Brief Report of the Meeting with UNHCR Head and Officers – 10 July 2025

On 10 July 2025, a meeting was held at the UNHCR registration office in Vikaspuri between UNHCR leadership and refugee representatives. The meeting was led by the Head of UNHCR India and included officers from the RSD and Resettlement departments. The discussion began with an overview of current challenges, including significant budget cuts and reduction in staff. From August, only three officers will remain in the RSD team. Refugee representatives shared concerns about communication issues, including the lack of phone contact, delayed email responses, and extended time between appointments. UNHCR acknowledged these challenges and promised to improve communication systems and reduce response time. There was also discussion about the suspended US resettlement program and delays in humanitarian visas for Australia. Representatives asked what would happen to individuals who had been interviewed but not yet referred to third countries. UNHCR explained that the US program is currently halted, but some organisations are advocating for its restart. They said any updates would be shared when available. Regarding Australian humanitarian visas, most cases have been rejected. The community urged UNHCR to consider these individuals for resettlement. Representatives asked UNHCR to speed up RSD procedures. UNHCR explained that staff in the RSD unit has been reduced from 14 to 3, but they aim to make 2000 RSD decisions by the end of this year. Those who have been interviewed or re-interviewed are under review and may receive decisions by the end of the year. On the topic of transparency, UNHCR shared updates on anti-fraud measures, including time limits for interpreter contracts and the creation of an anti-fraud team with both Indian and international staff. Refugees were encouraged to report any misconduct or corruption through email or drop-boxes anonymously. UNHCR mentioned the upcoming launch of a Digital Gateway system. Once active, refugees will be able to update their personal information and monitor the progress of their cases directly through this platform. Concerns were also raised about detentions, deportations, and discrimination. UNHCR said they are in regular contact with Indian authorities to advocate for refugee rights and confirmed that some detained refugees have been released. In case of future incidents, refugees were advised to immediately inform UNHCR legal partners. Finally, UNHCR encouraged community members to continue their own initiatives and said such efforts can be shared with UNHCR through email, feedback forms, or suggestion boxes. Hazara Voice for Justice Association