New UNHCR report: 2014 Global Trends: World at War

New Publication from UNHCR:

UNHCR are pleased to announce that the following report has been published and is available for download via the UNHCR statistics website at:  www.unhcr.org/statisics

2014 Global Trends – World at War

The report provides an overview of the statistical trends and changes in global populations of concern to UNHC, i.e. refugees, returnees, stateless persons, and certain groups of internally displaced persons (IDPs), place din the context of major humanitarian developments and displacement during the year.

Some of the key findings of the report:

• Global forced displacement has seen accelerated growth in 2014, once again reaching unprecedented levels. The year saw the highest displacement on record. By end-2014, 59.5 million individuals were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, generalized violence, or human rights violations. This is 8.3 million persons more than the year before (51.2 million) and the highest annual increase in a single year.
• Some 19.5 million persons were refugees, 14.4 million under UNHCR’s mandate and 5.1 million Palestinian refugees registered by UNRWA. The global figure included 38.2 million internally displaced persons and nearly 1.8 million asylum-seekers. If these 59.5 million persons were a nation, they would make up the 24th largest in the world.
• An estimated 13.9 million individuals were newly displaced due to conflict or persecution in 2014. This includes 11.0 million persons newly displaced within the borders of their own country, the highest figure on record. The other 2.9 million individuals were new refugees.
• For the first time, Turkey became the largest refugee-hosting country worldwide, with 1.59 million refugees. Turkey was followed by Pakistan (1.51 million), Lebanon (1.15 million), the Islamic Republic of Iran (982,000), Ethiopia (659,500), and Jordan (654,100).
• More than half (53%) of all refugees worldwide came from just three countries: the Syrian Arab Republic (3.88 million), Afghanistan (2.59 million), and Somalia (1.11 million).
• Over the course of 2014,some 126,800 refugees returned to their countries of origin. This figure was the lowest level of refugee returns since 1983.

• A record high of nearly 1.7 million individuals submitted applications for asylum or refugee status in 2014. UNHCR offices registered 245,700 or 15 per cent of these claims. With 274,700 asylum claims, the Russian Federation was the world’s largest recipient of new individual applications, followed by Germany (173,100), the United States of America (121,200), and Turkey (87,800).
• Children below 18 years of age constituted 51 per cent of the refugee population in 2014, up from 41 per cent in 2009 and the highest figure in more than a decade.

 

News: UNHCR statement on the future of Kenya’s Dadaab Refugee Camps

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Karin de Gruijl – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing, on 14 April 2015, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The Government of Kenya has announced that the Dadaab refugee camps should be closed within three months and the 350,000 Somali refugees living there returned to their country. The Government’s decision was announced this past weekend following the horrific attack at Garissa University earlier this month.

UNHCR too has been shocked and appalled by the Garissa attack. High Commissioner António Guterres and his staff stand in solidarity with the people of Kenya. We reiterate our condolences to the families of all the victims.

Kenya has been generously hosting and protecting refugees from violence and persecution in neighbouring Somalia for more than two decades. UNHCR works closely with the Government of Kenya and we understand well the current regional security situation and the seriousness of the threats Kenya is facing. We also recognize the obligation of the Government to ensure the security of its citizens and other people living in Kenya, including refugees.

For full article, please visit:  www.unhcr.org/552d0a8a9.html

 

New Publication: UNHCR report: 2014 Mid-Year Trends

UNHCR are pleased to announce the release of the 2014 Mid-Year Trends report, which is now available and may be downloaded from the UNHCR statistics website at: www.unhcr.org/statistics.

The report provides a statistical overview of refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, stateless persons and other persons of concern to UNHCR for the period of 1 January to 30 June 2014. It is the second time only UNHCR is able to provide a global update at mid-year thanks to increased efforts put in place by both Headquarters and field colleagues.

