For Refugees & Asylum-seekers from Sub-Saharan Africa , Iraq & Yemen
STRATEGIC VISION & RESPONSE PLAN
The key objectives of the protection sector are :
1 . Access to asylum is preserved , and solutions are identified , including resettlement and voluntary return whenever feasible .
2 . Community-based protection , empowerment , and outreach mechanisms are enhanced , aiming both at strengthening self-management and harmonious relationship between refugee and host communities and at identifying and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable , including older persons and persons with disabilities .
3 . Child protection system is strengthened , and equitable access for children , adolescents , and youth to quality child protection interventions is ensured , particularly for unaccompanied and separated children .
4 . The risks and consequences of SGBV are reduced , and access to quality services is enhanced .
Humanitarian partners will support the Government of Egypt ’ s continued efforts to maintain access to asylum and protection space . Advocacy efforts will continue on the principle of non-refoulement and access to asylum procedures , and UNHCR will support the timely implementation of the extension of the validity of residence permits granted to asylum-seekers and refugees from six months to one year , as well as the decentralization of the residency application procedures . Access to public and quality education and birth registration will also continue to be priorities . UNHCR and partners will further pursue the facilitation of exit procedures for refugees departing Egypt for resettlement or other legal pathways of admission .
In 2018 , UNHCR will continue to register and document all refugees and asylum-seekers approaching its offices in Cairo and Alexandria . Biometrics are a core component of the registration process that contributes to the integrity of UNHCR procedures . Regularly updated registration is used by UNHCR as a protection tool , which allows for better identification of protection needs and enhanced targeting of assistance and specialized services for the most vulnerable refugees . UNHCR increased the efficiency of its RSD processing methodology in 2014 and 2015 , and , in 2016 , worked towards merging its registration and RSD procedures to reduce the time frame of processing an increased number of asylum applications . As a result , by the end of 2017 , all major nationality groups 5 except for Yemeni and Eritrean applicants are processed under this merged procedure . This procedural change has , however , required a significant increase in staffing in 2017 and 2018 to ensure parallel processing of both , the already registered and the newly registered cases .
Close coordination with and support to government authorities , particularly the ministries of foreign affairs , health and population and education , alongside support to networks within civil society and key stakeholders , will continue towards a more effective advocacy to optimize quality and equal access to rights and services for sub-Saharan African , Iraqi , and Yemeni refugees . Strengthening of national capacities to issue civil documentation and to ease access to residency for refugees living in remote areas will also remain a priority .
Under UNHCR ’ s leadership , protection partners will similarly continue to provide technical and material support to the Government towards the adoption of asylum and migration management policies that provide comprehensive , collaborative , and solution-oriented responses to those affected by irregular migration , ensuring that those in need of international protection are identified and have access to asylum and appropriate assistance mechanisms .
Partners will also continue to assist the authorities to address the needs of those affected by irregular movements , including with the provision of NFIs , as well as humanitarian , legal , medical , and psychosocial assistance for those in detention , while also exploring alternatives to detention for those fleeing persecution
5
Syrians only undergo RSD for the purpose of resettlement .
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