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{{
{{Redirect-distinguish2|UNHCR|UNHRC, the [[United Nations Human Rights Council]]}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox United Nations
| image =
| image_size =
| name = Office of the United Nations High
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| map_size =
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| type = United Nations
| abbreviation = UNHCR, HCR
| leader_title = Head
| leader_name = [[Filippo Grandi]]<br />(''High Commissioner for
| status = [[
| formation = {{start date and age|
| headquarters = [[Geneva]],
| website = {{URL|https://www.unhcr.org/|unhcr.org}}
| parent_organization
| subsidiaries =
| footnotes = {{portal-inline|Politics|size=tiny}}
}}
The '''Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees''' ('''UNHCR''') is a [[United Nations agency]] mandated to aid and [[Humanitarian protection|protect]] [[refugee]]s, [[Internally displaced person|forcibly displaced communities]], and [[Statelessness|stateless people]], and to assist in their [[voluntary return|voluntary repatriation]], local integration or [[third country resettlement|resettlement to a third country]]. It is headquartered in [[
== Background ==
As of June 2020, UNHCR has over 20 million refugees under its mandate.<ref name=":4"
In recognition of its work, UNHCR has won two [[Nobel Peace Prize]]s, in 1954 and 1981, and a [[Prince of Asturias Awards#International Cooperation (Cooperación Internacional)|Prince of Asturias Awards for International Cooperation]] in 1991.<ref name="NobelFactsorg">{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/organizations.html|title=Nobel Laureates Facts – Organizations|publisher=[[Nobel Foundation]]|access-date=2009-10-13}}</ref> It is a member of the [[United Nations Development Group]], a consortium of organizations dedicated to [[sustainable development]].<ref>[http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13 UNDG Members] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511144047/http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13|date=11 May 2011}}. Undg.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref>
== History ==
[[File:Genf UNHCR.JPG|right|thumb|Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]]
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
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.<ref name="unhcr.org"/>
UNHCR's mandate was originally set out in its statute, annexed to resolution 428
Soon after the signing of the [[Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees|1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees]], 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]].<ref name="unhcr.org"/>
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.<ref name="unhcr.org"/>
In 1967, the [[Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees]] was ratified to remove the geographical and temporal restrictions of UNHCR under the
▲In 1967, the [[Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees]] was ratified to remove the geographical and temporal restrictions of UNHCR under the [[Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees|1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees]]. 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”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ohchr.org/EN|title=Countdown to Human Rights Day|access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref>
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.<ref name="unhcr.org"/>
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
The end of the [[Cold War]] 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 [[Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|FR Yugoslavia]], while by contrast, the [[1994 Rwandan Genocide]] 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
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.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Thorvaldsdottir |first1=Svanhildur |last2=Patz |first2=Ronny |last3=Goetz |first3=Klaus H. |date=2021 |title=Mandate or Donors? Explaining the UNHCR's Country-Level Expenditures from 1967 to 2016 |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/0032321720974330 |journal=Political Studies| volume=70 |issue=2 |pages=443–464 |language=en |doi=10.1177/0032321720974330 |s2cid=234025149 |issn=0032-3217}}</ref>
== Function ==
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UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950<ref name="History">{{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}}</ref> 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]]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 [[asylum seeker|seek asylum]] and find safe refuge in another state, with the option to [[voluntary return|return home voluntarily]], integrate locally or to [[third country resettlement|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
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
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.
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=== Palestine refugee mandate ===
{{Main|United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East}}
Palestinian refugees living in the areas of [[Jordan]], [[Lebanon]], [[Syria]], the [[Gaza Strip]] and the [[West Bank]], including [[East Jerusalem]], are covered by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Unlike UNHCR, UNRWA does not have a mandate to resettle Palestine refugees and has no authority to seek lasting durable solutions for refugees.<ref>[https://www.unhcr.org/news/speeches-and-statements/high-commissioner-s-statement-united-nations-security-council The main difference between UNHCR and UNRWA]. Retrieved 8 November 2023.</ref>
=== Public awareness and future of refugees ===
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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]], where the refugee crisis remained largely unreported.<ref name=":0">{{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 |
In 2007, UNHCR offices in Canada launched an aggressive media campaign to shed light on the plight of refugees.<ref name=":2">{{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 |
In Ireland, the UNHCR works to inform the public through different channels. The UNHCR in Ireland actively pursues media relations.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |url=http://www.unhcr.ie/our-work-in-ireland/building-awareness |title=Building Awareness |
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.
