Commonly referred to as one of the three
durable solutions available to refugees, local integration is based on
the assumption that refugees will remain in their country of asylum permanently
and find a solution to their plight in that State. It is a legal, economic
and socio-cultural process and is related to, but also to be distinguished
from, self-reliance, as well as local settlement.
"Local integration in the refugee
context is the end product of a multi-faceted and on-going process, of
which self-reliance is but one part. Integration requires a preparedness
on the part of the refugees to adapt to the host society, without having
to forego their own cultural identity. From the host society, it requires
communities that are welcoming and responsive
to refugees, and public institutions
that are able to meet the needs of a diverse population. As a process leading
to a durable solution for refugees in the country of asylum, local integration
has three inter-related and quite specific dimensions."
This reference guide focuses on the
legal process and framework, which is in many ways a pre-requisite for
the realization of the other dimensions of successful integration.