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The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a
United Nations agency The United Nations System consists of the United Nations' six principal organs (the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the UN Secretariat), ...
mandated to aid and protect
refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.
s, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their
voluntary repatriation Voluntary return or voluntary repatriation is usually the return of an illegal immigrant or over-stayer, a rejected asylum seeker, a refugee or displaced person, or an unaccompanied minor; sometimes it is the emigration of a second-generation imm ...
, local integration or resettlement to a third country. It is headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, with over 17,300 staff working in 135 countries.


Background

UNHCR was created in 1950 to address the refugee crisis that resulted from World War II. The
1951 Refugee Convention The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, also known as the 1951 Refugee Convention or the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951, is a United Nations multilateral treaty that defines who a refugee is, and sets out the rights of individuals ...
established the scope and legal framework of the agency's work, which initially focused on Europeans uprooted by the war. Beginning in the late 1950s, displacement caused by other conflicts, from the Hungarian Uprising to the decolonization of Africa and Asia, broadened the scope of UNHCR's operations. Commensurate with the 1967 Protocol to the Refugee Convention, which expanded the geographic and temporal scope of refugee assistance, UNHCR operated across the world, with the bulk of its activities in developing countries. By its 65th anniversary in 2015, the agency had assisted more 50 million refugees worldwide. As of June 2020, UNHCR has over 20 million refugees under its mandate. Consequently, its annual budget has grown from US$300,000 in 1951 to US$8.6 billion in 2019, making it one of the largest UN agencies by expenditure. The vast majority of UNHCR's budget comes from voluntary contributions, mostly from member states; the largest donors are the United States, the European Union, and Germany. The agency's work includes providing protection, shelter,
healthcare Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...
and
emergency relief Emergency management or disaster management is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actuall ...
, assisting in resettlement and repatriation, and advocating for national and multilateral policies on behalf of refugees. In recognition of its work, UNHCR has won two Nobel Peace Prizes, in 1954 and 1981 and a Prince of Asturias Awards for International Cooperation in 1991. It is a member of the
United Nations Development Group The United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), previously the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), is a consortium of 36 United Nations funds, programs, specialized agencies, departments and offices that play a role in development ...
, a consortium of organizations dedicated to
sustainable development Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The des ...
.


History

Following the demise of the League of Nations and the creation of the United Nations the international community was acutely aware of the refugee crisis following the end of World War II. In 1947, the International Refugee Organization (IRO) was founded by the United Nations.Refworld , Self-Study Module 1: An Introduction to International Protection. Protecting Persons of Concern to UNHCR
Unhcr.org (1 August 2005). Retrieved on 2013-07-12.
The IRO was the first international agency to deal comprehensively with all aspects of refugees' lives. Preceding this was the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, which was established in 1944 to address the millions of people displaced across Europe as a result of World War II. In the late 1940s, the IRO fell out of favour, but the UN agreed that a body was required to oversee global refugee issues. Despite many heated debates in the General Assembly, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was founded as a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly by Resolution 319 (IV) of the United Nations General Assembly of December 1949. However, the organisation was only intended to operate for 3 years, from January 1951, due to the disagreement of many UN member states over the implications of a permanent body. UNHCR's mandate was originally set out in its statute, annexed to resolution 428 (V) of the United Nations General Assembly of 1950. This mandate has been subsequently broadened by numerous resolutions of the General Assembly and its Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). According to UNHCR, its mandate is to provide, on a non-political and humanitarian basis, international protection to refugees and to seek permanent solutions for them. Soon after the signing of the
1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United K ...
, it became clear that refugees were not solely restricted to Europe. In 1956, UNHCR was involved in coordinating the response to the uprising in Hungary. Just a year later, UNHCR was tasked with dealing with Chinese refugees in Hong Kong, while also responding to Algerian refugees who had fled to Morocco and Tunisia in the wake of Algeria's war for independence. The responses marked the beginning of a wider, global mandate in refugee protection and
humanitarian assistance Humanitarian aid is material and logistic assistance to people who need help. It is usually short-term help until the long-term help by the government and other institutions replaces it. Among the people in need are the homeless, refugees, and ...
. Decolonisation in the 1960s triggered large refugee movements in Africa, creating a massive challenge that would transform UNHCR; unlike the refugee crises in Europe, there were no durable solutions in Africa, and many refugees who fled one country only found instability in their new country of refuge. By the end of the decade, two-thirds of UNHCR's budget was focused on operations in Africa and in just one decade, the organization's focus had shifted from an almost exclusive focus on Europe. In 1967, the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees was ratified to remove the geographical and temporal restrictions of UNHCR under the
1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United K ...
. As the Convention was confined to the refugee crisis in the aftermath of World War II in Europe, the Protocol was made to address the “new refugee situations that have arisen since the Convention was adopted and the refugees concerned that may therefore not fall within the scope of the Convention”. In the 1970s, UNHCR refugee operations continued to spread around the globe, with the mass exodus of East Pakistanis to India shortly before the birth of Bangladesh. Adding to the woes in Asia was the Vietnam War, with millions fleeing Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The 1980s saw new challenges for UNHCR, with many member states unwilling to resettle refugees due to the sharp rise in refugee numbers over the 1970s. Often, these refugees were not fleeing wars between states, but inter-ethnic conflict in newly independent states. The targeting of civilians as military strategy added to the displacement in many nations, so even 'minor' conflicts could result in a large number of displaced persons. Whether in Asia, Central America or Africa, these conflicts, fueled by superpower rivalry and aggravated by socio-economic problems within the concerned countries, durable solutions continued to prove a massive challenge for the UNHCR. As a result, the UNHCR became more heavily involved with assistance programs within refugee camps, often located in hostile environments. The end of the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
marked continued inter-ethnic conflict and contributed heavily to refugee flight. In addition, humanitarian intervention by multinational forces became more frequent and the media began to play a big role, particularly in the lead up to the 1999 NATO mission in FR Yugoslavia, while by contrast, the
1994 Rwandan Genocide The Rwandan genocide occurred between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. During this period of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu ...
had little attention. The genocide in Rwanda caused a massive refugee crisis, again highlighting the difficulties for UNHCR to uphold its mandate, and the UNHCR continued to battle against restrictive refugee policies in so called 'rich' nations. According to a 2021 study, the UNHCR has fulfilled its mandate to serve refugees independent of their location consistently over time. The organization has shown limited bias towards donors in the geographical distribution of its funds.


