UNHCR Factsheet

What is UNHCR?

Established in 1951, the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) provides and co-ordinates international relief for refugees and displaced people, offering them protection and assistance at every stage of their ordeal:

• In emergencies, UNHCR provides emergency shelter, food, water and medical care.
• In established refugee camps and communities, UNHCR strives to improve refugees' quality of life and future opportunities, providing infrastructure, schools and income generating projects.
• When they are able to return, UNHCR gives refugees assistance with transport, documentation, and essential items to make the transition as smooth as possible.
• Once they are home, UNHCR provides ongoing support and education to help refugees rebuild their communities and their livelihoods.

What is Australia for UNHCR?

Australia for UNHCR is a not-for-profit organisation that is dedicated to providing life-changing humanitarian support to refugees and other displaced and stateless people supported by UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency. We achieve this by raising funds for UNHCR's international humanitarian operations and hosting public awareness events and activities around the issue of refugees and international aid and development.

We have been operating in Australia for over 10 years and to date we have raised over $40 million to help refugees and displaced people worldwide.

Which regions host the most refugees?

The three regions which are host to the largest number of refugees around the world are:

• Africa*:  2.2 million
• Asia and Pacific:  4 million
• Middle East and North Africa:  1.9 million

*Excluding North Africa

Where do most refugees come from?

Afghan and Iraqi refugees account for almost half of the all refugees that UNHCR has responsibility for worldwide. Three out of ten refugees in the world are from Afghanistan; and the second largest group is Iraqi refugees, 1.7 million.

Don't you get lots of money from the UN?

Only 3% of UNHCR's budget comes from the UN - the remaining 97% must come from voluntary contributions from governments, corporations, and individual donors. We rely on donations to ensure we can respond whenever and wherever a crisis strikes.

What percentage of my donation actually goes to the cause?

At least 75% of all funds raised go directly to the field for refugees.