The purpose of the report is to provide a snapshot of main trends in the number of persons of concern to UNHCR over this period, rather than providing a comprehensive overview of global trends in forced displacement. The report’s key findings show a dramatic deterioration in forced displacement during the first half of the year:

–       The total population of concern to UNHCR stood at 46.3 million at mid-2014, the highest level on record;

–       The global number of refugees at mid-2014 was estimated at 13.0 million, 1.3 million more than at the end of 2013;

–       The number of IDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR stood at 26 million, the highest on record;

–       The total number of persons of concern to UNHCR seeking protection within or outside the borders of their countries during the first half of 2014 exceeded 5.5 million individuals; and

–       Syrians have become the largest refugee population under UNHCR’s mandate, overtaking Afghans, who had held that position for more than three decades. At more than 3 million as of June 2014, Syrian refugees account for 23 per cent of all refugees under the organization’s mandate.

I hope that you will find the 2014 Mid-Year Trends report useful and interesting.

 

Event: Displacement and development in the Somalia context

Event: Displacement and development in the Somalia context

How does the Somalia New Deal Compact address displacement? Danish Refugee Council and Solutions Alliance Somalia will host a joint side-event on November 18 to the Somalia New Deal Compact High Level Partnership Forum.

Together with UNHCR, the side-event will discuss the ways in which the New Deal Compact accounts for displacement and more broadly discuss displacement as a development challenge in the Somalia context.

The event will have opening remarks from the Danish Minister of Trade and Development, Mogens Jensen, and consist of a panel with representatives from the Somali Ministry of Interior, World Bank, UNHCR, UNDP and Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS).

The event is open to all. It is currently advertised on the Danish Refugee Council and Solutions Alliance websites.

Time and Venue:
16:30-18:30 on 18 November 2014 at Kosmopol, Fiolstræde 44, Copenhagen

Registration:
http://goo.gl/tmLlBQ

Any questions related to the side-event can be directed to Ms. Alice Anderson-Gough, alice.anderson-gough@drc.dk

News: ECRE and UNHCR Concerned over the ending of Mare Nostrum without European rescue initiative to replace it.

Extract:

ECRE and UNHCR have warned that ending Italy’s rescue operation Mare Nostrum without replacing it by a well-resourced European search and rescue initiative would mean more deaths at sea.

One year ago, just a few days after more than 300 people drowned off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy launched the Mare Nostrum operation to ensure search and rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean. Since then, Mare Nostrum has saved around 150,000 people.

“Everyone was horrified at the loss of lives off Lampedusa one year ago. Italy did something about it. Now this life-saving Mare Nostrum operation is at stake. Refugees, many fleeing war in Syria and oppression in Eritrea, cannot stay in lawless Libya and it is not possible for them to reach a safe place legally and safely. If Mare Nostrum ends without being replaced by a well-resourced operation whose priority is to save lives, more people will die in their attempt to reach our shores. A European effort is urgently needed, if the EU is really serious about putting an end to the deaths in the Mediterranean,” said ECRE’s Secretary General Michael Diedring.

Read the full article online via the ECRE website here: ECRE and UNHCR Concerned over the ending of Mare Nostrum without European rescue initiative to replace it.

Further news and social media coverage of this story are available via the following links:

Opting out of Mediterranean rescue condemns desperate migrants to death http://t.co/LBSIo5Ad5A

— The Refugee Council Archive at UEL (@refugee_archive) October 29, 2014

A 'mass murder in the Mediterranean' leaves nearly 450 lost at sea, including this man's family http://t.co/4wpPnX0pZT @hratsea

— Human Rights at Sea ™️ (@hratsea) October 27, 2014

EU leaders have a clear choice on boat migration. Will they choose stronger mandate for Frontex to #savelives? @ecre pic.twitter.com/bm6UTTjJWV

— Ben Ward (@Benjamin_P_Ward) October 29, 2014

Is there ever a justification for leaving people to drown in the Med? | Blogs | Amnesty International UK: http://t.co/qCsZmxVi9N @amnestyuk

— Race Equality Foundation (@raceequality) October 29, 2014

BBC News – UK opposes future migrant rescues in Mediterranean

The Independent – UK axes support for Mediterranean migrant rescue operation

The Independent – Italy’s decision to end Mare Nostrum will put the lives of thousands of migrants and refugees at risk

Amnesty International – Is there ever a justification for leaving people to drown in the Med?

The Telegraph – Drown an immigrant to save an immigrant: why is the Government borrowing policy from the BNP?