Function

UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950{{cite web, url=http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cbc.html, title=History of UNHCR: A global humanitarian organization of humble origins, publisher=UNHCR, access-date=2009-11-01 and succeeded the earlier United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees (other than
Palestinian refugee Palestinian refugees are citizens of Mandatory Palestine, and their descendants, who fled or were expelled from their country over the course of the 1947–49 Palestine war ( 1948 Palestinian exodus) and the Six-Day War ( 1967 Palestinian exo ...
s, who are assisted by UNRWA) and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to
seek asylum An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their country of residence, enters another country and applies for asylum (i.e., international protection) in that other country. An asylum seeker is an immigrant who has been forcibly displaced and mi ...
and find safe refuge in another state, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. UNHCR's mandate has gradually been expanded to include protecting and providing humanitarian assistance to whom it describes as other persons "of concern," including internally displaced persons (IDPs) who would fit the legal definition of a
refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.
under the 1951 United Nations
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, also known as the 1951 Refugee Convention or the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951, is a United Nations multilateral treaty that defines who a refugee is, and sets out the rights of individual ...
and 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization for African Unity Convention, or some other treaty if they left their country, but who presently remain in their country of origin. UNHCR presently has major missions in Lebanon, South Sudan,
Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
/
Darfur Darfur ( ; ar, دار فور, Dār Fūr, lit=Realm of the Fur) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju ( ar, دار داجو, Dār Dājū, links=no) while ruled by the Daju, ...
, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Afghanistan as well as Kenya to assist and provide services to IDPs and refugees in camps and in urban settings. UNHCR maintains a database of refugee information, ProGres, which was created during the Kosovo War in the 1990s. The database today contains data on over 11 million refugees or about 11% of all displaced persons globally. The database contains biometric data, including fingerprints and iris scans and is used to determine aid distribution for recipients. The results of using biometric verification have been successful. When introduced in Kenyan refugee camps of Kakuma and
Dadaab Dadaab ( so, Dhadhaab) is a semi-arid town in Garissa County, Kenya. It is the site of a UNHCR base hosting 223,420 registered refugees and asylum seekers in three camps (Dagahaley, Hagadera and Ifo) as of 13 May 2019, making it the third-largest ...
in the year 2013, the
UN World Food Programme The World Food Programme; it, Programma alimentare mondiale; es, Programa Mundial de Alimentos; ar, برنامج الأغذية العالمي, translit=barnamaj al'aghdhiat alealami; russian: Всемирная продовольствен ...
was able to eliminate $1.4m in waste and fraud. To achieve its mandate, the UNHCR engages in activities both in the countries of interest and in countries with donors. This includes hosting "expert roundtables" to discuss issues of concern to the international refugee community.


Palestine refugee mandate

{{Main, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Palestinian refugees living in the regions covered by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) are not under the care of UNHCR.


