Professional Documents
Culture Documents
rejected return
The Swedish Red Cross meets many people who have applied for asylum
in Sweden. In our activities, we are given a unique opportunity to listen
to their stories and to understand their needs and what we can do to
contribute to improved conditions for asylum seekers in our country.
With this report and its recommendation, the Swedish Red Cross aims
to describe how we have worked to assist rejected asylum seekers, but
also to propose how procedures and activities related to return can be
further developed.
Ewa Jonsson
Projektledare
Svenska Rda Korset
Since 2008, the Swedish Red Cross has run tions refused, based on the individuals own
projects aimed at offering counselling and assis- request. We offer legal advice, information
tance to rejected asylum seekers. This report about the asylum process and the process of
is part of the project Red Cross Network on return and reintegration, psychosocial support
Return II, which is coordinated by the National and assistance in contacting relevant authori-
Department of the Swedish Red Cross and ties. Through the project, needs-based support
cofinanced by the European Return Fund has also been provided after return by sister
(1 January 2013 to 30 June 2015). National Societies and the IFRC in Serbia,
Kosovo, the Former Yugoslav Republic of
In our work to support rejected asylum seekers Macedonia (FYROM), the Russian Federation
and other migrants who are obliged to return, and Iraq (partner countries).
the Swedish Red Cross cooperates with sister
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Socie- We know from regular follow-up assessments
ties, the International Federation of Red Cross of people who have returned that our support
and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the makes a difference and increases the chances of
International Committee of the Red Cross successful reintegration.
(ICRC), as well as with the Swedish authorities
and other organisations. The recommendations of the Swedish
Red Cross underline, inter alia, the importance
Our starting point is the humanitarian needs of taking individual needs into account when
and interests of the individual. The Swedish planning and implementing return, and of
Red Cross provides counselling and assistance improving and increasing cooperation between
to people who have had their asylum applica- different actors in the return process.
The Swedish Red Cross has since 2008 run The International Red Cross and Red Crescent
projects aimed at offering counselling and Movement and other relevant organisations
assistance to rejected asylum seekers. The current have been contacted when a need of assistance
project Red Cross Network on Return II after return has been identified. The project
started in January 2013 and ended 30 June 2015. has in particular cooperated with the Danish
Red Cross, the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, the
The overall purpose of the project has been Red Cross of Kosovo, the Macedonian
to ensure that rejected asylum seekers have Red Cross, the Russian Red Cross Society, the
the opportunity to return in safe and dignified Red Cross of Serbia, the Czech Red Cross,
conditions and with full respect for their human and the IFRC in Iraq, Kosovo and the Russian
rights, and that they are given the means to live Federation.
in dignity in their home countries. Support has
been provided based on the individuals own We have based our work on a number of
request. guiding documents developed within the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent
The objectives of the project can be Movement.1
summarised as follows:
To provide return counselling in Sweden In 2010, the Swedish Red Cross published the
and in partner countries; report Information Network for Return to
To provide reintegration assistance after Northern Iraq, Serbia and Kosovo: Results
return (during the project); and experiences from a two-year project,
To ensure ownership and integration of which explained the background of our work
return-related activities in the regular to support rejected asylum seekers who are
activities of the Swedish Red Cross after obliged to return. We described working
the end of the project; methods and results, and presented examples
To establish and maintain networks of cases involving families who had returned
with sister National Societies and other from Sweden to Iraq, Kosovo and Serbia.2
organisations.
Now we wish to share our results and expe-
riences to further increase knowledge of the
return and reintegration process, and to contri-
bute to improvements for migrants who are
obliged to return to their country of origin.
