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Benin

Plenary session 
09:00-13:00

About Cate

Cate Blanchett was announced as Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in May 2016. On appointment, Cate said:

"I am deeply proud to take on this role. There has never been a more crucial time to stand with refugees and show solidarity”.

As one of UNHCR’s most dedicated ambassadors, Cate’s support ranges from high-level advocacy to fundraising, to meeting refugees in countries across the globe. Above all, Cate works to amplify refugee voices and ensure the human stories behind the figures are heard.

Cate most recently took her advocacy for refugees to the European Parliament. Her address made a strong plea for humane asylum policies, rooted in the 1951 Refugee Convention, and for support at every stage of the refugee journey, including countries of origin, transit and destination. She outlined the urgent need for more funding for agencies like UNHCR as forced displacement topped 114 million. Read the full address.

In July 2023, Cate visited Niger and South Sudan with UNHCR to raise awareness of work with and for refugees in both countries.

In Niger, Cate witnessed initiatives aimed at encouraging sustainable livelihoods and peaceful co-existence between refugees, internally displaced people and local communities, as well as mitigating the effects of climate change.

Cate travelled onwards from Niger to South Sudan, where she met with refugees and returnees fleeing the ongoing crisis in Sudan. Cate visited Gorom Refugee Camp and Renk Transit Centre to learn about the lived reality of those forced to flee, including many South Sudanese returnees.

In May 2023, Cate joined UNHCR’s High Commissioner in Washington DC, advocating to Congress for sustained U.S. leadership and continued bipartisan support for refugees. She also received the Humanitarian Award at the annual Kuwait-American Foundation Gala hosted by Sheikha Rima, which raised over $1m for UNHCR’s work.

This came shortly after a trip to Jordan where she visited Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan for the second time, to draw attention to the stories of refugees residing there, with a particular focus on the needs of women and girls. Whilst there, Cate reunited with Syrian refugee Alaa who she met on her first visit to the camp in 2016. In the seven years since Cate saw her last, Alaa has become a mother to three children and is now working as a teacher in a primary school in the camp. The visit also included meetings with refugees living in urban settings and struggling to make ends meet, as well as a discussing access to tertiary education for refugee students with university presidents.

Cate outlined her experiences and the devastating impact of under-funding via various media outlets including Bustle, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Asahi, El Pais, and Der Spiegel.

Benin

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Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions
Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

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The UNHCR Representative in Benin

Global Report 2022 cover, featuring a photo a a UNHCR staff member comforting  a refugee from Ukraine.
Latest key results and achievements of UNHCR’s work.