KOSOVO*

FACTSHEET
April 2016
Roma returnees living in Pristina
@ UNHCR/ L.Taylor
UNHCR presence in Kosovo began in 1992 with the aim to assist refugees seeking protection and humanitarian aid and
support persons displaced before the conflict in 1999. According to the UN Security Council Resolution
1244 (1999), UNHCR is mandated to supervise safe and free return to Kosovo of all refugees and displaced persons. Since
1999, UNHCR has spent in Kosovo over US$ 240 million assisting over 1 million displaced persons.

Highlights

Asylum seekers Over 15,000 26,775

The number of individuals
seeking asylum in Kosovo:
o 2014: 98
o 2015: 70
o 2016: 15

Persons at risk of
statelessness, who
received personal identity
documents

Voluntary minority
returnees, who
returned to/within
Kosovo between
2000 and March
2016

16,800 IDPs
Estimated number of persons still
displaced within Kosovo.
Out of these persons, 472 are still
living in 29 temporary collective
centres

Population of concern
Nearly

100 thousand people in need

Place of displacement

UNHCR FACTSHEET

Serbia
Montenegro
former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia
Total

Total PoC
97,286

UNHCR Presence
Staff (international, local and UNV/NUNV): 31
1 main office in Pristina
2 field units located in Zvean/Zvean and Pej/Pe

1,543
671

99,500

*This designation is
without prejudice to
positions on status,
and is in line with
UN Security Council
Resolution 1244
(1999)

UNHCR Factsheet - Kosovo*

WORKING WITH PARTNERS

International organizations: UNHCR coordinates activities with UNMIK and the EU Office in Kosovo, participates in the UN Kosovo
Team (UNKT) and contributes to the implementation of the UNKT Common Development Plan. UNHCR also works closely with EU,
OSCE and IOM.
Implementing partners: Civil Rights Program Kosovo, Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims, Advancing Together.
Local institutions: Ministry of Communities and Returns, Ministry of Local Government Administration, Ministry of Internal Affairs,
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Kosovo Agency for Statistics, Kosovo Property Agency, Legal and Judicial Institutions,
Ombudsperson Office.
NGOs: Danish Refugee Council, Mercy Corps, Mother Teresa Society.

MAIN ACTIVITIES
Protection
UNHCR engages in the development of legislative and administrative frameworks in the areas of asylum, civil documentation and
durable solutions. By strengthening the capacity of the central and municipal authorities, UNHCR fosters the development and
implementation of a protection framework, which can meet international and regional human rights standards. In that respect,
UNHCR:
o

Contributes to the establishment of an efficient asylum system in Kosovo. Through various partnerships, UNHCR develops
the capacity of relevant stakeholders engaged in asylum matters, taking into consideration mixed migration perspective.
In collaboration with the responsible law enforcement authorities and partners, UNHCR monitors all official entry points
with the aim to support the institutions in establishing protectionsensitive entry mechanisms and implementing asylum
legislation.

Provides technical legal support and advice to legal and administrative structures in bringing legislation and policies
relevant to risk of statelessness into compliance with international standards. UNHCR contributes to identifying the
legislative and administrative gaps, assessing the situation of unregistered and undocumented Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian
communities and recommends measures for systematic solution to reduce and prevent the risk of statelessness.

In the context of durable solutions and sustainable reintegration, UNHCR regularly monitors the protection situation of the
minority voluntary returns and internally displaced populations across Kosovo. Their needs and rights are addressed through the
active engagement of responsible institutions in finding solutions for obstacles in voluntary return and reintegration.
In close coordination with Kosovo institutions and international actors, UNHCR supports durable solutions for internally displaced
persons, in particular those in temporary collective centres.
Through its partners, UNHCR supports the persons of concern with legal assistance, psychosocial counselling and protection
monitoring.
UNHCR also promotes confidence-building and peaceful co-existence through forums involving communities representatives,
interested stakeholders and civil society. Those activities provide space for seeking joint solutions, hence laying the foundations
for durable solutions and sustainable reintegration.

UNHCR is grateful for the generous contributions of donors who have given unearmarked and broadly earmarked contributions to
UNHCR.

Contacts:
Malgorzata Bratkrajc, External Relations Officer, bratkraj@unhcr.org, Tel: + 38138241509 Ext. 2700, Cell +377 (0) 44115560
Shpend Halili, Public Information Associate, halilis@unhcr.org, Tel: +38138241509 Ext. 2701, Cell +377 (0) 45286862

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) www.unhcr.org