Of those applying for asylum in Sweden in It is the responsibility of the Swedish Migration
2014, 36% came from Syria. In total, 58% of Agency to facilitate voluntary departure. In
all asylum applications in Sweden were granted some cases, the Agency offers reestablishment
at first instance (2013: 34%; 2012: 30%). The support in the form of an allowance that is paid
Swedish Migration Agency accepted 16.386 after return. If a person does not comply with
Syrians, 5.256 Eritreans, 4.324 stateless persons, the obligation to leave the country, the return
1.498 Afghans and 1.161 Somalis.4 case is handed over to the police for enforcement
(forced removal). When a rejected asylum seeker
has left the country, the Swedish authorities are
4.2 The legal framework no longer responsible for her/his wellbeing.
When we use the term return in relation to An asylum seeker who has been issued a
rejected asylum seekers, it refers to the obliga- refusal-of-entry or expulsion order that has
tion of a third-country national who has been become final and non-appealable may submit
issued a refusal-of-entry or expulsion order to an application to the Swedish Migration
leave Sweden. The relevant substantial and Agency invoking new circumstances that
constitute an impediment to return.
3 According to information from the UNHCR 5 Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament
4 According to information from the Swedish Migration and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on common
Agency standards and procedures in Member States for
returning illegally staying third-country nationals
6 Migrationsverket, Handbok i migrationsrenden,
Handlggning av tervndanderenden, 2012
4.4 Statistics
The Swedish Red Cross has since 2008 registe-
red and handled 998 return cases concerning
persons of 37 different nationalities. Most
cases have involved return to Serbia and
Kosovo, but the numbers have decreased
during the past year.
7 Recognition rates according to information from the
Swedish Migration Agency
Number of return cases handled by the Swedish Red Cross during the period
1 September 2008 to 31 December 2014
Country 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Iraq 19 58 55 47 5 5 2 0 191
Kosovo 24 60 56 44 52 37 14 4 291
Makedonia 0 0 5 14 9 6 1 35
Russia 0 0 1 3 6 8 0 18
Serbia 8 34 20 76 83 74 17 7 319
Other 10 25 16 25 35 13 13 7 144
Total 61 177 147 198 192 144 60 19 998
A fair asylum Asylum applications are examined in accordance Referral mechanism to ensure access to
process with national and international law legal advice
Information, Asylum seekers receive accurate and objective Information and guidance about the
guidance and information and understand how the asylum asylum process and the return process
support process and return process work
Support in contacting the authorities
and other actors
Psychosocial support
Return Rejected asylum seekers have the opportunity to Assessment of individual needs before
return in safe and dignified conditions and with full and after return
respect for their human rights
Information about conditions in country
of origin
Practical preparations
Material assistance
Reintegration People who have returned are given the means to Guidance and support in contacting the
achieve sustainable reintegration, from a humani- authorities and other actors
tarian and social perspective
Material assistance
Support for self-reliance
People who return are often confronted by the 6.1 To doubt that ones asylum
same situation as when they left. Sometimes application has been
they find themselves in an even worse situation, properly examined
as a result of having escaped and applied for
asylum elsewhere. A difficult humanitarian A family with an autistic child and its grand-
situation, a sense of powerlessness, failure and mother will be returned to Armenia. The childs
helplessness, and a lack of support by the local mother is five months pregnant. The family
authorities are recurring concerns among those claims to come from Syria and belong to a mino-
we have met when making follow-up assess- rity group, but the Swedish Migration Agency
ments after return. doubts this and orders a language analysis. The
analysis indicates that the family originates from
Since 2008, we have interviewed 639 persons. Armenia. The family maintains that they have
This has given us a unique insight into what never lived in Armenia and that they have no
happens after arrival to the country of origin. connection to the country.
Thanks to these follow-up interviews and
individual needs assessments, the Swedish The family turns to the Swedish Red Cross for
Red Cross has received confirmation that the support and advice. They have been informed
When Sofias sister contacted us, the 6.6 Information, guidance and
Swedish Migration Agency had already practical assistance after
initiated the return process and was about return
to make travel arrangements. We had
several contacts with the Red Cross of Annika and her 20 years old son Edvard are
Serbia to discuss Sofias situation. It was obliged to return to Kosovo after almost eight
important that her housing situation was years in Sweden. When Edvard contacts the
solved before return. We agreed with the Swedish Red Cross, they are in hiding. He calls
Red Cross of Serbia that: to discuss ways of remaining in Sweden. Edvard
does not accept to return to their country of
We would contact Sofias case officer origin. He only has terrible memories of his
at the Migration Agency to explain the childhood in Kosovo and views it as a foreign
situation and discuss the possibility of country. He likes Sweden and wants to stay here.
