Bulgarian (pdf)
Government representatives dicussing the new evaluation tool with a mixture of anticipation and skepticism.
Photo: W. Ejalu / UNHCR
Central Europe Now has a Tool
To Measure Refugee Integration
Budapest, 28 January 2010 - Everybody agrees that successful integration of refugees is crucial for both the refugees themselves and host societies. But how does one measure "successful integration"? In the future it will be possible to evaluate refugee integration with a tool that UNHCR's Regional Representation in Budapest presented to Central European Governments and NGOs this week.
The Integration Evaluation Tool is a set of over 200 indicators to be gathered jointly by authorities and stakeholders. Once collected and analysed, those indicators provide decision-makers with detailed evidence on the state of refugee integration in each country.
The tool has been developed by the Migration Policy Group (MPG), a Brussels based think tank, in close collaboration with UNHCR Budapest.
At the launching conference, UNHCR's Regional Representative for Central Europe, Gottfried Köfner explained that there is a strategic shift towards refugee integration in Europe: "In the past, EU Member States as well as UNHCR were more focused on asylum seekers and how they can access protection. But what happens once the asylum seeker gets protection status? We see that failures of integration are often used to fuel anti-refugee rhetoric and to justify restrictive refugee legislation.
"The integration evaluation tool comprises four sets of indicators pertaining to general considerations, legal integration, socio-economic integration and socio-cultural integration. Thus, it covers every aspect of refugee life, from asking whether refugees' jobs meet their skills and qualifications or enquiries about school enrolment of refugee children to more administrative issues such as government budgets for social orientation programmes.
Pilot Run Will Take
Up to 18 Months
MPG Director Jan Niessen pointed out the immense complexities of refugee integration. Horizontally it stretches over many areas from health to labour, education, social services, language programmes and housing to legal status and family reunification. Vertically, many ministries, municipalities and institutions such as banks, employers or health care providers as well as NGOs are involved in the task of refugee integration.
Niessen thinks that piloting the tool across the entire region will take up to 18 months, provided that all actors are committed and resources are available. However, regular surveys will make the task easier.
Government representatives from the entire region received the new evaluation tool with a mixture of anticipation for the possibilities it holds and some scepticism regarding the amount of work data collection may require.
At the national level UNHCR now plans to involve a broad range of actors with expertise in different areas, such as naturalisation, employment health etc. to provide inputs on the related indicators. Data collection is followed by a peer review of the results. The entire process will be internet-based and simple to work with.
At its final stage the process will provide a valid data base on refugee integration which will help all stake holders to evaluate the efficiency and impact of their integration policies and to analyse strengths and weaknesses within countries. Across the region, it will be possible to exchange best practices and to learn from each other.
By Melita H. Šunjić
UNHCR Budapest
UNHCR Integration Evaluation Tool
