UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency
Winter is here. Rain, flooding, snow and sub-zero temperatures are threatening the lives of people forced to spend winter far from home. In Lebanon, entire neighbourhoods have been flattened by airstrikes and families are sleeping on the ground, without as much as a blanket.In Afghanistan, people are having to choose between heating and eating, despite temperatures dropping well …
Refugees | UNHCR
Refugee definitions and meaning. Who is a refugee is defined in international law. The 1951 Refugee Convention defines a refugee as a person who "owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of [their] nationality and is …
About UNHCR | UNHCR
Safeguarding the rights and well-being of people forced to flee for over 70 years. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead ...
The 1951 Refugee Convention | UNHCR
Refugees are in extremely vulnerable circumstances, lacking the protection of their own countries and facing immense challenges to their safety and well-being. The 1951 Refugee Convention, supplemented by its 1967 Protocol, help protect them. They are the cornerstone of refugee protection and the ...
What we do - UNHCR
Protecting people forced to flee. Every year, millions of people are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution and cannot return without risking their lives, safety or freedom. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is there for them at …
Figures at a glance | UNHCR
How many refugees are there around the world? As of the end of June 2024, there are an estimated 122.6 million people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes. Among them are nearly 43.7 million refugees.. There are also 4.4 million stateless people, who have been denied a nationality and lack access to basic rights such as education, health care, employment and freedom of ...
Asylum-seekers | UNHCR
Who is an ‘asylum-seeker’? An asylum-seeker is someone who is seeking international protection. Their request for refugee status, or complementary protection status, has yet to be processed, or they may not yet have requested asylum but they intend to …
Protection - UNHCR
Providing emergency help to those forced to flee is often the first step towards long-term protection and rehabilitation. UNHCR has developed a global network of suppliers, specialist agencies, and partners that enables rapid delivery of essential supplies in emergencies and supports UNHCR's long-term programmes and operations. Projects can range from dispatching emergency teams to the scene ...
Protect human rights | UNHCR
Protection. Protection underpins all UNHCR activities aimed at ensuring the rights of refugees, displaced and stateless people are recognized. We promote accession to the 1951 Refugee Convention which outlines the international standards of treatment for refugees. We also support States to register displaced people and provide them with documentation, and support refugee status determination ...
Frequently asked questions - UNHCR
Refugees are defined and protected in international law. Refugees are people outside their country of origin because of feared persecution, conflict, violence, or other circumstances that have seriously disturbed public order, and who, as a result, require ‘international protection’.