UNHCR report: 22,700 refugees, asylum-seekers in Trinidad and Tobago

Nearly 22,700 refugees and asylum-seekers are currently registered locally with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), most of whom are of employable age.

These figures were released in the bimonthly UNHCR report for September-October.

People registered with UNHCR come from 37 different countries. Of these, 86 per cent are Venezuelan and six per cent Cuban.

UNHCR provided first-time access to documentation to 926 asylum-seekers (376 UNHCR certificates and 550 UNHCR ID cards). In addition, 24 asylum-seekers completed their refugee-status determination (RSD) interviews, and 26 refugees were resettled to a third country through UNHCR’s resettlement programme.

UNHCR, along with the Living Water Community (LWC), provided emergency food assistance to 618 vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees using QR code vouchers, redeemable at participating supermarkets nationwide.

In September and October 2022, 71 individuals with limited or no ability to achieve self-reliance and facing multiple protection risks received support with multi-purpose cash assistance.

Those deemed to have protection risks included people with critical or chronic illnesses, survivors of gender-based violence, people facing eviction or homelessness, people with a severe mental or physical disability, and others in emergencies facing serious risks to their health and physical integrity.

In September, UNHCR liaised with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN resident co-ordinator to raise awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which set out a 15-year plan to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives of everyone, everywhere.

In October, it liaised with UN Women and the UN resident co-ordinator to present a mural celebrating the 60th anniversary of the country’s independence and 60 years’ membership of the UN at Harris Promenade, San Fernando. The mural was designed by artist and illustrator Warren Le Platte, who works for Newsday as a graphic artist.

"UNHCR continues to facilitate access to medical services including for sexual and reproductive health. More than 800 refugees and asylum-seekers received over 5,200 medical services in 2022 thus far," the report said.