Attachments
Dear Chair,
This statement has been drafted in consultation with a wide range of NGOs, with the objective of reflecting the diversity of views and commonality of purpose within the NGO community.
1. State of forced displacement and solutions in the region
While the region continues to be home to some of the largest displaced and stateless populations worldwide and work has continued to support populations’ resilience and self-reliance, challenging circumstances have placed renewed pressure on displaced and host communities, adversely impacting the prospects for solutions.
Over the past year, with rare exceptions, displacement trends and the situation of affected populations have further deteriorated. The two main displacement situations in the region – centered on Afghanistan and Myanmar – have taken worrying turns. Building on the outcomes of the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF), it is important that both displacement situations do not result in donor and attention fatigue. Those cannot become forgotten emergencies. The international community has a responsibility to act and protect.
We also recognize that some progress has been achieved in the region. For example, NGOs note with appreciation the pledges made at the GRF by Thailand and Japan, specifically focusing on providing humanitarian assistance and socio-economic development assistance to Bangladesh for the Rohingya population. The GRF also provided space and opportunities to make headways with regard to statelessness, from a multi-stakeholder perspective. Regional organizations focused on nationality rights and statelessness in the Asia Pacific undertook a pledge to engage in the meaningful participation of stateless activists, ensuring organizations led by stateless individuals have a decisive say in addressing it too. Kazakhstan also made two pledges to establish relevant legislative safeguards to reduce statelessness by 2025 and to reduce the number of stateless persons through naturalization.