Public awareness and future of refugees

Several new programs have recently been introduced to support and to heighten awareness of the issues faced by refugees around the world. These two new programs are a product of the benchmarks set out by the
United Nations Millennium Development Goals The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 that had been established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millenniu ...
. The UNHCR works in different regions of the world to raise awareness about the refugee crisis and the needs of these refugees. Since 2009, the UNHCR acknowledged a large presence of migration and refugees in the
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
, where the refugee crisis remained largely unreported.{{Cite news, url=http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2011/2/4d5d27676/unhcr-caribbean-partners-work-raise-awareness-invisible-refugees.html, title=UNHCR and Caribbean partners work to raise awareness of "invisible" refugees, last=Refugees, first=United Nations High Commissioner for, newspaper=UNHCR, access-date=2016-11-16 The issue stems from refugees who, instead of applying to the U.N., improperly search for asylum in the United States, ultimately failing to reach their destination and remaining in the Caribbean.{{Cite web, url=http://ftp.jamaicagleaner.com/power/14496, title=UNHCR discuss plight of refugees in Caribbean, website=ftp.jamaicagleaner.com, date=19 November 2009 , access-date=2016-11-16 However, migrant laws in some of these nations lacked any protections for
asylum-seekers An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their country of residence, enters another country and applies for right of asylum, asylum (i.e., international protection) in that other country. An asylum seeker is an Immigration, immigrant who has b ...
, including the ability to be recognized as such. In response, the UNHCR organized talks with these nations in
Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
in 2009, seeking to address the lack of protections for refugees and their prosecution as unauthorized migrants. A refugee-seeker applies through the U.N. for placement and an asylum-seeker applies within the Country in which asylum is sought. This is why some Countries label refugees as illegal when they did not apply through the U.N. for placement and entered the country unlawfully. In 2007, UNHCR offices in Canada launched an aggressive media campaign to shed light on the plight of refugees.{{Cite news, url=http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2007/5/464884684/canadian-made-refugee-awareness-campaign-aims-shock.html, title=Canadian-made refugee awareness campaign aims to shock, last=Refugees, first=United Nations High Commissioner for, newspaper=UNHCR, access-date=2016-11-16 This campaign was meant to humanize the refugee crisis by showing refugees living in the midst of disturbing conditions. Using emotional appeals to raise public awareness, the campaign hoped to increase the interest of particularly "30 to 45-year-old professionals who are generally well educated, well-read, but have not had direct experience or knowledge of refugee issues,” according to fund-raising officer Jonathan Wade. In Ireland, the UNHCR works to inform the public through different channels. The UNHCR in Ireland actively pursues media relations.{{Cite web, url=http://www.unhcr.ie/our-work-in-ireland/building-awareness, title=Building Awareness, last=Refugees, first=United Nations High Commissioner for, website=www.unhcr.ie, access-date=2016-11-16 It also holds public events with the aim of informing people about current refugee crises. One of these is the annual UNHCR/SARI Fair play Football Cup. The UNHCR was prominent in helping Syrian refugees in Lebanon. When the Lebanese government was unable to withstand the influx of refugees, the UNHCR stepped in and eased the displacement for the refugees mainly by offering food and healthcare. They also helped register the refugees, so they would not be considered illegal in the eyes of the Lebanese government. Many Syrian refugees are also in Jordan.


Artworks on refugee crisis and artists as activists for refugees

Many contemporary artists had art workshops and art project and took many initiatives for refugees including artist Ai Weiwei and Anish Kapoor led London walk of compassion for refugees walking from the Royal Academy of Arts to the Orbit. Among art exhibitions and artworks on refugees, Ai created an inflatable artwork is 230 feet long which he exhibited at Prague's National Gallery and Sydney Biennale in 2018,The human rights activist has brought a 196-foot-long inflatable installation to Sydney's Cockatoo Island as one of the cornerstones of the Biennale of Sydney exhibition. Ai states: "There’s no refugee crisis, only a human crisis… In dealing with refugees we’ve lost our very basic values. In this time of uncertainty, we need more tolerance, compassion and trust for each other, since we are all one, otherwise humanity will face an even bigger crisis." Danish artist OLAFUR ELIASSON’S GREEN LIGHT welcomes conversation about refugee crisis. In Paris walls along the Seine a photo exhibition along the banks included a 370-meter long panorama featuring portraits of refugees and photographs titled “Dreams of Humanity” taken by Syrian refugee children living in Iraq which was organized in collaboration with famous photojournalist Reza in partnership with UNHCR. Bangladeshi artist
Firoz Mahmud Firoz Mahmud ( bn, ফিরোজ মাহমুদ) is a Bangladeshi visual artist based in Japan. He was the first Bangladeshi fellow artist in research at Rijksakademie Van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam. Mahmud's work has been exhibited at t ...
has been conducting an art project on refugees, displaced people and minorities, titling 'Soaked Dream project' of dream and future desire of those deprived and underprivileged people which he exhibited at Bangkok Art Biennale curated by
Apinan Poshyananda Apinan Poshyananda was born in Bangkok, Thailand in 1956. He is one of the most renowned curators and art writers in the Asian region. Biography Education Poshyananda received an MFA degree from the University of Edinburgh, and a PhD in art hist ...
, Lahore Biennale, Dhaka Art Summit,
MAXXI MAXXI ( it, Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, italic=no, "national museum of 21st-century arts") is a national museum of contemporary art and architecture in the Flaminio neighborhood of Rome, Italy. The museum is managed by a foundation ...
Rome, Office for Contemporary Art, Oslo and many cities in the world. The Harmony Art Collective had an exhibition of young refugees made murals together in Darling Quarter, Sydney.


Cooperation within the United Nations

As UNHCR is a programme governed by the UN General Assembly, and the UN Economic and Social Council, it cooperates with many other programs and agencies under the United Nations in order to effectively protect the rights of refugees. On 19 September 2016, the UN General Assembly hosted the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants, a high-level summit to address large movements of refugees and migrants, with the aim of bringing countries together behind a more humane and coordinated approach. Leaders of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,
UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, is a United Nations entity working for gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women advocates for the rights of women and girls, and focu ...
,
UN Office on Drugs and Crime The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC; French: ''Office des Nations unies contre la drogue et le crime'') is a United Nations office that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the ...
, and the World Bank were present. The summit addressed the root causes and drive for migration and the necessity of global cooperation. As a result of this summit, the United Nations unveiled a draft set of principles that urge the international community to build on the momentum set by the adoption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (2016).{{cite web , title=New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants , url=http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/71/1 , website=un.org , publisher=UN , access-date=8 November 2018{{cite web , title=New York Declaration , url=https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/declaration , website=un.org , date=15 September 2016 , publisher=UN , access-date=8 November 2018 Specifically, the 20 draft principles focus on human rights; non-discrimination; rescue and assistance; access to justice; border governance; returns; violence; detention; family unity; child migrants; women migrants; right to health; adequate standard of living; decent work; right to education; right to information; monitoring and accountability; migrants’ human rights defenders; data; and international cooperation. On 28 September 2016, the UNHCR partnered with the UN Food and Agricultural Organization in Tehran for the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees. FAO highlighted the contributions to be made by FAO towards SSAR objectives on livelihood related activities including livestock and fishery initiatives as well as nutritional projects in Iranian schools. FAO and UNHCR are committed to increasing refugees’ access to livelihood opportunities and reducing dependency on humanitarian aid. Of late, a joint livelihood strategy for South Sudan was launched looking to address this issue with a clearly defined action plan. The strategy targets both refugees (70%) and local communities (30%) in refugee-hosting areas across the country.


