When was UNHCR

created?
 The Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees was established
on December 14
 Its aim was to complete its work in a 3 year
time period and then disband.
 The Convention relating to the Status of
Refugees was held the following year in
Why was the UNHCR
created?
 In the late 1940s a UN body was required to oversee
global refugee issues. After WWII there was a
refugee crisis, with millions of people displaced in
Europe
But!!!
 In the late 1950s, uprisings and conflict led to
UNHCR involvement outside of Europe.
 As colonies in Africa gained independence in the
1960s, large numbers of refugees fled unstable and
cruel governments. Unlike in Europe, these countries
usually fled into equally unstable countries.
The purpose of the UNHCR
 To protect the rights and well-being of
refugees.
 Ensure that everyone can exercise the
right to seek asylum
 Be non-political and humanitarian
 Strive to find permanent solutions for
refugees such as to return home
voluntarily, integrate locally or to
resettle in a third country.
What does the UNHCR do?
 Ensures the basic human rights of people in their countries of
asylum
 Ensures refugees will not be returned involuntarily to a country
where they could face persecution
 Promotes orComplete
provide legal fill
and in the blanks
physical protection, and minimize
the threat of violence sheet now
 Aims to provide at least a minimum of shelter, food, water and
medical care
 Helps with refugee registration, assistance and advice on asylum
applications, education and counselling.
 Support returnees with transport home and assistance packages
 Works with governments to find practical and humanitarian
responses
 In countries that haven’t signed the Refugee Convention, UNHCR
is generally responsible for protecting refugees.
 1951 Convention Relating to
the Status of Refugees
 It defines a refugee, outlines the rights of refugees
(e.g. freedom of religion and movement, the right to
work, education and accessibility to travel documents),
explains what governments should do to protect refugees
and a refugee's obligations to a host government.
 A key provision states that refugees should not be returned,
or refouled, to a country where he or she fears persecution.
 It also spells out people or groups of people who are not
covered by the Convention.
 A total of 147 states have acceded to one or both of the
1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol.
1967 Protocol
 1967 Protocol removed geographical
and time limitations.
 Prior, only Europeans involved in
events before 1 January 1951, could
apply for refugee status.
 As a result it turned the Convention
into a truly universal instrument that
could benefit refugees everywhere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Ub1FFbfHE
Signatories of 1951 Convention
and 1967 Protocol
Long term UNHCR
solutions
There are three solutions open to refugees
where UNHCR can help and are known
as DURABLE SOLUTIONS
Local Integration
Voluntary
repatriation
Resettlement to a
third country
Responses to Refugees
 4 general responses
 Refugees should NOT be returned to countries where
they might face persecution – non-refoulment

 Strict, fair and swift evaluation of refugee status

 Strong and steady financial commitment from the

international community (esp. wealthy countries) to
alleviate the monetary burden of regions absorbing large
flows of refugees

 Development of proactive policy measures to stop

regional (or potentially global) crisis situations from
emerging