Seminar for representatives of Mogilev region authorities on the issues of refugees integration organized in the framework of the joint EU—UNHCR project «Local Integration of Refugees in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine (phase I)» took place on June 6, 2013.
UNHCR representatives in the Republic of Belarus, members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Committees on Labour, Employment and Social Protection, Mogilev region authorities, non-governmental organizations involved in solution of refugees, migration and related issues, and also representatives of the higher education institutions were present at the event.
The most relevant issues of integration of refugees both locally and in Mogilev region and Belarus in general were discussed at the seminar.
In the main information part of the event speakers highlighted the role of governmental bodies, international and non-governmental organizations in the framework of the integration project implementation and prospects of further activities. In course of discussion following the speeches the most relevant problems were discussed: problems related to employment of refugees and asylum seekers, their self-employment (with an accent on the legal status, while there is no access to social benefits on black market); accommodation problems for refugees (largely due to reluctance of landlords to hand the apartment over to foreigners); resettlement of refugees from the city to the rural area, employment of refugees in agricultural towns and villages; relevant problems of refugees education, language training, establishing of the system of certifying testing in official languages for foreign nationals in Belarus are among the issues. Moreover, Jean Yves Bouchardy, the UNHCR Representative in the Republic of Belarus, noted the lack of Refugee Counseling Service in Mogilev region among the problems related to integration of refugees in this region. At the seminar it was noted that Vitebsk region is largely regarded to be a role model in implementation of integration activities.