Awards

Since 1954, the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award has been annually awarded to a person or an organization in recognition of outstanding service to the cause of refugees, displaced or stateless people. The UNHCR itself was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1981. The UNHCR was awarded the
Indira Gandhi Prize The Indira Gandhi Prize, or the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, also known as Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, is the prestigious award accorded annually by Indira Gandhi Memorial TrustPrince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation The Princess of Asturias Awards ( es, Premios Princesa de Asturias, links=no, ast, Premios Princesa d'Asturies, links=no), formerly the Prince of Asturias Awards from 1981 to 2014 ( es, Premios Príncipe de Asturias, links=no), are a series of a ...
. File:Darfur refugee camp in Chad.jpg,
Refugee camp A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees and people in refugee-like situations. Refugee camps usually accommodate displaced people who have fled their home country, but camps are also made for internally displaced peo ...
in
Darfur Darfur ( ; ar, دار فور, Dār Fūr, lit=Realm of the Fur) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju ( ar, دار داجو, Dār Dājū, links=no) while ruled by the Daju, ...
(
Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
) File:Army Lynx Helicopter Helps Transport Aid in Macedonia MOD 45108219.jpg, A helicopter arrives at a refugee facility in North Macedonia with an underslung load of Aid File:Trucks loaded with supplies to aid Kurdish refugees.JPEG, Trucks loaded with supplies drive across the border from Turkey into Iraq to take part in Operation Provide Comfort, a multinational effort to aid
Kurdish refugees The problem of Kurdish refugees and displaced people arose in the 20th century in the Middle East, and continues today. The Kurds ( ku, کورد, Kurd), are an ethnic group in Western Asia, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which inclu ...
File:USMC-120516-M-RU378-103.jpg, An UNHCR-officer talks with a
Marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...
during Exercise Eager Lion 12 File:UNHCR in Kenya.jpg, Workers from the UNHCR, and
CARE International CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, formerly Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe) is a major international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief and long-term international development projects. Founded i ...
gather bundles of shelters and mosquito nets in Kenya File:Somalia (Somaliland), Hargeisa, UNHCR-compound.JPG, Heavily fortified UNHCR offices in
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
File:UNHCR camp.jpg, A UNHCR refugee camp at Baharka - Iraq File:UNHCR Camp für syrische Flüchtlinge (15945778191).jpg, UNHCR Camp, Kurdistan ( Northern Iraq) June 2014 File:Syrische Flüchtlingskinde rim UNHCR Camp (15947073972).jpg, UNHCR Camp, Kurdistan ( Northern Iraq) June 2014 File:UNHCR Camp (15947735935).jpg, Inside the refugee camps of Northern Iraq


Persons of concern to UNHCR

The UNHCR's Mid-Year Trends report of June 2015 (based on information for mid-2015 or latest available information up to that date) reported an "unprecedented" 57,959,702 individuals falling under its mandate (for reference, on 1 January 2007, 21,018,589 people – or less than half of the number in 2015 – fell under the mandate of the UNHCR). The sharp increase was mainly attributed to the Syrian Civil War, "with the outbreak of armed crises or the deterioration of ongoing ones in countries like Afghanistan,
Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...
, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan and the Ukraine contributing to prevailing trends." Persons of concern include
refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.
s and asylum-seekers, people in refugee-like conditions, internally-displaced people (IDPs), stateless persons and "others of concern to the UNHCR". Sorted by the UNHCR bureau in which refuge or asylum is sought, the number for June 2015 included: * 16,796,426 in the Middle East and North Africa, of which ** 2,941,121 are refugees ** 64,166 are in refugee-like situations ** 109,847 have pending asylum cases ** 374,309 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any State") ** 13,297,101 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR * 9,694,535 in the Asia and Pacific bureau, of which ** 3,506,644 are refugees ** 278,350 are in refugee-like situations ** 133,894 have pending asylum cases ** 1,801,802 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any State") ** 2,965,211 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR *8,451,275 in East and
Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
, of which ** 2,713,748 are refugees ** 33,553 are in refugee-like situations ** 108,016 have pending asylum cases ** 233,726 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any State" ** 5,119,463 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR *7,726,594 in the
Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...
, of which ** 501,049 are refugees ** 251,888 are in refugee-like situations ** 276,394 have pending asylum cases ** 136,413 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any State") ** 6,520,270 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR * 7,585,581 in Europe, of which ** 3,506,644 are refugees ** 14,261 are in refugee-like situations ** 827,374 are asylum-seekers ** 610,532 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any State" ** 2,574,886 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR * 3,580,181 in Central Africa- Great Lakes, of which ** 865,112 are refugees ** 13,741 are in refugee-like situations ** 18,623 have pending asylum cases ** 1,302 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any State" ** 2,021,269 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR *2,754,893 in Western Africa of which ** 258,893 are refugees ** (Information not applicable/unavailable) on number in refugee-like situations ** 9,298 have pending asylum cases ** 700,116 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any State") ** 1,549,516 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR *1,370,217 in Southern Africa, of which ** 179,837 are refugees ** (Information not applicable/unavailable) on number in refugee-like situations ** 860,500 have pending asylum cases ** 300,000 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any State") ** (Information not applicable/unavailable) on number of IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR


