In Southeast Asia, over 400,000 refugees and asylum seekers face significant humanitarian challenges. This report details Australia’s strategy to enhance regional refugee protection, driven by humanitarian principles, regional leadership ambitions, and national security interests. The overarching goal is to mitigate precarious living conditions, address the absence of formal legal protections, and improve access to healthcare, education, and employment.
Australia’s Role and Recent Commitments
Australia has committed to supporting refugee protection in Southeast Asia through pledges at the Global Refugee Forum and the Australian Labor Party’s National Platform. These include supporting the development of protection strategies and asylum systems, increasing humanitarian intake and community-sponsored refugee places, and growing resettlement and complementary pathways with hosting states.
Australia can enhance its leadership in refugee protection in Southeast Asia by strengthening regional partnerships, offering capacity-building and technical assistance, and using targeted aid to improve refugee conditions. Advocating for policy reforms, increasing resettlement quotas, and promoting complementary pathways such as education and labor mobility schemes are also crucial. Additionally, supporting refugee-led initiatives and improving its own refugee policies to better reflect international standards can boost Australia’s credibility and effectiveness in leading regional efforts towards humane and structured refugee management.
Leadership in this space will strengthen regional cooperation, mitigate irregular migration, and foster regional stability by addressing root causes that force refugees into dangerous journeys.
Incremental Steps for Regional Change
This report advocates a 10-step incremental approach, which includes:
- Removing barriers to existing refugee status determination procedures.
- Supporting NGOs and Refugee-Led Organisations (RLOs) to provide vital services.
- Granting asylum seekers legal permission to remain while their refugee status is determined.
- Developing and implementing alternatives to immigration detention.
- Granting refugees and asylum seekers the right to work.
- Providing access to government services like healthcare and education.
- Ensuring access to durable solutions, including voluntary repatriation and resettlement.
- Developing national asylum legislation to monitor refugee numbers and support those in need.
- Promoting ratification of the 1951 Refugee Convention.
- Building regional consistency in asylum processes and equitable responsibility-sharing.
Diplomacy and Aid Initiatives
Australia can utilise diplomatic tools such as mini-lateral diplomacy to focus cooperation among a subset of ASEAN countries, share best practices, and mobilise resources. The Bali Process can also be revitalised to focus on protection and advancing durable solutions. Additionally, trade and migration agreements can incentivise countries to enhance refugee rights in return for eased migration opportunities for their citizens.
Aid remains a vital lifeline for refugees, and a strategic increase can address capacity building, improve legal frameworks, support regional cooperation, and ensure access to essential services like healthcare and education. Funding economic inclusion initiatives and infrastructure development can foster economic self-reliance while reducing tensions between host communities and refugees.
Strategic Use of Resettlement and Complementary Pathways
Resettlement should be used strategically as an act of solidarity, encouraging host countries to improve protection for those who remain. Complementary pathways like education and skilled labour programs should also be expanded, recognising the value of refugees’ skills and encouraging host states to grant access to work and study opportunities.
State and Refugee Capacity Building
Investing in asylum capacity development is crucial for supporting states to implement national asylum procedures, identify vulnerable individuals, and manage borders while upholding human rights. Australia can assist by sharing technical expertise and resources to ensure regional consistency. Additionally, supporting refugee capacity-building initiatives will empower refugees to advocate for themselves and strengthen self-sufficiency through language tuition, mental health support, and leadership initiatives.
7 Key Recommendations for Australia to Improve Refugee Protection in Southeast Asia
- Appoint a ‘Special Envoy’ responsible for promoting refugee protection in Southeast Asia
- Develop a strategy to implement commitments made at the 2019 & 2023 Global Refugee Forum
- Ensure Australia’s aid and development budget is used to leverage refugee protection
- Ensure resettlement programs are used strategically to leverage regional protection
- Invest in regional capacity-building initiatives
- Support refugee-led initiatives
- Implement commitments on complementary pathways
