Refugees and the UNHCR: Challenges, Funding, and Recommendations

This essay provides an overview of the UNHCR, including its establishment, funding mechanisms, and populations of concern. It examines the refugee population statistics for 2017/2018, highlighting countries with the highest numbers of refugees. The essay delves into the main challenges faced by the UNHCR, such as preserving asylum space and addressing mixed population flows, and proposes solutions, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and increased funding. It concludes with recommendations for the international community and the UNHCR to address contemporary refugee and migration problems, advocating for digitalization to improve record maintenance and relocation efforts. This document is available on Desklib, where students can find a variety of academic resources.

Running head: UNHCR ESSAY
UNHCR ESSAY
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Author Note

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Introduction
A refugee can be rightfully defined as an individual who has been displaced or who has
been forced to cross the national boundary of his country and under no condition will be able to
return to his home safely. This individual may also be stated to be a seeker of the asylum unless
he is granted the status of a refugee by the state where he is contracting to or the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in case the refugee is able to make a formal claim
for the asylum (Arendt; 10). The UNHCR can be stated to be the United Nations program who
are vested with the responsibility of looking after the different refugees and is held responsible
for its safety. The UNHCR is also known as the UN Refugee Agency is responsible for the
assistance of the refugees in their voluntary repatriation, integration in the local country or
responsible for the re-settlement in a third country. The reason why the UNHCR was created can
be contributed to the fact that the World War 2 lead to a displacement of a large number of
people and hence, this program was developed in the 1950s and has its headquarters in Geneva,
Switzerland and is a member of the United Nations Development Group (Www.unhcr.org). The
primary purpose of the given essay is to outline the importance of the UNHCR as an
organization and throw light on the manner in which the Intergovernmental organization is
financed. Moreover, the different challenges as faced by the program will also be discussed at
large.
Financing of the Intergovernmental organization
The UNHCR tends to prepare a Biennial Program Budget which is generally broken
down into several annual budgets which are then based on the globally assessed needs
(Www.unhcr.org). It is after this given procedure that the original program budget is then
presented to the main governing body of UNHCR. With respect to this, the different needs and
resource requirements are re-assessed during the biennium and then in the month of October
every year, the budget is revised and re-assessed. After ensuring that all the financial aspects
have been taken into consideration properly, it needs to be understood that, the information is
then displayed on the website and available for the public at large (Papadopoulos; 25). The
UNHCR is one such agency which depends largely on the voluntary contributions made by the
different countries and government. According to Jihad (Pg. 36), only two percent of the
UNHCR`s budget is covered by a subsidy which is received from the UN regular budget. Once

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these funds are received by the business then it is used largely to fund around 200 posts at the
headquarters. In addition to the funding which is received from the different corporations the
UNHCR tends to seek ensure that an estimate of USD 917.5 is achieved which could then go a
long way in assisting the different individuals to ensure success and along with this, the needs
and demands of the refugees. In case there are any new requirements, the needs of the different
units shall be communicated effectively to the different donors.
Population of concern
A refugee can be stated to be an individual who is a displaced person and has been
forcefully asked to cross the national boundary of a country and is due to certain circumstances
not able to return home safely. Hence, it is for this reason that the person is often known as the
asylum seeker until and unless he is granted the status of a citizen of any of the countries. The
UNHCR can be stated to be the country which is majorly responsible for ensuring that the
particular status is given to them and assisting them to ensure that the different needs of the
refugees are met with adequately (Www.unhcr.org). Many authors have used different terms to
describe the role of a refugee and with respect to this, it needs to be mentioned that, a refugee
can be stated to be an individual who has been persecuted for reasons relating to nationality,
religion, membership and other related reasons or may be persecuted due to the fear which the
possess. The particular concept was expanded by various authors who have stated that a refugee
can be described as any individual who due to aggression, foreign domination or other such
serious events has been compelled to leave the place of their origin (Www.unhcr.org). The
different population of concern in regard to the UNHCR can be stated to be as follows
Refugees
The refugees can be stated to be those individuals who have been forced to leave their
country due to safety issues (Www.unhcr.org). The life of a refugee can be believed to be very
difficult and currently around 22.5 million people around the globe are under the state of
refugees.
Returnees