2019

{{ #invoke:Chart , bar-chart , height = 400 , width = 1200 , stack = 1 , group 1 = 11687226 : 12129572 : 12116835 : 10594055 : 9592795 : 9573397 : 8661994 : 9877703 : 11390930 : 10489812 : 10396538 : 10549681 : 10404804 : 10497957 : 11699279 : 14385316 : 16111285 : 17187488 : 19941565 : 20356406 , group 2 = 0 : 947926 : 943980 : 1093824 : 996488 : 885249 : 802174 : 741291 : 741110 : 825043 : 989169 : 837445 : 897021 : 942797 : 1164450 : 1804465 : 3224966 : 2720462 : 3090898 : 3498943 , group 3 = 1588467 : 763572 : 453853 : 2411781 : 1093312 : 1431926 : 1105395 : 710609 : 728166 : 589441 : 247580 : 171179 : 530960 : 525180 : 413619 : 126823 : 201415 : 552230 : 667381 : 593795 , group 4 = 3968648 : 5998501 : 5096502 : 4646641 : 4181701 : 5426539 : 6616791 : 12794268 : 13740317 : 14442227 : 15628057 : 14697804 : 15473378 : 17670368 : 23925555 : 32274619 : 37494172 : 36627127 : 39118516 : 41408938 , group 5 = 1048387 : 369055 : 240950 : 1179038 : 237798 : 146516 : 519430 : 1864171 : 2070118 : 1361436 : 2229540 : 2923233 : 3245804 : 1545486 : 1356182 : 1822591 : 2317314 : 6511144 : 4228971 : 2312729 , group 6 = 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 1455860 : 2383651 : 5805943 : 2937315 : 6572167 : 6559573 : 3463070 : 3477101 : 3335777 : 3469278 : 3492263 : 3687764 : 3242207 : 2796204 : 2820336 , group 7 = 1491144 : 1653851 : 1039516 : 953323 : 905344 : 597044 : 960366 : 1045409 : 68615 : 166856 : 411698 : 1255579 : 1411848 : 1329607 : 836100 : 1052767 : 870740 : 803134 : 1596189 : 3775703 , colors = green : aqua : yellow : blue : red : lime : violet , group names = Refugees (incl. refugee-like situations) : Asylum-seekers (pending cases) : Returned refugees : Internally displaced persons (IDPs) : Returned IDPs : Stateless persons : Others of concern , x legends = 1999 : 2000 : 2001 : 2002 : 2003 : 2004 : 2005 : 2006 : 2007 : 2008 : 2009 : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 : 2013 : 2014 : 2015 : 2016 : 2017 : 2018 , hide group legends = 1 {{col-begin {{col-2 {{Legend, green, Refugees (incl. refugee-like situations) {{Legend, aqua, Asylum-seekers (pending cases) {{Legend, yellow, Returned refugees {{Legend, blue, Internally displaced persons (IDPs) {{col-2 {{Legend, red, Returned IDPs {{Legend, lime, Stateless persons {{Legend, violet, Others of concern {{col-end


Staffing

{{As of, 2018, 11, the UNHCR employed a staff of 16,765 people in 138 countries.


