The UNHCR The UNHCR MandateMandate

Quick facts Quick facts UNHCRUNHCR

Some 6,500 staff are working in 116 countriesSome 6,500 staff are working in 116 countries

assisting assisting 20,800,00020,800,000 “ “persons of concern”persons of concern”

2006 budget of USD 1,47 billion2006 budget of USD 1,47 billion

2007 appeal of USD 1,06 billion2007 appeal of USD 1,06 billion

Almost entirely by voluntary contributions from governments. Almost entirely by voluntary contributions from governments.

Less than 2% received from UN regular budget for admin. costsLess than 2% received from UN regular budget for admin. costs

Quick factsQuick facts Persons of Concern Persons of Concern

Refugees Refugees 8,400,000 8,400,000 40%40%(lowest number in 25 years)(lowest number in 25 years)

Internally DisplacedInternally Displaced 6,600,000 6,600,000 32%32%(global total of 23,7M IDPs)(global total of 23,7M IDPs)

ReturneesReturnees 1,600,0001,600,000 7% 7%Asylum seekersAsylum seekers 773,500 773,500 4%4%Stateless personsStateless persons 2,400,000 2,400,000 11%11%

UNHCR MandateUNHCR MandatePROVIDING INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION

TO REFUGEES

SEEKING PERMANENT SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS OF REFUGEES

Supervisory RoleSupervisory Role obligation to respect UNHCR’s obligation to respect UNHCR’s

supervisory powersupervisory power legal basis for accepting UNHCR’s rolelegal basis for accepting UNHCR’s role obligation to actively cooperate in order to obligation to actively cooperate in order to

achieve an optimal implementation and achieve an optimal implementation and harmonized application of the Conventionharmonized application of the Convention

support authoritative character of certain support authoritative character of certain UNHCR statementsUNHCR statements

Principle of Principle of non- refoulementnon- refoulement

prohibits the prohibits the return of refugees in any manner return of refugees in any manner whatsoever to countries or territories where their whatsoever to countries or territories where their lives or freedom may be threatened because of their lives or freedom may be threatened because of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinionsocial group or political opinion

non-refoulement is binding on all States as non-refoulement is binding on all States as part of customary international lawpart of customary international law

ExceptionException: : if a refugee constitutes a threat to national security or, having been convicted of a particularly serious crime, is a danger to the community

Standards of treatment of Standards of treatment of refugeesrefugees

Rights of refugeesRights of refugees

Right to seek and enjoy Right to seek and enjoy asylumasylum

Freedom from torture, or Freedom from torture, or cruel, inhuman or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or degrading treatment or punishmentpunishment

Freedom of movementFreedom of movement

Recognition as a person Recognition as a person before the lawbefore the law

Right to documentationRight to documentation

Obligations of refugeesObligations of refugees

Refugees have an Refugees have an obligation to abide by the obligation to abide by the laws of the country where laws of the country where they are living they are living

Durable SolutionsDurable Solutions

Refugee empowerment and self-relianceRefugee empowerment and self-reliance

Enhance their well-beingEnhance their well-being

Contribute to the economyContribute to the economy

Disincentive to irregular movementDisincentive to irregular movement

Better prepared for durable solutionsBetter prepared for durable solutionsVoluntary RepatriationVoluntary RepatriationLocal IntegrationLocal IntegrationResettlementResettlement

RegistrationRegistration

Access to assistance and essential services Access to assistance and essential services (including tracing, family reunion, freedom of (including tracing, family reunion, freedom of movement etc)movement etc)

Basis for documentationBasis for documentation Identification of individuals with specific Identification of individuals with specific

protection needs (prevention of recruitment)protection needs (prevention of recruitment) Reduction of multiple registrationReduction of multiple registration Facilitating planning and programming, Facilitating planning and programming,

including fund raising and search of durable including fund raising and search of durable solutionssolutions

Sexual and Gender Based Sexual and Gender Based ViolenceViolence

Grossly underreportedGrossly underreported

Preventative measuresPreventative measures

Needs of survivors Needs of survivors • MedicalMedical• PhysicalPhysical• Psycho-socialPsycho-social• Legal Legal

PParticipatory articipatory AssessmentAssessment

Dialoging: listening, Dialoging: listening, information-gathering, and information-gathering, and interactive analysis.interactive analysis.

Identification, Analysis, Identification, Analysis, and Systematization of and Systematization of protection risks.protection risks.

Process for participation Process for participation in programme cycle for in programme cycle for protectionprotection

Women

Girls

Boys

Men

Of various ages and diverse backgrounds

Mass InfluxMass Influx

Considerable number of people arriving over an Considerable number of people arriving over an international borderinternational border

Rapid rate of arrival, usually prompted by a specific eventRapid rate of arrival, usually prompted by a specific event Inadequate absorption or response capacity in host States, Inadequate absorption or response capacity in host States,

particularly during the emergency phaseparticularly during the emergency phase Individual asylum procedures, where they exist, unable to Individual asylum procedures, where they exist, unable to

deal with the assessment of such large numbers deal with the assessment of such large numbers

Prima Facie RecognitionPrima Facie Recognition

Each individual member of a group is Each individual member of a group is presumed to qualify for refugee status, presumed to qualify for refugee status, based on an objective assessment of the based on an objective assessment of the situation in the country of originsituation in the country of origin

The presumption can only be rebutted if The presumption can only be rebutted if information comes to light which casts information comes to light which casts doubt on the individual’s eligibility for doubt on the individual’s eligibility for refugee statusrefugee status

Definitive rather than provisional statusDefinitive rather than provisional status

Internally Displaced Internally Displaced PersonsPersons

Article 9 UNHCR StatuteArticle 9 UNHCR Statute

additional activities as GA additional activities as GA

may determine, within the may determine, within the

limits of the resources placed limits of the resources placed

at its disposalat its disposal

consent of Government; consent of Government; request from SG; request from SG;

no harm to asylum; no harm to asylum; respect for mandates other agencies.respect for mandates other agencies.

Internally Displaced Internally Displaced PersonsPersons

Humanitarian Reform ObjectivesHumanitarian Reform Objectives

Adequate capacity and predictable response

Accountable leadership

Improved coordination, gap filling

Adequate, timely and flexible financing

Effective partnerships between UN and non-UN actors

Internally Displaced Internally Displaced PersonsPersons

AGREEMENT WITHIN IASC on CLUSTER LEADERSHIPAGREEMENT WITHIN IASC on CLUSTER LEADERSHIP

first point of call & provider of last resortfirst point of call & provider of last resort

UNHCR UNHCR @ protection @ protection @ emergency shelter @ emergency shelter @ camp coordination/camp management@ camp coordination/camp management

UNICEF: Nutrition, Water and SanitationUNICEF: Nutrition, Water and SanitationWHO: HealthWHO: HealthUNDP: Early RecoveryUNDP: Early RecoveryWFP: LogisticsWFP: LogisticsOCHA/UNICEF/WFP: Emergency TelecommunicationsOCHA/UNICEF/WFP: Emergency Telecommunications

UNHCR VisionUNHCR Vision

become a central become a central multilateral agency for multilateral agency for forced displacementforced displacement

global strategic global strategic objectives 2007-2009objectives 2007-2009

structural and structural and management changemanagement change

www.unhcr.orgwww.unhcr.org