychosocial needs were addressed.

The Final Product--The Beginnings of a Comprehensive Plan
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5. (SBU) By November 2009, all four countries submitted
draft documents to the UNHCR response plan coordinator. The
documents submitted were a comprehensive examination of needs
in the various sectors with recommendations on how those
needs would best be met. Country offices had considerable
independence in organizing the work in their respective
countries. For example, UNHCR Lebanon created a relief and
community empowerment working group to address needs in
material assistance, livelihoods development and vocational
training. In Jordan, similar sectors are covered in a
locally organized community based-protection working group.


6. (SBU) The response plan is not meant to be a tool for
donors, and will not include a comprehensive budget, or a
list of proposed projects for each sector. Rather,
stakeholders contributed a list of possible programming
alternatives to augment UNHCR strategic planning. NGOs were
called in during the early stages of UNHCR's process to

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contribute to the RRP. To do that, NGOs and other IOs
reviewed the details of UNHCR planning and budget
requirements with an eye to filling possible gaps. UNHCR
staff answered participant's questions, and provided a degree
of transparency for organizations normally not invited into
the internal planning process of the UN organization.

Comment: Not the Beginning of the End, But a Start
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7. (SBU) The UNHCR planning process was not a perfect tool.
No refugees participated in the planning process, and local
government representation was spotty. However, NGO and IO
participation was an improvement on the classic top down
UNHCR approach to the COP. In all four countries, the
personalities of the NGOs and the UN country team played a
role in the success of the mechanism. In Lebanon and Egypt,
where the UN country team has only a passing interest in
Iraqi refugees, UNHCR and NGOs led the process; UNICEF and
WHO did not attend working groups. In Syria, a strong UN
country team led by the resident coordinator participated
fully in the working groups. In Jordan, UNHCR faced a minor
rebellion when NGOs and IOs objected to UNHCR's working group
framework. Subsequently, UNICEF and WHO used the
coordination mechanism to increase their involvement in the
refugee assistance planning. The coordination mechanism
launched with this new process was a positive evolution in
UNHCR's efforts to better coordinate its mandated activities
in refugee emergencies. End comment.
Beecroft