High Commissioners

{{Infobox official post , post = High Commissioner , body = the UNHCR , native_name = , insignia = Emblem of the United Nations.svg , insigniasize = , insigniacaption = , flag = , flagsize = , flagborder = , flagcaption = , image = Filippo Grandi April 2016 (26380573300) (cropped).jpg , imagesize = , alt = , incumbent = Filippo Grandi , acting = , incumbentsince = January 2016 , department = High Commissioner for Refugees , style = , type = , status = , abbreviation = , member_of = , reports_to = UN General Assembly , residence = , seat = , nominator = , appointer = UN General Assembly , appointer_qualified = , termlength = 5 years , termlength_qualified = , constituting_instrument = , precursor = , formation = {{Start date and years ago, 1951, 01, 01, df=y , first =
Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart (19 March 1901 – 8 July 1956) was a Dutch politician, diplomat and journalist. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA), he was Minister of Justice from 1944 to 1945 under Prime Minister Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy. He l ...
, last = , abolished = , succession = , unofficial_names = , deputy = , salary = , website = {{official website, https://www.unhcr.org/the-high-commissioner.html The UN General Assembly elects High Commissioners every five years. High Commissioners are supported by the 'Executive Committee to the High Commissioner's Programme' and he or she has to make annual reports to the UN General Assembly and needs to follow their directives. The current High Commissioner is Filippo Grandi, who has held the post since 1 January 2016. Prior to the establishment of the UNHCR,
Fridtjof Nansen Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen (; 10 October 186113 May 1930) was a Norwegian polymath and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He gained prominence at various points in his life as an explorer, scientist, diplomat, and humanitarian. He led the team t ...
was the League's High Commissioner for Refugees. The post of High Commissioner has been held by: {{Officeholder table start , showorder = y , showimage = y , officeholder_title = High Commissioner , showtermlenght = y , showparty = n , showdefencebranch = n , showaltofficeholder = y , alt_officeholder_title = Nationality {{Officeholder table , order = 0 , image = Bundesarchiv Bild 102-09772, Fridjof Nansen.jpg , officeholder =
Fridtjof Nansen Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen (; 10 October 186113 May 1930) was a Norwegian polymath and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He gained prominence at various points in his life as an explorer, scientist, diplomat, and humanitarian. He led the team t ...
, officeholder_sort = Nansen, Fridtjof , officeholder_note = {{small, League of Nations High Commissioner , born_year = 1861 , died_year = 1930 , term_start = 1 September 1921 , term_end = 1927 , timeinoffice = {{age in years, 1922, 1927 years , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Norway {{Officeholder table , order = 1 , image = HeuvenGoedhart1944.jpg , officeholder =
Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart (19 March 1901 – 8 July 1956) was a Dutch politician, diplomat and journalist. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA), he was Minister of Justice from 1944 to 1945 under Prime Minister Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy. He l ...
, officeholder_sort = Goedhart, Gerrit Jan van Heuven , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1901 , died_year = 1956 , term_start = 1 January 1951 , term_end = 8 July 1956 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 1951, 01, 01, 1956, 07, 08 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Netherlands {{Officeholder table , order = 2 , image = Dr. August Lindt, Swiss Ambassador the the United States signs Mayor John F. Collins' guestbook (13563357194).jpg , officeholder =
August R. Lindt August Rudolf Lindt (5 August 1905 – 14 April 2000), also known as Auguste R. Lindt, was a Swiss lawyer and diplomat. He served as Chairman of UNICEF from 1953 to 1954 and as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1956 to 1960. Care ...
, officeholder_sort = Lindt, August R. , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1905 , died_year = 2000 , term_start = 8 July 1956 , term_end = 3 November 1960 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 1956, 07, 08, 1960, 11, 03 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Switzerland {{Officeholder table , order = 3 , image = blank.png , officeholder =
Félix Schnyder Felix Schnyder (5 March 1910 – 8 November 1992) was a Swiss lawyer and diplomat. He served as Chairman of UNICEF in 1960 and as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1960 to 1965. Career Schnyder studied law and joined the Swiss ...
, officeholder_sort = Schnyder, Félix , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1910 , died_year = 1992 , term_start = 3 November 1960 , term_end = 31 December 1965 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 1960, 11, 03, 1965, 12, 31 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Switzerland {{Officeholder table , order = 4 , image = Sadruddin Aga Khan (1991) by Erling Mandelmann.jpg , officeholder =
Sadruddin Aga Khan Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan ( ar, صدر الدين آغا خان, , 1933 – 2003) was a statesman and activist who served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1966 to 1977, during which he reoriented the agency's focus beyond ...
, officeholder_sort = Khan, Sadruddin Aga , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1933 , died_year = 2003 , term_start = 1 January 1966 , term_end = 31 December 1977 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 1966, 01, 01, 1977, 12, 31 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Iran, 1964 {{Officeholder table , order = 5 , image = Poul Hartling.jpg , officeholder =
Poul Hartling Poul Hartling (14 August 1914 – 30 April 2000) was a Danish politician and diplomat. He was leader of Venstre from 1965 to 1977, and served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1973 to 1975. Prior to that, he served as foreign minister from 1968 ...
, officeholder_sort = Hartling, Poul , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1914 , died_year = 2000 , term_start = 1 January 1978 , term_end = 31 December 1985 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 1978, 01, 01, 1985, 12, 31 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Denmark {{Officeholder table , order = 6 , image = blank.png , officeholder = {{interlanguage link, Jean-Pierre Hocké, de , officeholder_sort = Hocké, Jean-Pierre , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1938 , died_year = , term_start = 1 January 1986 , term_end = 31 December 1989 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 1986, 01, 01, 1989, 12, 31 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Switzerland {{Officeholder table , order = 7 , image = Thorvald Stoltenberg 2009.jpg , officeholder = Thorvald Stoltenberg , officeholder_sort = Stoltenberg, Thorvald , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1931 , died_year = 2018 , term_start = 1 January 1990 , term_end = 3 November 1990 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 1990, 01, 01, 1990, 11, 03 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Norway {{Officeholder table , order = 8 , image = Sadako Ogata - World Economic Forum on Africa 2008.jpg , officeholder = Sadako Ogata , officeholder_sort = Ogata, Sadako , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1927 , died_year = 2019 , term_start = 3 November 1990 , term_end = 31 December 2000 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 1990, 11, 03, 2001, 01, 01 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Japan {{Officeholder table , order = 9 , image = Ruud Lubbers, 2011 (cropped).jpg , officeholder = Ruud Lubbers , officeholder_sort = Lubbers, Ruud , officeholder_note = {{small, (Resigned due to internal investigation) , born_year = 1939 , died_year = 2018 , term_start = 1 January 2001 , term_end = 20 February 2005 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 2001, 01, 01, 2005, 02, 20 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Netherlands {{Officeholder table , order = {{sort, 9.5, – , image = Wendy Chamberlin, May 2003 cropped.jpg , officeholder = Wendy Chamberlin , officeholder_sort = Chamberlin, Wendy , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1948 , died_year = , term_start = 24 February 2005 , term_end = 2 June 2005 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 2005, 02, 24, 2005, 06, 02 , acting = y , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, USA {{Officeholder table , order = 10 , image = António Guterres meeting with Iranian Interior Minister 01.jpg , officeholder =
António Guterres António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres ( , ; born 30 April 1949) is a Portuguese politician and diplomat. Since 2017, he has served as secretary-general of the United Nations, the ninth person to hold this title. A member of the Portuguese Socia ...
, officeholder_sort = Guterres, António , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1949 , died_year = , term_start = 2 June 2005 , term_end = 31 December 2015 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 2005, 06, 02, 2015, 12, 31 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Portugal {{Officeholder table , order = 11 , image = Filippo Grandi April 2016 (26380573300) (cropped).jpg , officeholder = Filippo Grandi , officeholder_sort = Grandi, Filippo , officeholder_note = , born_year = 1957 , died_year = , term_start = 1 January 2016 , timeinoffice = {{ayd, 2016, 01, 01 , alt_officeholder = {{flagcountry, Italy {{Officeholder table end