The Guardian – Italian navy says it will continue refugee rescue mission despite plan to scrap it

The Guardian – Migrants’ tales: ‘I feel for those who were with me. They got asylum in the sea’

The Independent – European governments must come to the rescue of asylum-seekers

ECRE – Mare Nostrum to end – New Frontex operation will not ensure rescue of migrants in international waters

UNHCR – UNHCR concerned over ending of rescue operation in the Mediterranean

 

New Resources: UNHCR online Protection Manual

UNHCR is pleased to announce the launch of its online Protection Manual, UNHCR’s repository of protection policy and guidance documents.

The Protection Manual is updated whenever a new protection policy or guidance document is published and can thus be relied upon to represent the current state of UNHCR protection policy / guidance.

This new tool is accessible directly from the Refworld home screen (www.refworld.org, top right of the screen) and from the UNHCR website (www.unhcr.org, click “Protection Manual” under “resources”), or directly at www.refworld.org/protectionmanual.html.

UNHCR guidance and policy documents are organized by theme/subject, as reflected in the Protection Manual’s Table of Contents. Subjects include legal topics (reflecting, for example, UNHCR guidance on the different elements of the refugee definition) and operational protection guidance (for example, on ‘asylum-seekers at sea’, or ‘age, gender and diversity’).

Under each heading, documents are arranged in reverse chronological order; with each document individually accessible through a hyperlink. Documents from non-UNHCR sources are generally not included, unless they provide guidance on protection-related topics that also applies to or has specifically been endorsed by UNHCR (such as interagency guidance). At the bottom of several of the subject headings, relevant related sources are listed, containing older guidance and documents which serve as background reading.

The Protection Manual contains at present over 1,000 guidance and policy documents. We expect it to be a helpful tool for, amongst others, government officials responsible for asylum decision-making, lawyers, legal aid providers, academics and students, and operational agencies working with refugees or IDPs.

Any questions or remarks relating to the Protection Manual or user experiences, both positive and negative, can be sent to refworld@unhcr.org. We appreciate your feedback!

We hope the Protection Manual will be useful to you in your work.

The Refworld (and Protection Manual) Team

 

Publication: UNHCR Report: Asylum Trends 2013

UNHCR Report: Asylum Trends 2013

This is to inform you that the following report has been published today and can be downloaded from the UNHCR website at http://www.unhcr.org/532afe986.html.

– Asylum Trends 2013 (Levels and Trends in Industrialized Countries)

Key findings:

Copyright: UNHCR

A.  An estimated 612,700 asylum applications were registered in 2013 in the 44 industrialized countries covered by the report, some 133,000 claims more than the year before (+28%). This is the third consecutive annual increase and the second highest annual level of the past 20 years.

B.  With 109,600 new asylum applications registered during 2013, Germany was for the first time since 1999 the largest single recipient of new asylum claims among the group of industrialized countries. The United States of America was second with an estimated 88,400 asylum applications, followed by France (60,100), Sweden (54,300), and Turkey (44,800). The top five receiving countries together accounted for six out of ten new asylum claims submitted in the 44 industrialized countries.

C.  The Syrian Arab Republic, the Russian Federation, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Serbia (and Kosovo: Security Council resolution 1244 (1999))  were the five top source countries of asylum-seekers in the 44 industrialized countries in 2013. Among the top-10 countries of origin six are currently experiencing violence or conflict – Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Iraq and Pakistan.

D.  The Syrian Arab Republic became for the first time the main country of origin of asylum-seekers in the 44 industrialized countries. Provisional data indicate that some 56,400 Syrians requested refugee status in 2013, more than double the number of 2012 (25,200 claims) and six times more than in 2011 (8,500 claims). The 2013 level is the highest number recorded by a single group among the industrialized countries since 1999.

New resources: UNHCR Guidelines on International Protection No. 10

New Resources: UNHCR Guidelines on International Protection No. 10

UNHCR is pleased to share the recently released Guidelines on International Protection No. 10: Claims to Refugee Status related to Military Service within the context of Article 1A (2) of the 1951 Convention and/or the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, available at http://www.refworld.org/docid/529ee33b4.html.

The Guidelines examine the situation of individuals who seek international protection to avoid military service either by the State armed forces or by non-State armed groups and among the issues addressed are:

– Objection to military service for reasons of conscience, where the consequences for not conducting that military service, such as prosecution and disproportionate punishment, amount to persecution. Where alternative service is available but is punitive because of the type of service involved or its disproportionate duration, the issue of persecution may also arise.

