IOM Kosovo, through Assisted Voluntary Returns and Reintegration (AVRR) programmes aims to promote sustainable voluntary return and reintegration of Kosovars, returning from different countries through measures to improve economic prospects for both the returnees and members of the receiving communities. Since 1999 IOM Kosovo in coordination with different governments has developed several AVR Programmes for Kosovar returnees giving a special attention to the vulnerable individuals and groups. This is done by providing pre-departure counselling, transportation, reception and onward transportation to their final destinations and medical assistance in accordance with the needs. Included in this category are: the elderly, the handicapped, unaccompanied minors, single woman travelling with children, the sick persons and AVR returnees.

At the same time through specific Reintegration-designed projects IOM contributes to the sustainable reintegration of voluntary returnees. Reintegration services include but it is not limited to: setting up small businesses, on-the-job trainings, employment opportunities through referrals, vocational training courses, business trainings, education support, social care, housing, medical support, school fees for children.

By promoting sustainable voluntary return and reintegration of Kosovars, including ethnic minorities, IOM AVRR Programmes are improving economic prospects for both the returnees and members of the receiving communities. This approach enhances the capacity of receiving communities to continue to attract, absorb and retain returning migrants and other displaced persons preventing further out-migration.

The IOM AVRR projects operated in Kosovo are as follow:

  • Kosovo Humanitarian Return Programmes - Transport and direct Assistance Components
  • AVR for the Western Balkans cases returning from Switzerland  (AVR  WB)
  • EAS for Returnees from Switzerland and their receiving communities in Kosovo
  • Reintegration Assistance for Individual Returnees from Switzerland (RAS)
  • Swiss Cantonal Reintegration Projects
  • Integrated Approach regarding Information on Return and Reintegration in Countries of Origin - IRRiCO  II
  • Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP)
  • Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Detained Migrants ( VRRDM)
  • Return and Emigration of Asylum Seekers ex Belgium (REAB)
  • Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration from Luxembourg Programme (AVRRL)
  • Return and Reintegration Assistance for Voluntary Returnees to Kosovo from Austria
  • Family Tracing Activities and Assisted Voluntary Return of  Unaccompanied Foreign Minors, in support of the Italian Committee for Foreign Minors, within the Ministry of Social Solidarity (UAFM)
  • Assisted Voluntary Return from Italy and Reintegration in countries of origin (PARTIR)
  • Centre for the Provision of Information on Return Support (ZIRF)
  • Hungarian Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (HARRP)
  • Reintegration and Assistance Return Program from France  (ARER)
  • REAG/GARP Financial assistance to the returnees from Germany
  • Reintegration Cash Grant to the Returnees from Norway
  • Reintegration Cash Grant to the Returnees from Sweden

Based on overall IOM Kosovo statistics, out of a total of 195,596 Kosovar returnees who were assisted from June 1999 through February 2010, the largest number of voluntary returnees came from Germany, constituting 43.2% (84,582) of the total group, whereas those from Switzerland represented 17.5% (34,266). For other countries, the percentages are as follows: Norway (3.7%), Austria (3.6%), Belgium (2.6 %), UK (2.3 %), the Netherlands (2.1%), as well as a smaller number of returnees from other European countries, including: Albania, Australia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, FYROM, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey , Uruguay  and USA.

2010  IOM  AVR  Statistics:
       

AVR
AVR is dedicated to creating an environment conducive to successful and sustainable returns, implementing complementary reintegration support measures and a range of capacity building activities that have already benefited, directly and indirectly, more than a million people.
A V R
IS FUNDED BY:

  • Austria

  • Germany

  • Hungary

  • Norway

  • Switzerland

  • Belgium

  • United Kingdom

  • France

  • Luxembourg

  • Netherlands

  • Finland

  • Italy

  • Czech Republic

  • Ireland

  • Sweden

  • EU
    FUND
    for RETURNEES
IMPLEMENTING REGION


IMPLEMENTED BY:

AVR is funded by different European Governments and implemented by IOM Kosovo
             years in KOSOVO            
                        I O M                       
            AVR  ACTIVITIES              
no.
Country
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
TOTAL
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Austria
Germany
Sweden
Belgium
Hungary
Norway
France
Switzerland
Bosnia&Herzegovina
Finland
Luxembourg
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Australia
65
24
4
21
11
20
12
4
3
0
7
4
1
0
0
0
31
22
3
21
18
21
10
5
3
2
5
0
2
0
0
0
55
21
19
40
45
14
13
14
4
0
1
3
2
1
0
0
29
27
25
24
23
14
14
23
4
2
1
2
0
0
0
1
22
46
27
18
34
7
8
6
7
8
1
0
3
1
0
0
83
21
24
26
24
20
10
6
12
5
1
3
1
0
1
0
285
161
102
150
155
96
67
58
33
17
16
12
9
2
1
1
Total per month
176
143
232
189
188
237
1165


ASSISTED VOLUNTARY RETURN
ASSISTED VOLUNTARY RETURN


• A V R •
ASSISTED VOLUNTARY RETURN
© IOM Mission in Kosovo •  July 2010 •
A V R
EXPECTED RESULTS

  • Activity: Establishment of a Permanent Regional Forum for Heads of Border Services (PRFHBS) - Appointment of Kosovo national representative in this forum.

  • Activity: Establishment of an Assessment and Monitoring Team (AMT) - Benchmarking - Appointment of Kosovo national representative in this forum.

  • Activity: Specialized Trainings on Risk Analysis - To identify and decide who would attend the risk analysis and CIRAM

  • Activity: Improving and Harmonizing Automated Data Processing Systems - To identify possible sources of information.

P R O J E C T   G A L L E R Y