Special Envoy of High Commissioner Filippo Grandi

* {{flagicon, USA Angelina Jolie After 10 years serving as a Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie was promoted in 2012 to Special Envoy to the High Commissioner. In this role she represents the UNHCR and High Commissioner Filipo Grandi at the diplomatic level and works to facilitate long-term solutions for people displaced by large-scale crises, such as Afghanistan and Somalia. "This is an exceptional position reflecting an exceptional role she has played for us," said a UNHCR spokesman.


Goodwill ambassadors

UNHCR is also represented by a number of UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors, who at present are: *{{flagdeco, USA{{flagdeco, Sweden Barbara Hendricks (Honorary Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador) *{{flagdeco, AUS
Cate Blanchett Catherine Elise Blanchett (; born 14 May 1969) is an Australian actor. Regarded as one of the finest performers of her generation, she is known for her versatile work across independent films, blockbusters, and the stage. She has received nu ...
*{{flagdeco, GBR David Morrissey *{{flagdeco, GBR
Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...
*{{flagdeco, CHN Yao Chen *{{flagdeco, FRA Julien Clerc *{{flagdeco, GRE George Dalaras *{{flagdeco, ITA Alessandro Gassman *{{flagdeco, AFG, 2013{{flagdeco, USA
Khaled Hosseini Khaled Hosseini (;Pashto/Dari ; born March 4, 1965) is an Afghan Americans, Afghan-American novelist, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR goodwill ambassador, and former physician. His debut novel ''The Kite Runner'' (2003) wa ...
*{{flagdeco, USA Kristin Davis *{{flagdeco, EGY Adel Emam *{{flagdeco, SSD
Ger Duany Ger Duany (born 1978 in Akobo, Greater Upper Nile in South Sudan) is an actor. He is a self-described “village boy”. Early life Duany was born in Akobo (then part of Sudan) on November 9, 1978. He had his first experience of war at the ...
*{{flagdeco, MLI Rokia Traore *{{flagdeco, URU
Osvaldo Laport Rubens Osvaldo Jesús Udaquiola Laport (born August 12, 1956, in Juan Lacaze, Uruguay) is a Uruguayan- Argentine actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. In 2000, he earned Martín Fierro Award for his portrayal in television comedy ''Campeones de ...
*{{flagdeco, ESP Jesús Vázquez *{{flagdeco, SSD{{flagdeco, GBR Alek Wek *{{flagdeco, KOR Jung Woo-sung *{{flagdeco, THA
Praya Lundberg Nataya Lundberg ( th, นาตยา ลุนด์เบิร์ก; ; born March 28, 1992), also known as Praya Lundberg ( th, ไปรยา ลุนด์เบิร์ก; ) or Praya Suandokmai ( th, ไปรยา สวนดอก ...
*{{flagdeco, IND John Abraham *{{flagdeco, SYR Yusra Mardini *{{flagdeco, KWT
Sheikha Rima al-Sabah Sheikha Rima al-Sabah (born 1962) is a Lebanese-Kuwaiti former journalist, and a current UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. She is married to the former Kuwaiti ambassador to the United States Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Early life and education ...
*{{flagdeco, ARM {{flagdeco, BLR Iskui Abalyan *{{flagdeco, PHI Atom Araullo *{{flagdeco, CAN Alphonso Davies *{{flagdeco, BAN Tahsan Rahman Khan Previous ambassadors include: *{{flagdeco, TUR
Muazzez Ersoy Hatice Yıldız Levent, better known by her stage name Muazzez Ersoy, (born 9 August 1958) is a Turkish classical music singer. In 1998, with the suggestion of the 33rd government of Turkey's Ministry of Culture, she was chosen as a State Arti ...
*{{flagdeco, GBR Richard Burton *{{flagdeco, PAK Nazia Hassan *{{flagdeco, GBR
James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...
*{{flagdeco, ITA
Sophia Loren Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood ci ...


