The Employment Agency under the program for employment and training of refugees recruits candidates for Bulgarian language courses.

Requirements for candidates:

Asylum seekers with the right to work (applied at least three months ago)
Received protection within the last two years
Individuals must not have signed employment contracts, as they will be registered as unemployed at employment offices.

The participants in the courses will receive a scholarship of 10 BGN per day of attendance. The training will be live in the integration center of the Bulgarian Red Cross.

FULL TEXT OF THE PROGRAM

We present to your attention an online conference “Migration in Focus: Addressing Informational Challenges in Humanitarian Actions”, organized in the framework of the H2020 MIRROR project.  This event is envisioned as a space to discuss about some challenges related to informational gaps in formulating and deploying policies and humanitarian responses targeting migrants, while fostering capacity building through exchange of best practices.

The 2-day hybrid event has an interactive structure comprising several panels, roundtables and technology demonstrations and will bring together among stakeholders from the academic world, policy-makers, civil society and international organizations working in the field of migration.

More  information and registration for participation in the official website of the H2020 MIRROR >>>

At the National Forum for Refugee Integration (30 November 2021), two Bulgarian organisations – the Bulgarian Council on Refugees and Migrants and the Multi Kulti Collective, in partnership with the UNHCR Representation – started jointly developing a Manifesto for Refugee Integration in Bulgaria.

A 6-month inclusive and collaborative process was launched during which an innovative programme document will be developed. This document will be used as a key advocacy tool at national level and will consist of two parts – a general part and a part containing a number of concrete proposals in the different areas of integration. All stakeholders, including refugees themselves, will be invited to participate through a series of expert meetings as well as online consultations.

The document will highlight the leading role of the state and local authorities, including municipalities, in the refugee integration system. The Manifesto will present a model where both refugees and local communities can benefit from a two-way integration process.

The Refugee Integration Manifesto will cover all key aspects of refugee integration, grouped into four areas (as in the NIEM project methodology):

1. General conditions
2. Legal integration
3. Socio-economic integration
4. Socio-cultural integration

The Refugee Integration Manifesto is expected to be presented in May 2022. It will be developed in the framework of the project “NIEM – National Refugee Integration Evaluation Mechanism”, funded by the EU AMIF and the project “Advocacy for Refugee Integration in Bulgaria”, funded by UNHCR.

On 30 November 2021, the Bulgarian Council on Refugees and Migrants in partnership with the Multi Kulti Collective and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees held the traditional annual National Forum on Refugee Integration on the theme “Together we write the new stories of refugee integration”. This is the time and place where we, together with state institutions, municipal administrations, NGOs and civil society organizations, businesses and refugees themselves, review our achievements over the past year, raise important questions for future activities and build new relationships and partnerships.

In the first part of the Forum, success stories of refugee integration were presented. Participants looked back at the past year – at stories of dedication, professionalism and creativity from all participants – the refugees themselves, the responsible institutions, civil society organizations, businesses. Worthy stories, with both successes and difficulties, but also celebration, recognition and humanity. Looking back brought out the most important lessons of the past year and suggestions for future initiatives and activities.

In the second part of the Forum, participants looked ahead – to the future of refugee integration in Bulgaria and our vision for the development of the integration system. The idea of developing a programmatic document “Manifesto for Refugee Integration in Bulgaria” was presented, based on cooperation and mutual support between stakeholders, which would help to pave the way towards a functioning state-led integration system for the maximum benefit of both refugees and host communities. The Forum formally launched the process of creating a “Manifesto for Refugee Integration in Bulgaria”, which will involve all stakeholders.

The event took place within the framework of the project “Advocacy for Refugee Integration in Bulgaria”, funded by UNHCR and the project “NIEM – National Integration Evaluation Mechanism”, funded by the EC AMIF.

Current gaps in legal and policy frameworks

The paper illustrates how, across the 10 EU countries reviewed, there is a significant difference in the quality of integration laws and policies affecting people with humanitarian protection. It is also found that legal conditions for people with humanitarian protection are less favorable than for those with refugee or subsidiary protection. Humanitarian status holders are therefore facing a lower standard of integration experience based on their status. Using NIEM indicators, the paper reveals that Member States seem to be reluctant to adopt inclusive policies for the long-term integration of humanitarian status holders, who often have a very precarious legal status and are unable to settle down in the country.

