ABSTRACT
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated by the United Nations to lead and coordinate international action for the worldwide protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee problems. UNHCR pursues lasting solutions by assisting refugees to return voluntarily to their own country or to settle permanently in another country, both through local integration or resettlement to a third country. Awareness of the relationship among the range of factors which impact reintegration—which is integral to the durable peace and prosperity of a community—has led to fundamental changes in the way UNHCR approaches refugee return. The broader understanding of the importance of the reintegration phase—a community's chance to renew with peace and prosperity—has evolved into what we today call "the 4Rs": repatriation, reintegration, rehabilitation and reconstruction. UNHCR's community-based reintegration programme in Liberia supports peace-building and reconciliation in the main return areas of return.