– Objection to military service in conflict, which is contrary to the basic rules of human conduct. The objection may be based on the illegality of the conflict or on the conduct of one of the parties to the conflict such that there is a reasonable likelihood of the applicant being forced to participate in acts that violate standards prescribed by international law.

– Objection to the conditions of State military service, for example where the terms or conditions of service amount to torture or other cruel or inhuman treatment, violations of the right to security and integrity of person, or involve forced or compulsory labour, or forms of slavery (including sexual slavery).

– Forced recruitment and/or conditions of service in non-State armed groups. As non-State armed groups are not entitled to recruit by coercion or force, an individual may be eligible for refugee status where the State is unable or unwilling to protect him or her against such recruitment. Likewise, the conditions of such service may amount to persecution.

– Cases involving children unlawfully recruited into military service or being forced to participate in hostilities. All recruitment and use of children in hostilities below the age of 15, whether voluntary or forced, within State armed forces or non-State armed groups, is prohibited under international law. As a result, a child evading forced recruitment or prosecution and/or punishment or other forms of retaliation for desertion would generally have a well-founded fear of persecution.

 

Resource: UNHCR: 2012 Statistical Yearbook

UNHCR: 2012 Statistical Yearbook

UNHCR are pleased to announce that the 2012 Statistical Yearbook has been published and is available for download at the UNHCR statistics website: http://www.unhcr.org/52a7213b9.html.

The 12th edition of UNHCR’s Statistical Yearbook contains six chapters dealing with (a) methodological issues; (b) global levels and trends in the population of concern to UNHCR; (c) durable solutions; (d) asylum and refugee status determination; (e) demographic characteristics and location; and (f) from emergency response to protection: the statistical perspective.

New to this Yearbook, UNHCR has opened up space to outside perspectives on the information reflected by the data. The Yearbook contains an article by a journalist and an entire section by an external statistical expert, taking a deeper look into the demographic data available to UNHCR. In future, the Statistical Yearbook will expand the space for

UNHCR: 2013 Mid-Year Trends report

I am pleased to announce the release of the 2013 Mid-Year Trends report, which is now available and may be downloaded from the UNHCR statistics website at: www.unhcr.org/statistics<http://www.unhcr.org/statistics>.

The report provides a statistical overview of refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, stateless persons and other persons of concern to UNHCR for the period of 1 January to 30 June 2013. It is the first time ever UNHCR is able to provide a global update at mid-year thanks to increased efforts put in place by both Headquarters and field colleagues.

The purpose of the report is to provide a snapshot of main trends in the number of persons of concern to UNHCR over this period, rather than providing a comprehensive overview of global trends in forced displacement. The report’s key findings show a dramatic deterioration in forced displacement during the first half of the year:

–       The total population of concern to UNHCR stood at 38.7 million at mid-2013, the highest level on record;

–       The global number of refugees at mid-2013 was estimated at 11.1 million, 600,000 more than at end-2012;

–       The number of IDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR exceeded the 20 million mark for the first time ever;

–       The total number of persons of concern to UNHCR seeking protection within or outside the borders of their countries during the first half of 2013 exceeded the 5.9 million mark;

–       In light of ongoing crises, 2013 may see the highest number of refugee outflows for any year since the Rwandan crisis in 1994, when 2.8 million people became refugees worldwide; and

–       An estimated 1.9 million Syrians were refugees at mid-2013. At the current pace of the conflict and outflow, Syria may well replace Afghanistan as the top refugee-producing country during the course of 2014, which would constitute the first change in ranking since 1981.

I hope that you will find the 2013 Mid-Year Trends report useful and interesting.

 

Newly Published Reports and Publications

Humanitarian Policy Group Annual Report 2012-2013
Produced by the Humanitarian Policy Group at the ODI.

During 2012-13 HPG has continued ground-breaking policy research and analysis on the changing humanitarian landscape alongside public affairs and advisory work, reflecting HPG’s position as an authoritative voice in humanitarian affairs.

