Pakistan, UN launch major survey on Afghan refugees

The UN refugee agency and Pakistan have launched an ambitious project to survey the world's largest refugee population in the country, the UN High Commission for Refugees said Wednesday. The survey aims to capture extensive information on the challenges faced by the two million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, as well as their contribution to the country's economy, a UNHCR statement said. By responding to questions on their livelihood, health, social conditions, legal and other issues, Afghan refugees will have the opportunity to influence government policy and programmes designed to manage a refugee situation that goes back more than 30 years. The Population Profiling Verification and Response (PPVR) survey is being carried out by the UNHCR implementing partners Basic Education for Awareness Reforms and Empowerment (BEFARe) and Enterprise for Business and Development Management (EBDM). Following a trial phase last year, the survey was formally rolled out recently with survey teams going door to door in 25 districts in all the four provinces of Pakistan. It will continue until the end of 2011, by which time several hundred thousand Afghans are expected to have taken part. Two person male and female survey teams are going door to door to collect information on Afghan households and communities in cities, rural areas and camps. The data is collected and entered in the field through laptop computers, said Khawar Khan Mohmand, an assistant project manager at BEFARe. 'This is an important chance for Afghans to let policymakers know about their current concerns, their plans for the future and contributions they are making to their host country. We strongly encourage them to take part in the process,' said Maya Ameratunga, the UNHCR’s Deputy Representative in Pakistan. The data gathered in the survey will inform the Pakistan government's Afghan Management and Repatriation strategy, which will introduce alternative stay arrangements for Afghans in Pakistan, such as visas and permits, by the end of 2012.