Denmark’s Region of Origins Initiative (ROI) was a groundbreaking effort to link humanitarian, development and refugee management ambitions. It is now in its third phase, giving Denmark a lot of experience to draw on in responding to the European refugee crisis, including to address protracted displacement and onward movement. Seefar is proud to have the opportunity to contribute to a review of the third phase, with a focus on Afghanistan.

With intensifying conflict and a changing situation for Afghans living in Pakistan, Afghanistan is coping with an unprecedented amount of people on the move, with more than 580,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 2016 alone, adding to the 1.2 million displaced at the end of 2015. The third phase of the ROI aims to secure access to protection and durable solutions for refugees and IDPs as close to their home as possible. This phase commenced in 2014.

The three directly-funded implementing mechanisms are:

• The National Solidarity Program (NSP), a flagship development program in Afghanistan that focuses on community-driven development. The ROI interest is in grants to communities with higher than expected magnitude of return and worked to ensure that the voices of recently returned refugees are heard in the community decision process.
• The Danish Committee for Assistance to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR), which works to ensure water supply, sanitation and hygiene; natural resources management; small scale enterprise development; and women’s empowerment.
• The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), with long experience of providing legal assistance to displaced people. The ROI supports information counselling and legal advice, particularly as it concerns land and property issues.

Seefar is tasked with assessing the ROI’s relevance in a changing context and to assess performance. The review is intended to support the likely formulation of a fourth phase towards the end of 2017.