UNHCR

Our Role

Australia for the UNHCR

Australia for UNHCR was established by UNHCR in 2000 and raises funds to support the humanitarian programs of the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR. We also undertake educational and public awareness activities to promote greater understanding about the situation of refugees worldwide. Australia for UNHCR is a registered charity and has tax-deductible gift status.

UNHCR receives just over 2% of its funding from the United Nations and relies on voluntary donations from Governments, corporations and individuals for the rest.

Our Patron is former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer and our Special Representatives are former Test cricket captain Ian Chappell and actor/comedian Jane Turner. Since 2000, Australia for UNHCR has involved thousands of Australians in special events and emergency appeals. We have run high profile public awareness campaigns on refugee issues, and have developed a wide range of educational and media resources.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.

In more than five decades, the agency has helped an estimated 50 million people restart their lives. Today, a staff of around 6,689 people in 116 countries continues to help 37.4 million persons of concern.

PAKISTAN

JALOZAI CAMP, North West Pakistan, May 22 (UNHCR) - When the Pakist

PAKISTAN

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 18 (UNHCR) - UN refugee chief Antón

SRI LANKA

A UNHCR emergen

SOMALIA

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 14 (UNHCR) - Some 60,000 civilians have retur

PAKISTAN

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, March 13 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency and t

SUDAN

UNHCR obviously shares the deep concern of the Secretary-General an

AUSTRALIA

SYDNEY, Australia, February 25 (UNHCR) - UN High Commissioner for R

PAKISTAN

GENEVA, February 2 (UNHCR) - UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ant&

LRA IN DRC

Thousands of Congolese civilians have fled their homes in north-eas

LRA ATTACKS

LASU, Sudan, January 27 (UNHCR) - Recent attacks by the rebel Lord&

PAKISTAN

NOWSHERA, Pakistan, January 7 (UNHCR) - For decades it was known as

GAZA CONFLICT

GENEVA, January 5 (UNHCR) - UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ant&o

DR CONGO

GOMA, Democratic Republic of the Congo, November 28 (UNHCR) - The U

GEORGIA OSSETIA

GENEVA, August 12 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency's first airli

BANGLADESH

KUTUPALONG REFUGEE CAMP, Bangladesh, July 23 (UNHCR) - Far too ofte

ZIMBABWE

MUSINA, South Africa, July 11 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency said

MYANMAR

DANI SEIK, Myanmar, July 3 (UNHCR) - Still shattered by the cyclone

SOPHIE WELDON

Sophie Weldon is one of two UNHCR Special Youth Representatives for

WRD

 

GENEVA, June 20 (UNHCR) - As millions of people marked

UGANDA

AWAL KOK, Uganda, June 23 (UNHCR) - After six years, the village of