Controversies


The 1994–95 repatriation of Rohingyans

According to some scholars, with time UNHCR left an initial preference for asylum and resettlement policies, tending to prefer repatriation measures of refugees instead. Sometimes, this might have led the agency's bureaucratic apparatus to adopt pathological behaviours.{{cite book , last1=Barnett , first1=Michael , last2=Finnemore , first2=Martha , title=Rules for the world , url=https://archive.org/details/rulesforworldint00barn , url-access=limited , date=2004 , publisher=Cornell University Press , page
73
104
An example of the latter might be considered{{according to whom, date=April 2020 the handling of the 1995 Rohingyan crisis. At the time, thousands of Rohingyans were fleeing Burma (or Myanmar), seeking shelter in UNHCR camps in Bangladesh. According to some,{{who, date=April 2020 UNHCR has been decisive in promoting the repatriation of refugees, although NGOs on the field and the UN were skeptical about better political and security conditions in Burma.{{cite book , last1=Barnett , first1=Michael , last2=Finnemore , first2=Martha , title=Rules for the world , url=https://archive.org/details/rulesforworldint00barn , url-access=limited , date=2004 , publisher=Cornell University Press , page
105
120
{{citation needed, date=April 2020 Also, controversies arose on the methods with which the UNHCR staff was conducting surveys in the camps to establish if refugees were willing to move back to Burma or not.


See also

{{Portal, Politics {{col div, colwidth=30em * ''Against All Odds'' (video game) * Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative Fund, a scholarship program for refugees administered by UNHCR *
Dadaab Dadaab ( so, Dhadhaab) is a semi-arid town in Garissa County, Kenya. It is the site of a UNHCR base hosting 223,420 registered refugees and asylum seekers in three camps (Dagahaley, Hagadera and Ifo) as of 13 May 2019, making it the third-largest ...
*
Nansen International Office for Refugees The Nansen International Office for Refugees (''french: Office International Nansen pour les Réfugiés'') was an organization established in 1930 by the League of Nations and named after Fridtjof Nansen, soon after his death, which was internati ...
*
Representative of the UNHCR and WFP, London The Representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the Representative of the World Food Programme in London are the diplomatic missions of the UNHCR and World Food Programme in the United Kingdom. They were formerly locate ...
*
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in India The head office of UNHCR's mission in India is located in Delhi, with a field office in Chennai. Actor John Abraham is the Goodwill ambassador for UNHCR in India. The current chief of mission is Oscar Mundia. UNHCR won the Indira Gandhi Prize fo ...
*
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Cyprus The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Cyprus is an office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) opened in August 1974 upon the request of the Government of Cyprus and the Secretary-General of the ...
* United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East *
UniRef UniRef – University for Refugees – is a humanitarian :en:Non-governmental organization, non-governmental organization, specialized in delivering higher education for refugees, and headquartered in :en:Geneva, Geneva (Switzerland). In partnershi ...
{{colend


References


Citations

{{Reflist


Sources

{{refbegin * Janmyr, Maja. 2016. “Precarity in Exile: The Legal Status of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon”. Refugee Survey Quarterly, no. 35 (November): 58–78. * Gil Loescher, Alexander Betts and James Milner. ''UNHCR: The Politics and Practice of Refugee Protection into the Twenty-First Century'', Routledge. 2008. * Alexander Betts. ''Protection by Persuasion: International Cooperation in the Refugee Regime'', Cornell University Press. 2009. * Gil Loescher. ''The UNHCR and World Politics: A Perilous Path''. Oxford University Press. 2002 * Fiona Terry. ''Condemned to Repeat? The Paradox of Humanitarian Action''. Cornell University Press. 2002. * Nicholas Steiner. ''Problems of Protection.'' Routledge. 2003. {{refend


External links

{{Commons category, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees *{{Official website, https://www.unhcr.org/
UNHCR's "Refworld" refugee document and news web site
from UNHCR's Status Determination and Protection Information Section (SDPIS) in the Division of International Protection Services (DIPS).
Measuring Protection by Numbers, Report from official website
Online video of an address by Ms.
Erika Feller Erika Elizabeth Feller (born 1949) is an Australian academic, diplomat and lawyer. From 2006 to 2013, she was Assistant High Commissioner for Protection with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She is currently the Vice-Chancellor' ...
, director, Department of International Protection, UNHCR, in 2005
USCRI's Campaign to End Refugee Warehousing"Prisons of the Stateless: The Derelictions of UNHCR"
by Jacob Stevens
Nine Million
* {{Nobelprize *
Global Compact on Refugees The Global Compact on Refugees is an international agreement, prepared under the auspices of the United Nations, that provides a framework to improve the worldwide response to the needs of refugees. Governments make pledges under the compact at t ...
{{Navboxes , list = {{Humanitarian Aid {{Humanitarian partners of the European Commission {{Nobel Peace Prize laureates {{Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation {{International human rights organizations {{United Nations {{1954 Nobel Prize winners {{1981 Nobel Prize winners {{Authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees Aftermath of war United Nations Development Group United Nations organizations based in Geneva Organizations established in 1950 Organizations awarded Nobel Peace Prizes Swiss Nobel laureates Nobel laureates with multiple Nobel awards