=== Cooperation within the United Nations ===
As UNHCR is a programme governed by the [[United Nations General Assembly|UN General Assembly]]
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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://refugeesmigrants.un.org/summit |title=Summit for Refugees and Migrants
On 28 September 2016, the UNHCR partnered with the UN [[Food and Agriculture
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
=== Awards ===
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The UNHCR itself was awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 1954 and 1981. The UNHCR was awarded the [[Indira Gandhi Prize]] in 2015.
In 1991 was awarded the [[Prince of Asturias Awards#International Cooperation (Cooperación Internacional)|Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.fpa.es/en/princess-of-asturias-awards/laureates/1991-unhcr-united-nations-high-comissioner-for-refugees.html?especifica=0 |title=UNHCR (United Nations High Comissioner [sic] for Refugees)
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Darfur refugee camp in Chad.jpg|[[Refugee camp]] in [[Darfur]] ([[Chad]])
File:Army Lynx Helicopter Helps Transport Aid in Macedonia MOD 45108219.jpg|A helicopter arrives at a refugee facility in [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]] with an underslung load of
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]].
File:USMC-120516-M-RU378-103.jpg|An UNHCR-officer talks with a [[U.S. Marines|Marine]] during [[24th Marine Expeditionary Unit#Exercise Eager Lion 12|Exercise Eager Lion 12]].
File:UNHCR in Kenya.jpg|Workers from the UNHCR, and [[CARE International]] gather bundles of shelters and mosquito nets in [[Kenya]].
File:Somalia (Somaliland), Hargeisa, UNHCR-compound.JPG|Heavily fortified UNHCR offices in [[Somaliland]]
File:UNHCR camp.jpg|A UNHCR refugee camp at Baharka
File:UNHCR Camp für syrische Flüchtlinge (15945778191).jpg|UNHCR Camp, [[Kurdistan]] ([[Iraq|Northern Iraq]]) June 2014
File:Syrische Flüchtlingskinde rim UNHCR Camp (15947073972).jpg|[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Cyprus|UNHCR]] Camp, Kurdistan ([[Iraq|Northern Iraq]]) June 2014
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== 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
| url = http://www.unhcr.org/56701b969.html
| title = Mid-Year Trends, June 2015
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}}</ref>
Persons of concern include [[refugee]]s and asylum seekers, people in refugee-like conditions, [[Internally displaced person|internally displaced people]] (IDPs), [[Statelessness|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
** 13,297,101 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR
* 9,694,535 in the [[Asia-Pacific|Asia and Pacific]] bureau, of which
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** 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
** 2,965,211 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR
* 8,451,275 in [[East Africa|East]] and [[Horn of Africa]], of which
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** 33,553 are in refugee-like situations
** 108,016 have pending asylum cases
** 233,726 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any
** 5,119,463 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR
* 7,726,594 in the [[Americas]], of which
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** 251,888 are in refugee-like situations
** 276,394 have pending asylum cases
** 136,413 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any
** 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
** 610,532 are stateless ("persons not considered as nationals by any
** 2,574,886 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR
* 3,580,181 in [[Central Africa]]
** 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
** 2,021,269 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR
* 2,754,893 in [[West Africa|Western Africa]] of which
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** (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
** 1,549,516 are IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR
* 1,370,217 in [[Southern Africa]], of which
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** (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
** (Information not applicable/unavailable) on number of IDPs or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR
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| hide group legends = 1
}}
{{div col
{{Legend|green|Refugees (incl. refugee-like situations)}}
{{Legend|aqua|Asylum
{{Legend|yellow|Returned refugees}}
{{Legend|blue|Internally displaced persons (IDPs)}}
{{Legend|red|Returned IDPs}}
{{Legend|lime|Stateless persons}}
{{Legend|violet|Others of concern}}
{{div col
== Staffing ==
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}}
===High Commissioners===
The UN General Assembly elects High Commissioners every five years. High Commissioners are supported by the
{{Officeholder table start
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=== 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
=== Goodwill ambassadors ===
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== Controversies ==
=== The 1994–1995 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.<ref>{{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 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/rulesforworldint00barn/page/n40 73]
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 [[Rohingya people|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.<ref name="Rules for the world">{{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 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/rulesforworldint00barn/page/n56 105]
Also, controversies arose on the methods with which the UNHCR staff was conducting surveys in the camps to establish
== See also ==
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* [[Dadaab]]
* [[Nansen International Office for Refugees]]
* [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in India]]
* [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Cyprus]]
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== External links ==
{{Commons category|United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees}}
* {{Official website|https://www.unhcr.org/}}
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* {{Nobelprize}}
* [[Global Compact on Refugees]]
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