UNHCR Chief of Mission for India and Maldives, Oscar Mundia

How many refugees, roughly, is the UNHCR catering to currently in India? From which countries are they displaced?

At the end of 2021, India was home to 214,000 forcibly displaced which includes 92,978 refugees from Sri Lanka and 72,312 Tibetans (according to Indian ministry of home affairs’ annual report for 2020-2021), populations which receive protection and assistance directly from the government. As of 30 April 2022, 48,665 refugees and asylum-seekers are registered with UNHCR in India. The most common countries of people seeking asylum in India are Myanmar, Afghanistan, and smaller numbers from Somalia, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, and Sudan among others.

What opportunities does the UNHCR provide to these displaced refugees? India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. How does this affect UNHCR’s functioning in India?

India continues its long tradition of hosting and assisting refugees. India is a signatory to various human rights instruments and has incorporated human rights protection in its Constitution and other legislation, Indian courts have repeatedly interpreted human rights protection principles to encompass refugees including Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.

Refugees have access to government education and health care at par with local citizens. UNHCR in support of the efforts made by India continues to provide protection and assistance activities for urban-based refugees and asylum-seekers living which includes advocacy for access to rights, undertaking registration, refugee status determination, facilitating access to services like health, education, vaccination, supporting provision of emergency and life-saving health care (medicines, assistive devices, etc.), legal and social counselling, as well as psycho-social support. We also support access to education, including provid