Refugees In Guinea
21,500 refugees are currently living in Guinea (UNHCR statistics). Civil wars in neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone have caused tens of thousands of people to flee their homes and seek safety in Guinea. However, political uncertainty and a recent past of martial law have left Guinea unstable. Raising food prices and the decline of basic services have increased resentment in the counrty and therefore increase the chance of violence.
After the voluntaty repatriation programs allowing people to return to their counrties of origin an empasis in now being place on local integration. Those unwilling or unable to return to their countries of origin, integration is the most sustainable solution. On a voluntary basis refugees will be given the option to leave the camps and move to the neighbouring comminuities where communtiy based projects will help to integrate them. These programs are also aimed at areas where there are thought to be as many as 50,000 unregistered refugees. The environments around the refugee camps will also be regenerated.
The needs now are aimed at increasing the rights of the refugees. Freedom of movement, access to education, jobs, public services, health facilities, the right to buy and sell property, travel and identity documents, permanent residence and, ultimately, citizenship.
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