Subsequently, the paper recommends for EU Member States to reassess the use of humanitarian protection, and — at the very least — for improved conditions and treatment of humanitarian status holders in line with refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection.

The document is available online (download)

Learn more about NIEM in Bulgaria >>>

The third (eight) issue of the academic newsletter “Refugees: Today and Tomorrow” is dedicated to women and forced migration. UNHCR data for 2020 show that 47% out of all 84.2 million people who are forced to leave their homes are women. In Bulgaria in 2020, 364 women applied for international protection, with 46 receiving refugee status and 160 humanitarian status. This issue includes articles that, on the one hand, contribute more to the understanding of those that address Bulgarian society to refugee women, and, on the other hand, tell more about themselves. What is the fate of Iranians after the Islamic Revolution, how did the feminist movement emerge in the Arab world, what is it like to be a female journalist from Iran today in an attempt to build a new life in a new country and why a comprehensive approach to international protection is needed in Bulgaria are just some of the topics you can read about in the issue.

Download in PDF  Summary in English  Feedback Other issues

On 26 and 27 October, the 2021 AGD PA was finalized with a seminar presenting the results of the participatory assessment as a basis for planning of programmes, projects and activities for the protection and integration of refugees in the next year. The participatory assessment was focused on the needs related to the protection and integration of beneficiaries of international protection and the new solutions and developments provided at the local level, such as the implemented integration agreements with local authorities, the opening of an information and service centre for third country nationals in Sofia. Challenges for beneficiaries of international protection, such as access to financial services, were also highlighted. The final part of the 2021 AGD PA provided an opportunity to present already existing and implemented alternatives to migration detention, their regime and application, and also highlighted the importance of cooperation with refugee-led organisations and structures such as the Refugee Advisory Board.

UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency,  implements the Age, Gender and Diversity Participatory Assessment in collaboration with NGOs partners as a mechanism for programme planning as well as for accountability to refugees and people of concern. In Bulgaria, the AGD PA covers asylum-seekers and refugees accommodated in the registration and reception centres of the State Agency for Refugees, SCTAFs, municipalities and NGOs centres. The Bulgarian Council on Refugees and Migrants actively supported and participated in the participatory assessment as a source of guidance for advocacy and participation of refugees in decision-making processes that affect them.

We present to your attention an online policy conference “Migration and integration: Does the EU live up to its values”.

Can the European Union develop a common vision on this controversial subject? How can it safeguard the “European Way of Life”, act in the interests of citizens and put its values and principles into action. Among the speakers in the conference will be member of the European Couth of Auditors Leo Brincat, the economist and author Sir Paul Collier, the cardic surgeon Dr. Direk Gursoy, the migration expert Gerlad Knaus, Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri, the founder and CEO of Innoplexus Gunjan Bhardwaj, the jurist Abir Haddad, the member of the Euroepan Parlament Erik Marquardt and the deputy foreign minister of of Lithuania in charge of the European affairs Arnoldas Prankevicius.

Access to the conference streaming is available upon online registration.

On the 17th of September, Migration Policy Group presented a brief linking refugee integration results to the EU Action Plan. The Webinar was recorded and is now available online

Learn more about NIEM in Bulgaria >>>

We present to your attention the Information Bulletin “Integration of Refugees in Bulgaria: Opportunities for Development” for the period July – September 2021.

Download in PDF Feedback

In the issue you will find information on the following topics:

Statistics on international protection granted in Bulgaria for the period January-August 2021, resources for statistical information and information on refugees and the census

 Cooperation with local authorities

▪ Opening of an information and service center for foreigners

Refugee voice

▪ What is the fate of refugees in our country: a first-person account

 Refugee initiatives

▪ Participation of the Refugee Advisory Council in the UNHCR Regional Consultations with NGOs for Europe

▪ New members of the Refugee Advisory Board

 Sustainability of integration

▪ Refugee Financial Inclusion Workshop

▪ From good practices to innovations for integration. Creating a community of innovation

Strengthening partnerships

▪ Information session on social services for refugees

▪Training workshop of Civic Association EVET

Integration of refugees in the labour market

▪Employer and refugee job fair in Harmanli

Vaccination of refugees against COVID-19

Research, planning and accountability

▪Survey of the needs of asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection by age, gender and social group – 2021

Developments at European level

▪ The European Refugee Integration Policy Package: The EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion as a tool to address the gaps. Linking the results of the NIEM to EU action from 2021 to 2027