JRS has made a significant impact on the lives of refugees around the world
JRS South Asia in 2023
65,482 people were served in 2021
28,409 were served in Peace & Reconciliation programs
13,024 were served in MHPSS programs
14,366 people were served in education & Livelihood programs
JRS South Asia was present in 3 countries
Delivering Significant Change
9,683 People served with Health & Emergency Aid
Afghanistan Situation
The Jesuit Refugee Service continues to stand in solidarity with the Afghan people as they face emergency and suffering in their country. The change of governance has raised multiple questions about the lives of millions of Afghans. As the new regime begins a new chapter in the history of the country, we call for peace and non-violence in the whole region, hoping that there would be no return to a traumatic past.
According to UNHCR, half a million Afghans are expected to flee mainly to the neighbouring countries. We encourage all governments across the world to take concrete actions to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate those who have been forced to leave. Many Afghans are making difficult decisions to ensure the safety of their families, and it is the moral and legal obligation of those countries that are able to provide protection. Our hearts and prayers lay with the people of Afghanistan as they face such an uncertain future.
Myanmar Situation
Since the military takeover on 1st February, 2021, insecurity and armed clashes continue to threated the nation and reports of arrests, detention and use of excessive force against protestors by police and security forces have become common phenomena. Armed conflict in the north and southeast resumed and intensified between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), and/or People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) resulting in displacement and civilian casualties.
At the same time, within this rapidly evolving context, the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis continues to pose additional challenges to already strained or disrupted health services, particularly when cases began to surge mid-year.
Bangladesh Situation
Bangladesh, especially Cox’s Bazar, has become a long-term host to a steadily growing flow of refugees from the neighbouring war-affected Rakhine state of Myanmar. Over a million Rohingya refugees have fled violence in Myanmar in successive waves of displacement since the early 1990s. The latest exodus began on 25th August, 2017, driving more than 8,95,515 to seek refuge in Bangladesh. Majority among them are women and children, and more than 40 per cent are under the age of 12 requiring additional aid and protection.
Thus, JRS SA began its mission for Rohingya refugees establishing Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) and capacity building training of JRS personnel and the CFS team members in partnership with Caritas Bangladesh. Currently the CFS’s are upgraded to Multi-Purpose Child and Adolescent Centre (MCAC) reaching out to Forcibly displaced people of Myanmar, especially children and women to live in safe and supportive environment, protected from violence and COVID-19.
India Situation
India has been welcoming refugees in the past, and on date, nearly 300,000 people here are categorised as refugees. But India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention or the 1967 Protocol. The refugee protection in India is guided primarily by ad hocism, which always leads to exclusion of this category from the formal system for socio economic inclusion pushing them to the margins of the society. The pandemic has exposed the precarity and vulnerability of internal migrants as well as refugee population in India.
The recent development in the political situation in the neighbouring countries mainly Afghanistan and Myanmar have increased the inflow of the asylum seekers in the region.
In India as of September 2021, the total number of refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR is 43,157, mainly from Afghanistan is 15,559 and Myanmar is 23,478.
JRS in India accompanies and serves the Chin, Afghan (New Delhi) and Sri Lankan Tamil refugee community (spread across 107 camps in Tamil Nadu) with educational, livelihood, peace, reconciliation, and emergency needs.
