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 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
 

UNHCR packages containing tents, tarps, and mosquito netting sit in a field in Dadaab, Kenya, on 11 December 2006, following disastrous flooding. Dadaab is a town in northeastern Kenya approximately 100 kilometers from Kenya- Somali border The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south
Org typeProgramme
AcronymsUNHCR
HeadAntónio Guterres
Established1950
Websitehttp://www.unhcr.org
PortalPortal:United Nations United Nations Portal

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (established December 14, 1950) is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country. António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, GCC (ɐ̃ˈtɔniu guˈtɛʁɨʃ born April 30, 1949) is a Portuguese politician a Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race

Contents

History

UNHCR was established on December 14, 1950 and succeeded the earlier United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA was proposed to the United States Congress by president Franklin Delano Roosevelt on June 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. According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race

UNHCR's mandate has gradually been expanded to include protecting and providing humanitarian assistance to what it describes as other persons "of concern," including internally displaced persons (IDPs) who would fit the legal definition of a refugee under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization for African Unity Convention, or some other treaty if they left their country, but who presently remain in their country of origin. Internally displaced persons (IDPs are people forced to flee their homes but who unlike refugees remain within their country's borders According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is an International convention that defines who is a Refugee, and sets out the rights of individuals UNHCR presently has major missions in Lebanon, South Sudan, Chad/Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan as well as Kenya to assist and provide services to IDPs and refugees. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Chad (Tchad تشاد Tshād) officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa. Darfur (دار فور daar foor, lit "realm of the Fur " is a region in Sudan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south

Palestine refugee mandate

Most Palestinian refugees - those in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan - do not come within the responsibility of the UNHCR, but instead come under an older body, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA). The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ( UNRWA) is a relief and human development agency providing education health care social services But Palestinian refugees outside of UNRWA's area of operations do fall under UNHCR's mandate.

Public awareness

Several new programmes have recently been introduced to support and bring awareness to the issues faced by refugees around the world. These two new programs are a product of the benchmarks set out by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Awards

UNHCR was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1981. The Nobel Peace Prize ( Swedish, Danish and Nobels fredspris is one of five Nobel Prizes Bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor

Persons of concern to UNHCR

As of 1 January 2007, UNHCR reported a total of 21 018 589 individuals falling under its mandate. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Staffing

The UNHC employs a staff of approximately 6,300 people in more than 110 countries. The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a [1]

High Commissioners

The post of High Commissioner has been held by:

Prior to the establishment of UNHCR, Fridtjof Nansen was the League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1922. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen (October 10 1861 – May 13 1930 was a Norwegian Explorer, Scientist and Diplomat. The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920

Goodwill ambassadors

Colin Powell and UNHCR goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie
Colin Powell and UNHCR goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie

UNHCR is also represented by a number of UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors, who at present are Barbara Hendricks, Adel Imam, Angelina Jolie, Giorgio Armani, Julien Clerc, George Dalaras, Osvaldo Laport and Muazzez Ersoy. Colin Luther Powell, KCB (Honorary MSC, (born April 5, 1937) is a retired General in the United States Army. Angelina Jolie (born Angelina Jolie Voight on June 4 1975 is an American film actor UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors are Celebrity representatives of the Office of the UN High Barbara Hendricks (born 20 November 1948) is an American-born operatic Soprano and concert singer Adel Emam (sometimes credited as Adel Imam) (عادل إمام born May 17, 1940 in El Mansoura (المنصورة is a popular Egyptian Angelina Jolie (born Angelina Jolie Voight on June 4 1975 is an American film actor Fashion career From 1961 to 1970 Armani worked as a designer in well-known fashion house Nino Cerruti Jimenez after which he left to pursue freelance work Paul-Alain Leclerc, popularly known as Julien Clerc (born October 4 1947 in Paris) is a French Singer. George Dalaras (Γιώργος Νταλάρας born 29 September 1949) also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek Muazzez Ersoy (born Hatice Yıldız Levent, August 9, 1958) is a Turkish classical and folk singer [2] Previous ambassadors include Richard Burton, James Mason and Sophia Loren. Richard Burton, CBE (10 November 1925 &ndash 5 August 1984 was a Welsh multiple award-winning Actor. James Neville Mason ( 15 May 1909 – 27 July 1984) was a three-time Academy Award -nominated British Actor who Sophia Loren (born September 20 1934 is an Academy Award winning Italian film actress born Sofia Villani Scicolone

See also

References

  1. ^ Basic facts. UNHCR. Retrieved on 2008-04-12. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
  2. ^ UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors. UNHCR. Retrieved on 2008-04-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 491 - Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine Emperor, with the name of Anastasius I.

External links

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