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The people who have been fleeing and gained the status of a refugee often find returning to their
house a traumatic experience after their time in exile. These individuals have to be the
repatriations and to be returned safely in their particular center.
Stateless People
There are a large number of people who are denied an overall nationality. This is the
reason, why these individuals are often not allowed to enjoy the basic amenities which shall
involve opening of a bank account, seeing a doctor, getting a job or getting married (Coenders,
Gijsberts and Scheepers; 100). The basic amenities like the education, healthcare and freedom of
movement are denied to them, which makes it difficult for them to function well and hence, they
face adequate disappointment.
Internally displaced
These individuals have not been displaced outside the country but have instead been
displace outside their city of settlement. These individuals are at a run in their own state. The
UNHCR has taken considerable measures to assist these individuals.
Asylum seekers
The asylum seekers can be stated to be those individuals who have not been granted the
request for the sanctuary to be processed. Around 1 million people seek asylum every year.
Refugee population Statistics
There are approximately 68.5 million persons of concern to the UNHCR and out of these
around 25.4 million people are the refugees and returnees. On the other hand, around 40 million
people are internally displaced, 3.1 million of the people of concern are asylum seekers and
lastly 10 million stateless people are in the condition (Www.Independent.co.uk). As per the data
of 2017, the largest number of refugee population was recorded in the Sub Saharan African
region with a refugee population of 6.236 million, the European and North Asian region comes
second with around 6.088 million refugees (Www.unhcr.org). The south East Asia comes in
third 4.153 million refugees and have been popular for their affairs. Lastly, other countries like
the West Asia, North Africa and the America have around 2.6 million and the North and South
America with 484,261 million refugees.

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Figure 1: The statistics related to the UNHCR Refugee Data
(Source: Www.unhcr.org)
Challenges faced by the UNHCR
The UNHCR can be stated to be in a rather difficult position and is often required to
ensure that it is successfully able to look after the welfare of the refugees and ensure that they
return to their home (Black). According to one of the biggest challenges as being faced by the
UNHCR can be stated to be the challenge of preserving the asylum space. The main key to
reserve the asylum space can be dedicated to the fact that those who need to protection need to

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be protected adequately and with respect to this, it needs to be understood that, the UNHCR
faces a considerable challenge while collaborating with the countries and convincing them to
create a safe space for the Asylum seekers. Another challenge which is largely faced by the
people different individuals can be stated to be the issue of mixed population flows and the
related protection concerns. As the UNHCR is often faced by considerable issues and
restrictions, they often find it difficult to protect the particular population at large (Benson).
Another challenge which is often faced by them is the challenge related to the limited funds they
receive. As the funds of the organization are considerably limited in nature then, with respect to
this, it needs to be mentioned that, the UNHCR is unable to provide them with adequate
solutions.
Out of the given challenges the most critical challenge can be determined as the challenge
of the initiative to provide considerable protection to the different individuals. As the UNHCR is
denied access to the different countries and are unable to ensure that they will be able to access
all the people who require help, the program is required to resolve the particular matter. In
addition to this, they will also be required to ensure that, they are able to resolve their funding
issues (Www.unhcr.org). The different funds form an adequate part of the running of the
different programs and with respect to this, it needs to be understood that only when the program
will receive adequate funding, will it be able to ensure success (Benson). Hence, in order to
resolve these issues, it is important that the different members of the different countries come
together and ensure that, they provide active contribution to the programs so as to ensure that, the
program does not face any problem in the future. In addition to this, the different funding issues
can be resolved if all the countries with adequate problems regarding the refugees get into a
treaty and decide that they will contribute a specific amount for the welfare of the firm, then in
this case, they will be successfully able to engage in long term success.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Hence, from the given analysis, it can be understood that, the UNHCR is into a noble
cause and providing adequate care and services to the individuals who have been faced by
considerable challenges. The program has won two Nobel Peace Prizes once in the year 1954
and 1981 as well as the Prince of Asturias Awards for International Cooperation in the year
1991. With respect to this, it needs to be understood that the only recommendations which can be

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provided is that all communities is to digitalize the system which would assist in the maintenance
of the overall records. Once this is done, the UNHCR would find it adequately easy to relocate
people and provide them with adequate assistance.

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References
Arendt, Hannah. "We refugees." International Refugee Law. Routledge, 2017. 3-12.
Benson, Jill. "Helping refugees integrate into our community: Reflections from general practice."
(2004).
Black, Richard. Refugees, environment and development. Routledge, 2016.
Coenders, Marcel, Merove Gijsberts, and Peer Scheepers. "Resistance to the presence of
immigrants and refugees in 22 countries." Nationalism and Exclusion of Migrants. Routledge,
2017. 97-120.
Makhoul, Jihad, et al. "A scoping review of reporting ‘Ethical Research Practices’ in research
conducted among refugees and war-affected populations in the Arab world." BMC medical
ethics 19.1 (2018): 36.
Papadopoulos, Renos K. "Refugees, home and trauma 1." Therapeutic Care for Refugees.
Routledge, 2018. 9-39.
Www.Independent.co.uk `` World Refugee day 2018`` N.p 2018.
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2018. Web. https://www.unhcr.org/ph/persons-concern-unhcr 18 Jan. 2019
Www.unhcr.org. `The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ` N.p 2018.
Web.https://www.unhcr.org/ 18 Jan. 2019
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Web.http://reporting.unhcr.org/financial 18 Jan. 2019

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Www.unhcr.org. `The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ` N.p 2018. Web.
https://www.unhcr.org/4565a6bb2.pdf 18 Jan. 2019