Our Work

UNHCR delivers emergency and long-term rehabilitation assistance to nearly some 17 million refugees and displaced persons in more than 120 countries. The agency's work around the world falls under these main sectors:

Shelter & Domestic Needs

From newly displaced refugees to voluntarily repatriated populations, UNHCR provides basic supplies for building homes and for the repair of roads and bridges that allow communities better access to markets and medical care. The agency is also involved in the reconstruction of damaged buildings and facilities such as schools. Typical supplies include plastic sheeting, lumber wood, nails, tool kits and fuel, ancillary infrastructure, electricity, blankets, utensils and other household necessities, as well as housing grants.

Health Care & Nutrition

Forcible displacement, overcrowding and lack of essential food supplies render refugees highly susceptible to diseases. UNHCR undertakes medical projects such as the provision of equipment for hospitals, mobile clinics, first aid packages, ambulances, drugs, food kits, eyeglasses, prosthetic aids and wheelchairs. It also covers the salaries of doctors, nurses and midwives to deliver necessary healthcare services.

Income Generation

With the objective of making refugees self-reliant and productive, UNHCR operates several types of income generation projects around the world by investing seed capital and harnessing the entrepreneurial potential of refugees. Some of the projects include micro credit and small savings schemes, tailor training workshops, seeds and fertilisers for vegetable gardens, egg-laying poultry, bakeries, meat stores, hairdressing, catering, motor mechanics, and other small-scale businesses.

Water Supply & Sanitation

To ensure availability of clean potable water for drinking and other domestic purposes in refugee camps and shelters, UNHCR helps in digging low-cost shallow wells, distributes hand pumps, and works on water purification systems, reservoirs, waste disposal and recycling infrastructure. The agency's interventions in this sector help minimise the outbreak of diseases and epidemics and promote environment-friendly solutions to the needs of displaced people.

Education

Primary and adult education are not only the basic rights of refugee children, women and men, but also the only credible means by which they can find long-term employment and self-sustenance. UNHCR builds and refurbishes schools in camps and return areas. In some locations, it funds textbooks, slates, boards, training grants for vocational education, school furniture, pre-school play groups, school uniforms, salaries for teachers, admission of refugee children to local schools in host countries, payment of tuition fees, stipends allowing student travel, and courses in local languages.

Legal Assistance & Protection

With a primary mandate of protecting refugees' rights, UNHCR strives to preserve the lives, freedoms and fundamental liberties of displaced populations. Some of its principal protection activities include the screening, registering and monitoring of incoming and repatriating refugees, status determination of asylum seekers, distribution of identification documents, legal counselling on asylum and naturalisation, training workshops for host government authorities on humane treatment of refugees, and dialogue with local law enforcement authorities to prevent harassment, extortion and violence against refugees.

UNHCR assumes the role of a government for stateless people. The agency negotiates with local and national authorities to secure safety for refugees and arrange for their return home as soon as conditions allow. It also negotiates resettlement quotas with several developed countries that are able to welcome refugees whose repatriation to home countries is not feasible. These are humanitarian services only UNHCR can provide.

For some of its direct assistance programmes, UNHCR mandates experienced NGOs to carry out specific projects which the agency evaluates, monitors and aids with technical support.

Beneficiaries of UNHCR Programmes

All the above programmes and sectoral projects are intended to mitigate the harsh circumstances in which refugees find themselves and to create opportunities to re-establish their lives. Special focus is given to the most vulnerable whose capacity to withstand rigorous living conditions is weaker. Women, children, unaccompanied minors, households headed by women and single parents, the disabled and handicapped, the elderly, survivors of violence and isolated social groups receive prioritised UNHCR care in all refugee crises.

For detailed country-by-country information on its Global Programmes, see the UNHCR Global Appeal.

For more information on partnering with UNHCR in its worldwide mission, please see our Contact Us page.