Update – Southern Africa southern Africa prioritized “attaining favourable protection environments”, while a majority also focused on “securing solutions” in view of the opportunities available. Some operations focused on “realizing basic rights in safe environments” due to encampment policies or in the absence of opportunities to include persons of concern in national plans. In IDP operations and in refugee operations with dispersed refugee populations integrated in local villages, “empowering communities and achieving gender equality” was emphasized to ensure the resilience of both persons of concern and their host communities. Attaining favourable protection environments UNHCR is committed to providing practical, concrete support to secure protection and advance solutions for persons of concern. Key milestones for 2022 will include a regional action plan to implement pledges from the GRF and the high-level segment on statelessness, which will be submitted for adoption by the Member States of the South African Development Community in 2022. All countries in the region have committed, albeit to varying degrees, to addressing statelessness through their pledges. Operations with IDPs will continue to play a leadership role through the protection cluster and provide protection expertise in other sectors. Addressing gender-based violence will remain a priority, and UNHCR will intensify activities to prevent and address this including through community-based approaches. UNHCR will continue to expand its support to address backlogs in refugee status determination. Realizing basic rights in safe environments UNHCR will pursue a holistic approach to ensuring basic and essential services, recognizing that shelter, water, sanitation, energy, health and livelihood opportunities are crucial elements enabling people to exercise their rights in a safe environment. A key priority for 2022 will be to scale up advocacy and support for governments to secure the inclusion of persons of concern in national and local systems. In coordination with partners, cash-based interventions will be mainstreamed in regular programming. Food assistance in partnership with WFP will continue, where necessary. Empowering communities and achieving gender equality In 2022, UNHCR will reinforce its accountabilities to affect persons by strengthening protection outcomes, guided by its age, gender and diversity approach. Emphasis will be placed on empowering refugees as agents of change and effective partners in delivering protection. This will be supported by improved two-way communication and effective community engagement to support decision-making. Community-based protection will continue to play a key role in strengthening the safety and participation of all groups, while feedback mechanisms and transparent communication will be facilitated through a variety of channels for communication. Securing solutions UNHCR will promote and facilitate comprehensive and durable solutions by scaling up livelihoods, financial inclusion and self-reliance. The Office expects to have up to 7,200 allocated places for resettlement in 2022 and up to 12,000 by 2024. In addition to resettlement, UNHCR will promote initiatives that foster local integration and support voluntary repatriation, where conditions allow. Initial planning figures for 2022 are for 47,000 refugees to voluntarily repatriate from and to the region. As borders continue to reopen, voluntary repatriation is expected to resume and, in some cases, expand. 6