Achievements presented in this interactive e-annual report highlight HPG’s growing influence and impact on humanitarian policy and practice on issues ranging from displacement in urban areas, protection of civilians, negotiations with armed non-state actors, livelihoods in crises and the use of historical analysis to inform humanitarian action.

This e-annual report contains innovative interactive elements including videos of some of our researchers talking about the most captivating elements of their research over the last year.

[Download Full Report]

Beyond Proof, Credibility Assessment in EU Asylum Systems
By UNHCR.
[Download Full Report]

Transatlantic Trends 2013.
By The German Marshall Fund of the United States.

Transatlantic Trends 2013 is an annual survey of U.S. and European public opinion conducted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and the Compagnia di San Paolo, with additional support from the Barrow Cadbury Trust, Fundação Luso-Americana, the BBVA Foundation, the Communitas Foundation, the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Eleven European Union member states were surveyed: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, as well as the United States and Turkey. Polling was conducted by TNS Opinion between June 3 and June 27, 2013. In Turkey, polling was suspended for a week and was completed by July 2, 2013.

[Access to Download Full Report]

Beyond Proof, Credibility Assessment in EU Asylum Systems : Full Report
Produced by the UNHCR.

Beyond Proof – Credibility Assessment in EU Asylum Systems notes that credibility assessment in the asylum procedure is a particularly challenging and central part of the examination of asylum claims. In the exercise of its supervisory responsibility in the region, first instance negative decisions often seem to result from negative credibility findings. In addition, there is not a common understanding of and approach to the credibility assessment among EU Member States, and very little guidance on this complex issue. UNHCR is concerned that some applicants may be placed in a ‘catch-22’ situations.

The UNHCR report “Beyond Proof” provides unique insights into state practices based on research in three EU Member States, existing guidance from other states, training material including the European Asylum Curriculum (EAC), over 200 rulings by international, regional and national courts, and over 70 references to academic publications on the recent developments in international refugee law and disciplinary fields beyond (neurobiology, psychology, anthropology, cultural and gender studies) relevant to the credibility assessment in the asylum procedure.

[Click here for a copy of the Full Report] and [Click here for a copy of the Summary Report].

The employment and social situation in the UK with a focus on migration of workers and their social protection
By the European Commission.

This briefing paper provides an overview of the UK’s economic growth, employment and wage situation, the UK’s recent social and economic reforms and the major issues in the public debate. The notes then focuses on patterns of migration, the rights framework for EU and non-EU migrants, recent policy changes affecting migrants living in the UK and finally key issues in the public debate related to migrants and migration.

[Download Full Report]

Demographic and migration trends in the outermost regions
By the European Commission.
[Download Full Report]

Satisfying labour demand through migration
By the European Commission.
[Download Full Report]

European Union humanitarian aid at a glance
By the European Commission.

The causes of humanitarian crises are many and varied. They may be the result of extreme weather conditions — too much or too little rain, high winds or heavy snows — or a devastating earthquake or volcanic eruption. Often they are the tragic by-products of conflict, as warring factions fight over land or scarce resources, destroying people’s livelihoods and forcing them to flee their homes. Sometimes national economic mismanagement makes the poor destitute and turns hunger into famine. Whether their causes are natural or man-made, crises invariably bring great human suffering

[Download Full Report]

 

Re-blog: UNHCR’s verdict on statelessness activities over last two years: “unprecedented”

Re-blog taken from the Statelessness program Weblog at Tilburg University.  Read the full blog posting available here.

Every other year, UNHCR produces a report summarising the progress made in addressing statelessness. It discusses important international trends and developments, as well as UNHCR’s own activities and achievements. In other words, it’s a very nice little snapshot of what has been happening and this time around there is more to report than ever before. UNHCR’s overall verdict on the current interest and momentum in addressing statelessness…? “Unprecedented”. Here are some of the most interesting highlights from the report:

Read the full blog posting available here.

 

Resources: Good practices in urban areas

Good practices in urban areas

UNHCR’s Urban Refugee Steering Group is very happy to announce the launch of a new website, Good Practices for Urban Refugees.

This interactive website aims to support practitioners in sharing and using good practices in the response to refugee needs in urban areas. In addition to  good practice case studies, it includes tools, guidelines, research, media, surveys, urban strategies and other information relevant for urban programming.

