Finland strengthens its support to UNHCR
“We are grateful for Finland’s support to UNHCR. Finland is an important donor to UNHCR and its contributions to the Syria crisis and refugee situations in Africa and Asia will alleviate the suffering of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons and ensure their protection. Finland’s continued support to UNHCR will help the most vulnerable, such as children, women and people with disabilities in countries and regions where the need is the greatest”, says Pia Prytz Phiri, Regional Representative for Northern Europe.
Furthermore, Phiri strongly embraces Finland’s decision to also increase its resettlement quota with 300 places and allocate 500 places for Syrian refugees in 2014. To date, Finland is one of the 20 countries in the world that has pledged to receive Syrian refugees on resettlement or humanitarian admission.
The conflict in Syria has driven more than 2.7 million people into exile. Almost all refugees have fled to Syria’s neighboring countries, whose own societies and economies are under extreme pressure. Around 6.5 million people have fled their homes within Syria due to the conflict and 5.5 million children are now affected inside the country and in neighbouring countries.
To keep pace with 2013’s alarming exodus and ensure adequate protection and provide documentation, refugee registration efforts were expanded, reducing waiting times to only a matter of hours. Mobile registration teams were also established to better reach unregistered Syrian exiles. In addition, UNHCR distributed more then 196 000 tents to refugees living in camps or informal sites in the neighbouring countries of Syria. Schools and psycho-social support facilities were established and more than 5.7 million blankets, 4.9 million mattresses and 870 000 kitchen sets were distributed. For the cold winter season UNHCR provided insulation of tents, thermal blankets, stoves, clothing and fuel, heating of schools, and cash grant schemes. Inside Syria, UNHCR was able to reach over 3.2 million people delivering more than 8 million various core relief items.
In 2013, Finland was UNHCR’s 15th largest donor. Of Finland’s total support of USD 27.2 million, USD 9.1 million was unearmarked support. USD 7.8 million was earmarked for the Syria emergency. USD 7 million was targeted towards Africa, in particular the Somali refugee situation and the emergencies in Mali, South Sudan and Central African Republic. USD 2.6 million was earmarked mainly for protracted refugee situations in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.
For 2014 Finland has so far supported UNHCR with USD 9.5 million to UNHCR operations worldwide; USD 4.1 million to the Syria situation; USD 2.8 million to South-West Asia (Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan); USD 2.1 million to Ethiopia; USD 2.1 million to Kenya; USD 1.4 million to the Myanmar situation; and USD 137,931 to Confidence Building Measures in Western Sahara.
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Resettlement – A lifeline for the most vulnerable
28.11.2024UNHCR was created to assist and protect refugees uprooted by war and persecution. Resettlement has always been a fundamental element of refugee protection. Resettlement is the transfer of refugees from an asylum country to another State that has agreed to admit them and ultimately grant them protection and permanent residence. […]
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UNHCR Observations on the Finnish Proposal to amend the Aliens Act (temporary protection)
13.11.2024UNHCR‘s Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries has submitted its observations on the Finnish Government’s Proposal to amend the Aliens Act (temporary protection) (Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle ulkomaalaislain muuttamisesta (tilapäinen suojelu)). Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the Finnish Government’s decision to extend temporary protection to refugees from Ukraine, […]
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UNHCR Observations on the Proposal to amend the Finnish Aliens Act (family reunification)
13.11.2024UNHCR’s Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries has submitted its observation on the Proposal to amend the Finnish Aliens Act (family reunification) (Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle ulkomaalaislain muuttamisesta (peheenyhdistäminen)). The Proposal aims at tightening the conditions for family reunification. The Proposal introduces several restrictions to the possibility to obtain a […]
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UNHCR Observations on the Finnish Proposal to amend the Finnish Aliens Act
08.07.2024UNHCR’s Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries has submitted its observations on the Proposal to amend the Finnish Aliens Act (Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle laiksi ulkomaalaislain muuttamisesta) The Proposal aims to enhance the removal of people staying irregularly in the country, to better protect public order, public security and national […]
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Sa Myer Oo is Finnish Refugee Council’s Refugee of the Year 2024
18.06.2024An 11-year-old girl sits on a bus and looks out of the window at the spring forest landscape that flashes by. The question in her mind is: “There are only trees here – where are they taking us?”. That girl is Sa Myer Oo, known as San, the Refugee of […]
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Closing borders to those seeking asylum in Finland sets a dangerous precedent, warns UNHCR
22.05.2024Geneva/Stockholm — Finland’s eastern land border with the Russian Federation, which is some 1,300km long, has been closed since mid-December 2023. UNHCR recognizes Finland’s unique and challenging geopolitical position and its legitimate right to control and manage its borders. UNHCR welcomes some amendments to Finland’s new law proposal on temporary […]
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Finland should not violate international agreements by restricting the rights of people in need of protection
27.03.2024This is a joint statement from UNHCR Nordic and Baltic Countries, the Finnish Red Cross, the Finnish Refugee Council, and the UN Association of Finland. Finland is planning a law on temporary measures to combat instrumentalization of migration, which would introduce restrictions on the right to asylum at certain points […]
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UNHCR Observations on the Finnish Proposal to Enact a Law on Temporary Measures
25.03.2024UNHCR’s Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries has submitted its observations on the Proposal to enact a law on temporary measures (the Government’s proposal to the parliament for a law on temporary measures to combat instrumentalized immigration). The Proposal aims at countering the pressure on Finland caused by the […]
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UNHCR Observations on the proposal to amend the Finnish Citizenship Act
22.03.2024UNHCR’s Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries has submitted its observations on the Proposal to amend the Citizenship Act (the Government’s Proposal to the Parliament for the law amending the Citizenship Act). The Proposal aims to encourage and prepare foreign nationals to integrate in Finland by extending the residence […]
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UNHCR Observations on the proposal to amend the Finnish Aliens Act
19.03.2024UNHCR’s Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries has submitted its observations on the Proposal to amend the Finnish Aliens Act (the Government’s proposal to the parliament to amend the Aliens Act). The Proposal aims at making international protection temporary in nature by shortening the length of residence permits granted […]