United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The ”’United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees”’ (”’UNHCR”’) is a [[United Nations System|UN agency]] mandated to aid and protect [[refugee]]s, [[Internally displaced person|forcibly displaced communities]], and [[Statelessness|stateless people]], and to assist in their [[voluntary return|voluntary repatriation]], local integration or [[third country resettlement|resettlement to a third country]]. It is headquartered in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]], with over 17,300 staff working in 135 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Figures at a Glance|url=https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref>

The ”’United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees”’ (”’UNHCR”’) is a [[United Nations System|UN agency]] mandated to aid and protect [[refugee]]s, [[Internally displaced person|forcibly displaced communities]], and [[Statelessness|stateless people]], and to assist in their [[voluntary return|voluntary repatriation]], local integration or [[third country resettlement|resettlement to a third country]]. It is headquartered in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]], with over 17,300 staff working in 135 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Figures at a Glance|url=https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref>

== Im a f*ck!ng cow mooooo ==

== Background ==

UNHCR was created in 1950 to address the refugee crisis that resulted from [[World War II]]. The [[1951 refugee convention|1951 Refugee Convention]] established the scope and legal framework of the agency’s work, which initially focused on Europeans uprooted by the war. Beginning in the late 1950s, displacement caused by other conflicts, from the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|Hungarian Uprising]] to the [[Decolonisation of Africa|decolonization]] of Africa and Asia, broadened the scope of UNHCR’s operations. Commensurate with the [[Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees|1967 Protocol to the Refugee Convention]], which expanded the geographic and temporal scope of refugee assistance, UNHCR operated across the world, with the bulk of its activities in developing countries.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=History of UNHCR|url=https://www.unhcr.org/history-of-unhcr.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref> By its 65th anniversary in 2015, the agency had assisted more 50 million refugees worldwide.

UNHCR was created in 1950 to address the refugee crisis that resulted from [[World War II]]. The [[1951 refugee convention|1951 Refugee Convention]] established the scope and legal framework of the agency’s work, which initially focused on Europeans uprooted by the war. Beginning in the late 1950s, displacement caused by other conflicts, from the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|Hungarian Uprising]] to the [[Decolonisation of Africa|decolonization]] of Africa and Asia, broadened the scope of UNHCR’s operations. Commensurate with the [[Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees|1967 Protocol to the Refugee Convention]], which expanded the geographic and temporal scope of refugee assistance, UNHCR operated across the world, with the bulk of its activities in developing countries.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=History of UNHCR|url=https://www.unhcr.org/history-of-unhcr.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref> By its 65th anniversary in 2015, the agency had assisted more 50 million refugees worldwide.

As of June 2020, UNHCR has over 20 million refugees under its mandate.<ref name=”:4″>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Figures at a Glance|url=https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref> Consequently, its annual budget has grown from US$300,000 in 1951 to US$8.6 billion in 2019, making it one of the largest UN agencies by expenditure.<ref name=”:4″ /><ref>[https://www.unsceb.org/content/FS-F00-03?gyear=2018 Expenditure by Agency]</ref> The vast majority of UNCHR’s budget comes from voluntary contributions, mostly from member states; the largest donors are the United States, the European Union, and Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Donors|url=https://www.unhcr.org/donors.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref> The agency’s work includes providing protection, shelter, healthcare and emergency relief, assisting in resettlement and repatriation, and advocating for national and multilateral policies on behalf of refugees.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Advocacy|url=https://www.unhcr.org/advocacy.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref>

As of June 2020, UNHCR has over 20 million refugees under its mandate.<ref name=”:4″>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Figures at a Glance|url=https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref> Consequently, its annual budget has grown from US$300,000 in 1951 to US$8.6 billion in 2019, making it one of the largest UN agencies by expenditure.<ref name=”:4″ /><ref>[https://www.unsceb.org/content/FS-F00-03?gyear=2018 Expenditure by Agency]</ref> The vast majority of UNCHR’s budget comes from voluntary contributions, mostly from member states; the largest donors are the United States, the European Union, and Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Donors|url=https://www.unhcr.org/donors.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref> The agency’s work includes providing protection, shelter, healthcare and emergency relief, assisting in resettlement and repatriation, and advocating for national and multilateral policies on behalf of refugees.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Advocacy|url=https://www.unhcr.org/advocacy.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=UNHCR|language=en}}</ref>

In recognition of its work, UNHCR has won two [[Nobel Peace Prize]]s, in 1954 and 1981 and a [[Prince of Asturias Awards#International Cooperation (Cooperación Internacional)|Prince of Asturias Awards for International Cooperation]] in 1991.<ref name=”NobelFactsorg”>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/organizations.html|title=Nobel Laureates Facts – Organizations|publisher=[[Nobel Foundation]]|access-date=2009-10-13}}</ref> It is a member of the [[United Nations Development Group]], a consortium of organizations dedicated to [[sustainable development]].<ref>[http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13 UNDG Members] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511144047/http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13|date=11 May 2011}}. Undg.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref>

In recognition of its work, UNHCR has won two [[Nobel Peace Prize]]s, in 1954 and 1981 and a [[Prince of Asturias Awards#International Cooperation (Cooperación Internacional)|Prince of Asturias Awards for International Cooperation]] in 1991.<ref name=”NobelFactsorg”>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/organizations.html|title=Nobel Laureates Facts – Organizations|publisher=[[Nobel Foundation]]|access-date=2009-10-13}}</ref> It is a member of the [[United Nations Development Group]], a consortium of organizations dedicated to [[sustainable development]].<ref>[http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13 UNDG Members] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511144047/http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13|date=11 May 2011}}. Undg.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref>

== History ==

== History ==