The website can be accessed here:

Link:  http://www.urbangoodpractices.org/

New Resource: UNHCR: 2012 Global Trends report

UNHCR are  pleased to announce that the following report has been published today and is available for download on the UNHCR statistics website www.unhcr.org/statistics.

2012 Global Trends – Displacement: the new 21^st century challenge

The 48-page report reflects many of the major humanitarian developments between January and December 2012. It analyses the statistical trends and changes in the global populations of concern to UNHCR, i.e. refugees, asylum-seekers, returnees, stateless persons and certain groups of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Some of the key findings of the report:

– By end 2012, 45.2 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, generalized violence and human rights violations. Some 15.4 million people were refugees: 10.5 million under UNHCR’s mandate and 4.9 million Palestinian refugees registered by UNRWA. The global figure included 28.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and nearly one million (937,000) asylum-seekers. The 2012 level was the highest since 1994, when an estimated 47 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide.

– During the year, conflict and persecution forced an average of 23,000 persons per day to leave their homes and seek protection elsewhere, either within the borders of their countries or in other countries.

– An estimated 7.6 million people were newly displaced due to conflict or persecution, including 1.1 million new refugees – the highest number of new arrivals in one year since 1999. Another 6.5 million people were newly displaced within the borders of their countries – the second highest figure of the past ten years.

– Pakistan was host to the largest number of refugees worldwide (1.6 million), followed by the Islamic Republic of Iran (868,200), Germany (589,700), and Kenya (565,000).

– More than half (55%) of all refugees worldwide came from five countries: Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Sudan.

– Some 21,300 asylum applications were lodged by unaccompanied or separated children in 72 countries in 2012, mostly by Afghan and Somali children. It was the highest number on record since UNHCR started collecting such data in 2006.

 

Resources: UNHCR launches updated version of key protection tool, Refworld

Link on UNHCR Website: UNHCR launches updated version of key protection tool, Refworld.

News Stories, 17 April 2013

© UNHCR/EPU

The new Refworld has been designed for use on multiple devices

GENEVA, April 17 (UNHCR) – The UN refugee agency on Wednesday launched a new and improved version of Refworld, a widely used online protection and research tool that helps those who have to decide on refugee and statelessness status.

Refworld 2013 (http://www.refworld.org) contains a vast collection of reports relating to situations in countries of origin, policy papers, case law and other documents relating to international and national legal frameworks. The documents have been carefully selected from – and with – UNHCR field offices, governments, international, regional and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and judicial bodies.

The service is free of charge and provides the crucial country of origin and legal information that UNHCR staff, government officials and judges need to decide whether an asylum-seeker is a refugee. To be recognized as a refugee, it has to be accepted that the applicant has a well-founded fear of persecution and cannot or will not return home because of that fear.

UNHCR Director of International Protection Volker Türk said Refworld 2013 was an improved version on the existing model, which was one of the most reliable and comprehensive websites in its field. “Refworld 2013 is more intuitive, looks better, can handle non-Roman script search terms and has improved search options. I have tried it myself and can assure you that finding the information you are looking for has become much easier,” he said.

“Without proper procedures, in which reliable country of origin information is available and well-used, people who need international refugee protection may not be able to access it,” Türk said, referring to the process of refugee status determination or asylum procedures. “Therefore, refugees and the stateless are the people who ultimately benefit from Refworld’s improved capacity to find relevant protection information faster.”

Refworld’s unparalleled collection of protection information has been developed over more than two decades by UNHCR’s Electronic Publishing Unit and the Division of International Protection. It initially appeared in CD-ROM and DVD formats and in 2007 went online.

A powerful and easy-to-use web application, it has been developed to meet the highest standards and best practices in online information management. It includes improved possibilities for browsing the collection of more than 167,000 documents by region and/or country, by publisher, by topic or keyword and by document type. In addition, it has a powerful full text search engine and advanced search facilities, including a thesaurus which allows for the inclusion of variations of search terms.

Refworld is updated daily and includes thematic pages on topics of importance to UNHCR such as refugee status determination, statelessness, mixed migration, sexual orientation and gender identity, and people trafficking.

It enhances UNHCR’s international protection mandate by making protection information available to everyone. UNHCR intends to develop different language versions of Refworld, starting with a Russian version later this year.