postponing her return trip for two or
three weeks, in order to have time to find After several months without contact with us,
housing. Edvard calls from a detention centre. He will be
The Red Cross of Serbia would, through forcibly removed to Kosovo within a couple of
its contacts on the national and local days and is very concerned about his return.
level, try to arrange a placement in an
elderly home. Edvard and his mother do not know what will
happen after return but hope that they can stay
The Swedish Migration Agency agreed with a relative. They have no valid identity
to postpone Sofias return trip. The Red documents. Edvard has no education and lacks
Cross of Serbia managed to find a place in work experience. His mother is ill.
We have observed that there is a general view in This is how we have worked
countries of origin that people returning have Before return, we made an assessment in
failed and come back for help. This further order to identify what support Annika
complicates the situation after return. and her son Edvard would need in their
country of origin. The assessment was
The Government of Kosovo has developed a
then sent to the Red Cross of Kosovo.
National Strategy for Reintegration of Repa-
triated Persons in Kosovo13. Based on this
The family received the name and tele
strategy, reintegration support provided by the
phone number of a contact person at the
local authorities includes, inter alia:
Housing and renovation/reconstruction Red Cross whom they were welcome to
of existing house; call upon arrival. Now it was up to them
Food and hygiene parcels and medicines; to take the next step. They decided to turn
Professional training and language training to the Red Cross of Kosovo.
for children;
Within a week, Annika and Edvard were
However, only people who left Kosovo before visited by two representatives of the
28 July 2010 and apply within twelve months IFRC and the Red Cross of Kosovo. They
after return are entitled to benefit from rein- discussed the needs assessment made by
tegration support. Others may be eligible for the Swedish Red Cross and concluded that
regular services and social assistance provided Annikas need of health care had to be
by the municipalities. prioritised.
Our follow-up assessments show that many The Red Cross of Kosovo considered
people who have returned did not receive that Annika and her son met the criteria
reintegration support, some of them despite for benefiting from reintegration support
fulfilling the relevant criteria. Among the 44 provided by the local authorities. While
families followed-up in Kosovo in 2013 and they already had housing, the family was
2014, only eight families met the criteria for
in need of medicines and food parcels.
benefiting from reintegration support. Of
Annika and Edvard were informed about
those, two did not receive any support.
their rights and referred to the Municipal
13 http://www.mpb-ks.org/repository/docs/National_ Office for Communities and Returns.
Strategy_for_Reintegration_of_Repatriated_Persons.pdf
in the longer term. Seven of the families lived This is how we have worked
in rented apartments, often paid by a relative We made an assessment of what support
living abroad. Another seven families received the family would need in their country
temporary housing support from the authori- of origin and sent it to the Macedonian
ties, of which six had returned to Kosovo, but Red Cross. The assessment showed that
none of them had found a long term solution they were in need of initial assistance and
to their housing needs. housing support.
14 http://www.kirs.gov.rs/docs/Readmission_strategy.pdf
Comments
This is how we have worked While cooperation between different actors
In this case, we contacted the Russian is important, it is often lacking. There is a
Red Cross Headquarters in Moscow high risk of severe vulnerability if people with
and described the situation. They in special needs are returned without proper
turn contacted the local Red Cross in reception upon arrival. Even when support is
Makhachkala in Dagestan. The Red Cross available, access often depends on knowledge
located the family and initiated a needs and local networks.
assessment. It was concluded that the
family was in a very difficult situation.
They stayed with relatives in a moun-
tainous area outside their home town
and winter was coming. Their housing
consisted of a shed without a proper roof
and heating. The family lacked food,
health care and medicines.
THANK YOU!