2026 UNHCR Global Consultations with NGOs
2026 UNHCR Global Consultations with NGOs
Building on decades of collaboration between UNHCR and civil society, the 2026 UNHCR Global Consultations with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will bring together:
- civil society organizations in all their diversity, including international, national and local NGOs
- community-based organizations
- civil society networks, including those led by refugees, stateless people and other forcibly displaced communities
- UNHCR colleagues from around the world.
Co-organized by UNHCR and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), the consultations will focus on safeguarding the right to asylum and strengthening protection at a time of growing pressure on the international protection regime.
Taking place in the year marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, and coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, the consultations will provide a space for UNHCR and civil society to:
- exchange on current protection challenges
- identify good practices
- develop recommendations to inform advocacy, policy and operational engagement.
The consultations will explore how UNHCR and civil society can work together to:
- safeguard the right to seek asylum
- strengthen protection and solutions for forcibly displaced and stateless people
- advance collective advocacy at global, regional and national levels.
Objectives
The consultations aim to:
- facilitate dialogue and exchange between UNHCR and civil society organizations
- share experiences, good practices and lessons learned from advocacy, protection and operational responses
- identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration on asylum, protection and solutions
- promote meaningful participation by refugees, stateless people and other affected communities
- develop recommendations to inform UNHCR and civil society advocacy, policy and operational engagement.
Participation
Participation is by invitation and registration only.
Civil society organizations wishing to participate should meet at least one of the following criteria:
- be a member of ICVA
- have consultative status with ECOSOC with a demonstrated interest in the themes of the consultations
- be a funded partner of UNHCR
- be a non-funded operational or strategic partner of UNHCR (with a recommendation from UNHCR or a relevant civil society network working with UNHCR).
- be recommended by UNHCR or ICVA.
Agenda and concept note
The event will feature a dozen sessions and side events organized by UNHCR and NGOs. We will bring together stakeholders from different backgrounds to discuss the themes and develop recommendations to be presented to the UNHCR Executive Committee.
For more details regarding the objectives, session division, and organization please consult the concept note.
Pre-consultation survey
As part of the preparations for the 2026 Global Consultations, we invite NGOs and other civil society partners to share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges related to safeguarding the right to asylum and strengthening protection. Responses will inform the recommendations presented to the 77th session of UNHCR's Executive Committee (ExCom). The survey is available in multiple languages and is open until 31 August (18:00 CEST).
Side events
NGOs, civil society partners and UNHCR are invited to submit expressions of interest to organize side events during the 2026 Global Consultations. A maximum of 12 side events will be selected and featured in the official programme. Applications are open until 31 August (18:00 CEST); successful applicants will be notified by 6 September. For full details, consult the call for expression of interest for side events.
