Global Refugee Forum - UNHCR Israel

The framework, which was affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, put in place a new comprehensive refugee response model.

It provides a blueprint for governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure that host communities get the support they need and that refugees can lead productive lives.

Its four key objectives are to:

• ease pressures on countries hosting refugees
• enhance opportunities for refugees to become self-reliant
• expand refugees’ access to third-country solutions such as resettlement and other pathways
• support conditions in refugees’ countries of origin so that they may be able to return in safety and dignity

The compact sets out arrangements to ensure that both refugees and their host communities benefit from this support. A central arrangement is the Global Refugee Forum where States and other actors come together every four years to share good practices and contribute with financial support, technical expertise and policy changes to help reach the goals of the Global Compact. These contributions are key to transforming the aspirations of the compact into positive changes in the lives of refugees.

The first Global Refugee Forum took place in December 2019 and was a true milestone in building solidarity with the world’s refugees and the countries and communities that host them.

Learn more about the Global Refugee Forum. Find the webcast archive from the 2019 Global Refugee Forum here.

The first Global Refugee Forum took place in December 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Less than a quarter of the 193 UN Member States bear the lion’s share of responsibility for refugees – either hosting large refugee populations or contributing financially to humanitarian efforts. More countries and other actors need to step up.

The Forum was attended by some 3,000 participants, more than 90 ministerial officials, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, approximately 55 international organizations (including United Nations agencies), representatives of more than 130 companies and foundations, and approximately 250 civil society organizations, sports organizations, cities and city networks, and academics. 70 refugees participated from 22 countries of origin and 30 host countries.

Some 840 pledges were made at the forum to improve issues such as: job creation and microfinancing; inclusion of refugees in national and local development plans and national education and health systems; access to education, especially for youth; financial commitments; infrastructural services including health, water, sanitation, and hygiene, connectivity, and shelter; green energy and conservation; and lasting solutions though integration and voluntary repatriation.

The photo gallery presented below reflects the diversity of speakers and events at the forum: