GENEVA, 20 June 2014 (ICMC) - World Refugee Day on 20 June draws attention to the plight of over 51 million refugees worldwide<. But rather than simply observe this important day, the international community must ask itself what are the concrete action steps?

As an international community we must assist refugees to find a durable solution to their plight. A durable solution can be the refugee’s integration into the host community, return to the country of origin, or resettlement in a third country. When the first two solutions are not attainable, resettlement can respond to the protection needs of the most vulnerable refugees. Yet for this to become a reality, resettlement requires the cooperation of multiple actors including international organizations, national governments, civil society organizations, and local authorities.

Under a joint agreement between ICMC and HIAS<, ICMC deployed Magnolia Turbidy to UNHCR in Amman as a resettlement caseworker, referring Syrian refugees for the new Humanitarian Admissions Programme (HAP). During her interview with ICMC, Magnolia describes HAP, which enables Syrian refugees to be processed under a unique and expedited model of admission to some European countries.

Only Austria, Germany, the UK, and France have started accepting Syrian HAP cases. With the number of Syrian refugee numbers expected to escalate to four million by the end of 2014, more and more refugees will be in need of special programmes, such as HAP, as well as traditional resettlement.

Can you describe what the HAP is?

HAP is a unique model of admission through which UNHCR works with receiving countries to provide protection to particularly vulnerable Syrian refugees in situations of mass and rapid displacement.’

This is different than the typical resettlement schemes we’re familiar with. First and foremost, it’s a humanitarian programme and not a resettlement programme.

Does this mean that HAP is faster than traditional Resettlement?

Absolutely, with HAP it’s a matter of months between interview and departure. It makes a huge difference for people who need to be out of the country quickly. The typical resettlement process -  from determining if someone is a refugee, to then establishing if they are applicable for resettlement, to submission to the resettlement country - can take almost a year, depending on which country the case is submitted to.Then, by the time refugees depart, the resettlement process can take almost two years.

 What types of cases are applicable for HAP?

Cases that really need to move out of the country fast, such as serious medical cases. In Jordan, the government is providing free health care, but if a family’s medical needs go beyond basic health care, they are in dire situations. Refugees in Jordan can’t work, so they have no money to pay for extra fees.

Besides medical cases, we also submitted victims of violence and torture for HAP consideration. These applicants are incredibly traumatized after all they’ve been through; they can’t live safely in their home country, and remain unable to meet their basic needs in Jordan.

Why, in your opinion, is HAP a good idea? Can you give specific examples?

HAP is a speedy process from beginning to end. The typical resettlement claim just requires so much paperwork, and background information. The HAP referral forms are just a claim with a small paragraph, justifying why this case needs to be submitted.

I draft and submit the dossier to the appropriate HAP country, and the country decides if the case is suitable. With Austria, in particular, once they review the file, the applicant would leave a month later.

One case really sticks in my mind. There was a young couple with two little boys, one of who just had heart surgery in Syria. Once the war broke out, he was unable to get any follow up care. The doctors had fled, rebels occupied hospitals, and people were being shot at check points.

An NGO helped the family get across the border into Amman, but they still couldn’t afford the necessary medical care for their young child. Instead they lived in an incredibly unstable situation; the family had no money and couldn’t work or afford basic necessities. The little boy was just under four years old; we wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to have any long term developmental or health problems. Luckily, we were able to submit the family to Austria under the HAP programme. 

You’ve worked in several different refugee situations, how is the Syrian caseload different?

To me, what really stood out was the passion and honesty people had for their situations. It is so recent and so real for so many people, and in many ways, they are still shocked.

One older woman said to me, “I’ve lived in Damascus for 68 years. I’ve never seen war like this before. And now my entire neighborhood is bombed; and it was such a safe comfortable area.”

You have to realize many of these people are highly educated. Before the war, they had been able to travel freely and all of a sudden everything changed. ‪Also, some refugees were not necessarily aware of the politics associated with this conflict, and yet were also forced to flee for their lives. So many refugees told me, ‘I just want to go back home.’ ‬ This was new for me.

Beforehand, I interviewed refugees in protracted situations - who had fled their countries of origin years ago.The trauma and flight had happened so long ago that it was no longer fresh in their minds.Refugees in these types of situations have been in desperate straits for so long, and they know that they’re not going home.They’ve accepted it.

What is your favorite part of the job?

Interviewing refugees – having that face to face interaction and dialogue - is my favorite part of resettlement. Hearing people discuss their trauma, and yet realizing that they still have hope for the future.I am able to take this information, advocate on their behalf, and make an enormous difference in their lives. It’s such a simple thing – I listen to them and write down their stories.

This interview can change their lives for the better - get them out of a precarious situation, and put them on a path to a possibly successful future in a third country.

Photo Credit 1: A Syrian refugee family in Mafraq, Jordan by Guido Dingemas 2014 

Photo Credit 2: Magnolia Turbidy, HIAS Programme Manager for International Operations seconded to ICMC in 2014, to work as a Deployee in Amman

Photo Credit 3: Two Syrian refugee boys In Mafraq, Jordan 2013