The UNHCR's vision is "a world where every person forced to flee can

build a better future". This vision emphasizes the agency's commitment to

ensuring that refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced, and stateless
people can find safety, rebuild their lives, and contribute to their
communities.
The UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has a mission to safeguard the
rights and well-being of refugees, displaced people, and stateless persons.
This includes ensuring the right to seek asylum, find safe refuge, and return
home voluntarily. UNHCR also works to prevent and resolve statelessness
and helps to build better futures for those forced to flee their homes.
Right now, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is providing protection and
emergency assistance to people displaced in humanitarian crises around
the world.
What does UNHCR do in emergencies?
When a crisis unfolds, UNHCR rushes life-saving supplies, humanitarian
experts, and funds to the emergency. We strive to protect people from
harm and ensure they can reach safety. We are there throughout the initial
crisis and stay long after the headlines have moved on.
 We deliver life-saving supplies: Within 72 hours, UNHCR can
organize the delivery of life-saving supplies from our global
stockpiles, ready in warehouses around the world, to where people
need them most. We also transfer funds from our emergency
reserves directly to our local teams so they can set up shelters, buy
food, and register people who need our help.

 We deploy crisis response experts: We immediately mobilize our

humanitarian response staff, who are trained in managing crisis
situations and specialize in key areas like shelter, health care, water
and sanitation, and tackling sexual exploitation. They drop everything
to respond and can be on the ground within 72 hours. Many keep
their bags constantly packed.

 We ensure people can reach safety: We strive to protect people

forced to flee from harm and ensure they can reach safe areas. Our
teams may be out around the clock to ensure refugees are not

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 pushed back to where their lives would be in danger. We work to
ensure they have a safe place to sleep, protected from the elements
and far from those trying to harm them.
Our response goes beyond meeting basic needs. From the outset of an
emergency, we collaborate with partners, governments, and local
communities to provide long-term assistance. We strive to help people
forcibly displaced from their homes access healthcare, education and
employment opportunities.

In Uganda, UNHCR's critical needs center on providing essential services

and protection to a large and growing refugee population. These needs
include healthcare, education, water, sanitation, and shelter, with a
particular focus on the largely youthful population. Additional funding is
urgently required to address the strain on resources caused by the
continuous influx of new arrivals.
To address the critical needs of UNHCR in Uganda, particularly regarding
the ongoing refugee influx and its impact on resources and services, a
multi-faceted approach is needed. This includes increased and sustained
funding, strengthened coordination among partners, and a focus on
sustainable solutions like promoting self-reliance among refugees and
integrating them into local systems.
What is UNHCR doing to help crisis in South Sudan?
UNHCR is working in South Sudan to protect the most vulnerable and
provide displaced people, refugees and refugee returnees with life-saving
relief items, shelter and protection services. UNHCR is also exploring ways
to scale up activities in conflict hotspots to protect and assist newly
displaced people.

In countries neighbouring South Sudan, UNHCR is supporting

governments to ensure access to asylum and is registering refugee arrivals
to help identify the most vulnerable, including women and girls, and people
with disabilities. We are providing life-saving relief items and shelter so that
families are protected and can access further support services. UNHCR is
also conducting protection screenings and preventing and responding to
gender-based violence.
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More humanitarian aid is urgently needed to protect and assist South
Sudanese forced to flee

The Audit report found that the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, critically
mismanaged donor funds in Uganda in 2016-2017.
The European Anti-Fraud Office in December confirmed to IRIN that it was
“investigating allegations of fraud and irregularities regarding specific
projects funded by the European Union to support refugee settlements in
Uganda.”
“It's high time to hold individuals involved in corruption scandals
accountable and find ways to continue to support refugees while minimizing
the risk of financial mismanagement,”

UNHCR faces numerous challenges, including rising numbers and

complexity of forced displacement, funding shortages, and the need for
greater humanitarian-development cooperation. These challenges are
exacerbated by factors like climate change, conflict, and political instability,
which further complicate UNHCR's efforts to protect and assist refugees
and internally displaced persons.

Refugee resettlement presents numerous challenges including cultural

adaptation, economic integration, and social cohesion. Other significant
hurdles include finding affordable and suitable housing, navigating
language barriers, accessing education and healthcare, and addressing
mental health needs. Additionally, refugees may experience discrimination,
social isolation, and the loss of social status.

Refugees in Uganda face numerous challenges including limited access to

resources, healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities. These
challenges are exacerbated by issues such as overcrowding, underfunding,
and the influx of new refugees, particularly from neighboring countries
experiencing conflict.

Refugees are forced to leave their countries due to a variety of

interconnected factors, primarily stemming from persecution, violence,

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drought, hunger, flooding, earthquakes, war and conflict. These situations
often involve threats based on nationality, religion, race, political opinion, or
membership in a particular group. Other contributing factors include natural
disasters, climate change, and extreme poverty.

Challenges of hosting refugees

 Environmental degradation during the process of setting up camps
and/or settlements where trees are felled and ecosystems disrupted.
 There are also risks of insecurity spillovers from the conflict in the
country of origin. The government of Rwanda, for example, has
always feared that the conflict in the DRC might spill over into
Rwanda, which partly explains the restrictions on access to Rwanda
for refugees from the DRC.
 Refugees put pressure on public social services such as education,
water and health, which often cause conflicts with host communities.
Recently, conflicts developed between refugees in Kyangwali
Refugee Settlement in Hoima district (Western Uganda) and the host
communities over water point sources.
 Financial implications. There a huge costs involved.

In humanitarian work, there's a wide range of professional and

interpersonal skills. Hina knows that personal connections are essential:
"Building trust with communities is essential. We must not only provide
physical aid but also teach people sustainable practices, like building
latrines and maintaining good hygiene." This principle is applied in all
UNICEF programmes in CAR.

While the work is rewarding, it presents significant challenges. The

remote locations and often unstable security conditions can be physically
demanding and emotionally taxing. Patience and perseverance are
essential for building relationships with communities and navigating
difficult situations.

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Andri explains how he deals with difficulties: "I approach challenges
holistically, focusing on maintaining positive relationships with our
partners and donors. This collaborative approach helps us overcome
obstacles."

Gertrude says staying calm during tense moments are key: "My life
experiences have shaped my resilience. As an orphan, I learned to
navigate difficult situations with strength, determination and most
importantly calm."

"I spend most of my time driving, and the roads and security situation
make it difficult”, says Theophile. He remembers one time when he had
to drive through a flooded area and the water was so high that he
couldn't see the road. Yet, he knew he had to keep going, because there
were children waiting for essential supplies and are counting on him.

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