INFORMATION /October 2014
UNHCR IN ECUADOR
We have a DUTY to protect; we have a
RESPONSIBILITY to solve
UNHCR’s WORK IN URBAN AREAS
UNHCR provides protection and fosters local integration as a durable
solution for refugees who live in urban areas of the country, representing
around 60% of the total refugee population. In line with the “Cities of
Solidarity” approach included in the Mexico Plan of Action, UNHCR´s work
with refugees
living in urban
Nearly 26% of the refugees and asylum seekers
areas seeks to
broaden
living in urban areas are gathered in Quito –the
protection
capital city of Ecuador–, whereas around 5% are
spaces and to promote local integration.
living in Guayaquil, the largest city of the country.
Urban refugees tend to scatter in big cities where they remain “invisible”. As a
consequence, gathering updated information and statistics that reflect the reality of
this population group can be challenging.
With field offices in Pichincha and Guayas, as well as a presence in Cuenca, UNHCR assists 40% of the refugee population in the country.
The city: a tough environment for integration
Despite the general belief that urban centres offer increased access to
goods and services, the refugee population –who tends to settle in
marginal zones of the cities– is facing important challenges to access
housing, education and the health services. High levels of
underemployment and unemployment in the cities directly affect
refugees, who often depend on small businesses for subsistence.
Province of
residence
Refugees*
Asylum seekers*
Pichincha
14,706
58,209
Guayas
3,053
10,649
Discrimination in some areas generates marginality, exclusion and
inequity, which in turn are having a negative impact on social and
cultural integration, access to rights and services, and income
generation possibilities that would allow refugees to improve their
quality of life. These limitations are the breeding ground for abuse,
forced labour, gender-based violence, sex work or human smuggling
and trafficking, among others.
Azuay
2,146
7,202
Santo Domingo
1,992
6,201
*Data from the Refugee Directorate, Foreign Affairs Ministry, 30/09/2013
UNHCR supports and works in collaboration with local Autonomous Decentralized
Governments and other national government entities with the objective to provide
sustainable integration opportunities.
UNHCR’s priorities in urban settings
UNHCR works in close coordination with civil society organizations and public
institutions, to promote local integration of refugees and asylum seekers living in
urban environments in its three basic dimensions: legal, economic and cultural.
In order to foster the inclusion of refugees in governmental programs, UNHCR
supports social and economic inclusion initiatives implemented by local
Autonomous Decentralized Governments and seeks to strengthen them while
opening spaces for refugees. As an example, in the Municipality of Cuenca,
Between 2010 and 2013 and in coordination with
partner agencies like HIAS and FAS or local entities
such as Pichincha´s Provincial Government, at least
900 people were trained under the livelihoods
strategy Echa Pa´lante tu negocio (“Push your
business forward”). The programme provides training
on entrepreneurship and business development, as
well as access to seed-capital or micro credits. Within
the initiative, 600 people received seed-capital for
their business.
UNHCR has developed with the Migrant House a successful Catering and a Crafts
production initiative. . At the same time, community participation programmes have
also been enhanced.
UNHCR also provides legal assistance through
cooperation with partners such as the Human Mobility
House in Quito, the Woman to Woman Board in
Cuenca or the Human Rights Support Centres
supported by Guayaquil’s Human Rights Permanent
Committee (HRC), the Hebrew Sheltering and
Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), and the Jesuit Refugee
Service (JRS) –organizations offering guidance and
information services to the community. As part of inclusion activities, UNHCR reinforces the capacities of
various women’s groups through trainings and workshops; among supported groups are the Women
Community Promoters’ Network in Quito, the Human Rights Open School in Guayaquil and the Migrant
UNHCR supports decentralized governments’
House of the Municipality of Cuenca. Likewise, Hogar de Cristo jointly with partner agency HIAS
livelihoods initiatives targeting refugees, so that
implemented a livelihoods training program aimed at improving income generation opportunities for urban
their social and economic inclusion better
contribute to local development.
refugee families.
UNHCR/ G. Montero
UNHCR constantly works to increase its presence in refugee-hosting
neighbourhoods in order to be more accessible for refugees and to
broaden its outreach capacity in urban environments with such
a dispersed population. In Guayaquil, UNHCR has developed in
coordination with other agencies a common case identification
system based on increased presence and the work of
In Guayaquil, the HRC jointly with
volunteers who visit the different neighbourhoods and gather
afro-descendent leader women
information related to specific protection needs and livelihoods.
and
youth from poor urban areas,
In addition, thanks to groups of women community workers
organized
advocacy activities and
(promotoras comunitarias) in Quito and Santo Domingo,
communitarian
events intended to
persons of concern can receive in their own neighbourhoods’ guidance on access to rights.
raise awareness on Human Rights
At the same time, effective immediate assistance is also needed for people requiring physical
commemorations and the situation
protection or victims of gender-based violence. Many of them are relocated from the border areas
of refugees in Ecuador.
to urban zones. In order to provide them with the special attention they need, UNHCR coordinates
with organizations opposing human trafficking and with the Safe Houses National Network for
victims of gender-based violence.
To help disseminate information on refugees’
rights and obligations, as well as information
about public and private services available to
them, a toll-free hotline for refugees and asylum
seekers was created in Ecuador.
To learn more about UNHCR in the world and in Ecuador: www.acnur.org or www.unhcr.org,
Facebook: Acnur/Unhcr Américas, Twitter: @ACNURAmericas
Our Quito office: Av. Amazonas 2889 y la Granja, edificio de Naciones Unidas.
Sonia Aguilar [email protected], Andrea Escalante [email protected],
tel: + (593 2) 2 460 330 Ext. 1363
UNHCR in Guayaquil. Pablo Hanibal Vela, Mz 1085 y Justino Cornejo. Ciudadela Kennedy Norte,
Ed. Gobierno del Litoral, tel.: (04) 268 4014
UNHCR in Cuenca. Sucre 5-34 y Mariano Cueva. Tel.:(07) 2834633
With the support of the European Union