Organization Overview
The United Nations mandates UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Organization, to lead and coordinate international action for the worldwide protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee problems. UNHCR’s primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. UNHCR strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another state, and to return home voluntarily. By assisting refugees to return to their own country or to settle in another country, UNHCR also seeks durable solution to their plight. UNHCR’s efforts are mandated by the organization’s Statute and guided by the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 protocol. International Refugee Law provides an essential framework of principals for UNHCR’s humanitarian activities.
UNHCR actively seeks to consolidate the reintegration of returning refugees to their country of origin, thereby averting the recurrence of refugee-producing situations. UNHCR offers protection and assistance to refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR, on the basis of their need and irrespective of their race, religion, political opinion or gender. UNHCR pays particular attention to the need of children and seeks to promote the equal rights of women and girls. In its effort to protect refugees and promote solution to their problems, UNHCR works in partnership with government, international and non-governmental organizations. UNHCR provides protection and assistance not only to refugees, but also to other categories of displaced or needy persons. These include asylum seekers, refugees who have returned home but still need help in rebuilding their lives, local civilian communities which are directly affected by the movements of refugees and stateless and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
UNHCR has been working closely with the Government on capacity building through training of judges, lawyers, and law enforcement bodies, providing technical assistance towards drafting legal instruments that would meet international standards. In addition to their legal vulnerability, refugees are highly dependent on UNHCR material assistance. UNHCR protection and material assistance serves as means of survival for many of them.
|
|