The second Community Leaders Townhall of the year was held on 23 April 2025, gathering 116 refugee leaders from 70 community groups, alongside members of the Refugee Advisory Board, Outreach Volunteers, and the Youth Platform Steering Committee.
During an interactive session with Louise Aubin, the UNHCR Representative in Malaysia, community leaders raised several pressing concerns. These included the suspension of the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the need for sustained support for gender-based violence survivors following the closure of the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) office, registration timelines, support to the individuals in detention and those facing deportation risks.
UNHCR responded to these critical questions and reaffirmed its commitment to working jointly with the communities to further harness their potential in enhancing protection and solutions. UNHCR also reminded of the importance of utilizing existing social protection mechanisms, such as the Refugee Medical Insurance (REMEDI) and Touch ‘n Go, especially in light of the funding crisis affecting humanitarian actors globally and challenging times ahead.
The session was well received by the community leaders, with one of them commenting, “It’s really transparent. It feels like we are cooperating with one another and trying to solve our common issues.”
A youth-led refugee organization also took the stage to present on fundraising and partnership-building, emphasizing the importance of collaboration to ensure refugee groups can continue supporting their communities sustainably.
Participants were further introduced to two key refugee participation platforms:
- The Refugee Advisory Board – established to amplify refugee voices and streamline advocacy efforts aimed at improving the protection environment in Malaysia
- UNHCR-trained Outreach Volunteers – community members equipped to deliver awareness sessions that increase access to vital information across refugee populations
The townhall served as an important space for dialogue and collaboration, highlighting UNHCR’s ongoing commitment to incorporating the views of refugees and asylum-seekers into the decisions it makes.