TABLE 5 Substantive decisions taken State UNHCR Jointly* Total % UNHCR only 2007 2008 2009 399,000 468,900 495,300 51,200 46,800 69,200 20,600 31,200 21,000 470,800 11% 546,900 9% 585,500 12% individuals who initially received a negative decision that was overturned at the appeal or review stage. Instances where the percentage of decisions overturned at the appeal stage was particularly high may be an indication of deficiencies in the asylum procedure in some countries. Some 311,000 claims were rejected on substantive grounds, 16,000 less than the year before. This number includes negative decisions at the first instance as well as those on appeal. Asylum-seekers who appealed a negative decision at first instance which was upheld under appeal may have been counted twice in this figure. * Refers to refugee status determination conducted jointly between UNHCR and the Government. At the global level (UNHCR and State asylum procedures combined), the Refugee Recognition Rate (RRR) amounted to an estimated 38 per cent of all decisions taken during 2009 while the Total Recognition Rate (TRR) was 47 per cent. (30) Both values are significantly Unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) above the corresponding rates in 2008 seeking asylum * (29 per cent for RRR and 40 per cent for In 2009, more than 18,700 asylum in Norway and Sweden figures TRR). However, at this time global applications were lodged by went up significantly (+81% and recognition rates are indicative as some unaccompanied and separated +49% respectively). Malaysia and States have not yet reported the relevant children in 71 countries. This Ecuador were important constitutes about 4 per cent of the destination countries for data. Also, the proportion of positive total number of asylum claims unaccompanied and separated decisions is in reality higher as decisions lodged in those countries. The children outside Europe, with for those rejected on appeal are often relative figure is consistent with 1,500 and 500 asylum claims the one observed a year earlier respectively. counted twice. Among the industrialized when 16,600 UASC sought countries, Finland and Malta had the The available information asylum. Europe received 15,100 or highest TRR at the first instance in 2009 indicates that 7,900 81 per cent of the 18,700 UASC unaccompanied and separated claims. Like in previous years, the (78% and 65%, respectively). Among the children were recognized as United Kingdom registered the main countries of origin of asylumrefugees or granted a highest number in Europe with seekers in 2009, those originating from complementary form of protection close to 3,000 UASC claims, in 2009. This figure is higher than followed by Norway (2,500), Colombia, Eritrea, and Myanmar had in 2008 (6,000 positive grants). Sweden (2,250), and Germany TRRs of 80 to 90 per cent. Recognition Europe accounted for 64 per cent (1,300). While the United rates were also high for asylum-seekers of all positive decisions rendered. Kingdom received 1,200 fewer UASC claims compared to 2008, from Somalia (around 75%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo * For additional information, see 2008 Statistical Yearbook, pp. 48-49, UNHCR, Geneva. (61%), Ethiopia (53%), Afghanistan (50%), and Iraq (50%). Globally more than 983,000 individuals were still awaiting a decision on their asylum claim by the end of the year. This is 19 per cent more persons than in 2008. It includes applications at any stage of the asylum procedure. The largest number of undecided cases at the first instance and on appeal was reported by South Africa (309,800). This figure includes an estimated 171,700 undecided cases at the first instance and 138,100 cases which were pending decision at the end of 2008. 30 In the absence of an internationally agreed methodology for calculating recognition rates, UNHCR uses two rates to compute the proportion of refugee claims accepted during the year. The Refugee Recognition Rate divides the number of asylum-seekers granted Convention refugee status by the total number of substantive decisions (Convention status, complementary protection, and rejected cases). The Total Recognition Rate divides the number of asylum-seekers granted Convention refugee status and complementary form of protection by the total number of substantive decisions (Convention status, complementary protection, and rejected cases). Non-substantive decisions are, to the extent possible, excluded from both calculations. For the purpose of global comparability, UNHCR only uses these two recognition rates and does not report nationally calculated rates. 2009 Global Trends 19