In February 2023, Julia Sheikh attended the ATCR Working Group on Resettlement (WGR) in Cork, Ireland. This event was held from 28 February – 2 March and was hosted by this year’s ATCR host, the Government of the Republic of Ireland.
The event included representatives from 32 states and was attended by Julia, a member of the global Refugee Advisory Group (RAG) and Sarah Ward from MBIE. Julia’s successful expression of interest and session proposal saw her present on the topic of access to mental health services in the session entitled ‘Mental Health Support and Integration’ alongside representatives from Australia and Ireland. In large part due to this session, mental health was also prioritised as an agenda item for the formal ATCR programme in June in Geneva. One of Julia’s key reflections on her WGR engagement was the question of how the NZRAP and others can ensure this global dialogue and work explored and shared at the WGR can have an actual impact on the ground in Aotearoa.
Note: The ‘Working group on Resettlement (WGR) is part of the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR), which is now (as of 2024) known as the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP). This working group is a collaboration between governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Its purpose is to discuss and improve the processes and policies related to resettling refugees, ensuring they can move from countries where they have fled to new countries where they can rebuild their lives. The group focuses on sharing best practices, addressing challenges, and finding ways to enhance resettlement programmes globally.