Emergencies
Winter Emergency

In the Middle East temperatures can drop below 0°C, in Afghanistan down to -15°C, and in Ukraine -20°C. Far from home, with limited resources, these families face yet another brutal winter, enduring freezing nights and harsh conditions. 

Syria
Patience and vigilance

Recent developments in Syria are raising hopes for peace and reconstruction. After more than 14 years of conflict, Syria has an unprecedented opportunity to move towards peace, with its people beginning to return home.

Emergency
Humanitarian crisis in Sudan: "It's inhuman!"

“Displaced women, children and men are dying of hunger, malnutrition and disease. This is a clear indication of the fragility of people forced to flee, many of them multiple times over”, stated Mamadou Dian Balde, Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan situation, in the beginning of August. 

From the field
Famine confirmed in Darfur

This has exacerbated the biggest humanitarian disaster in the world today. The situation of the more than 10 million people who have had to flee their homes since the war broke out in April 2023 is becoming increasingly critical.

Our action
Who we protect

UNHCR's mission is to provide lifesaving support and safeguard the rights of people forced to flee. This includes refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers, stateless individuals, and returnees. 

News
Humanitarian crisis in Sudan

The fighting in Sudan has been going on for more than a year now. More and more atrocities are coming to light and the civilian population is suffering. 9 million people have already had to leave their homes in the East African country and seek refuge in a new location.

News
"Countless human tragedies"

The number of people worldwide who were forced to flee from conflict, violence and persecution has risen again: Last May, the staggering number of 120 million has been announced by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in its Global Trends Report 2023. 

News
Underfunding for UNHCR

“We face impossible decisions to meet the greatest demand we’ve ever seen”

News
"It's heartbreaking to see these people"

The conflict in Sudan broke on April 15th 2023 - it's going in its second year now. Millions of people had to flee already. They urgently need help, says Dr. Mamadou Dian Balde. He is UNHCR's Regional Director for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes and the Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan Situation. But UNHCR is lacking resources...

What we do

UNHCR is present in over 130 countries to support people forced to flee conflicts and persecution. 

91% of all 18,879 employees of UNHCR are fieldworkers on the frontline to help those forced to flee conflicts and persecution. Beyond emergency relief, UNHCR makes sure to find sustainable solutions for refugees for a better future. 

120+
million people uprooted worlwide (May 2024)
40%
of uprooted people in the world are children
4.4
million people are stateless
158,700
refugees have been resettled in 2023
UNHCR, Why we exist

When an emergency hits, UNHCR is one of the first on the ground providing life-saving support to those in need and we are one of the last to leave, after helping people build a better future. 

Drawing a bright future for Displaced Girls
This year, Caran d'Ache is teaming up with Switzerland for UNHCR during their Colourful Days campaign with a mission to bring color and hope into the lives of those forced to flee, focusing on supporting the education of displaced girls
Standing with Refugees