With UNHCR, to change the fate of displaced people around the world

With what spirit are you preparing to fill this new post?

«I started this important challenge at this critical moment in which global population shifts continue to be at a very high level due to conflicts and violence in many parts of the world. What is happening in Ucrina is the worst crisis in Europe since the Second World War ».

What are Switzerland's goals for UNHCR?

Switzerland for UNHCR is a foundation under Swiss law established by UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, to support and promote the organization's work in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Its goal is to raise awareness among the Swiss population of the concerns of refugees, forcibly displaced persons, and stateless persons worldwide. Furthermore, as UNHCR's needs to carry out its missions continue to increase, the foundation's mandate covers the mobilization of essential private sector funds. At a time when walls are rising and the refugee issue is increasingly being exploited by politicians and the media, it is important to have a positive impact on the public perception of refugees in Switzerland. To date, 84 million women, men, and children, each with their own story, have been forced to flee their homes, leaving everything behind. The foundation is subject to the supervision of the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations, thus satisfying the need for transparency and allowing donors based in Switzerland and Liechtenstein to obtain tax exemptions.

Can we briefly summarize what the role of UNHCR is?

“The United Nations Refugee Agency was created in 1950 to respond to the forced displacement resulting from the Second World War. His original mandate was supposed to last 3 years, but as new conflicts emerged and people around the world continued to be forced to flee, the mandate was renewed. To this day, the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees remains the central document on which UNHCR's work is based. The Convention, signed in 1951, defines the legal status of refugees, the right to seek asylum or the principle of non-refoulement. 70 years later, UNHCR is present in over 130 countries and provides vital support to over 84 million refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. While its core activities concern the legal protection of people forced to flee, ensuring that their rights are respected, the Agency also works tirelessly to offer refugees and internally displaced persons immediate humanitarian support and long-term solutions.
In the event of an emergency, the UNHCR team has the capacity to respond within 72 hours to meet the needs of 650.000 people. The creation of shelters, the provision of life-saving equipment and access to clean water, hygiene and health services are among the first needs that need to be addressed. However, most displacement situations drag on over time and again UNHCR is continuing its intervention. Education, economic integration, climate change mitigation and resettlement are among the other areas of activity that UNHCR is deploying in the long term ”.

How are you following the situation in Ukraine?

“In just a month, over 4 million people have been forced to flee to neighboring countries. Another 7 million inhabitants were displaced within the country during the same period, seeking refuge in subway stations, bunkers and areas less affected by the fighting. UNHCR is present in Ukraine and neighboring countries to support families forced to flee. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, praised the generous opening of borders and homes for people fleeing Ukraine from neighboring countries. The tragedy and suffering that are unfolding remind us that no one chooses to be a refugee, and that becoming one can unfortunately happen to everyone ».

There are many other forgotten crises in the world ...

“Without ignoring the suffering of those affected in Ukraine, it is important to remember that there are millions around the world going through the same uprooting, the same pain of leaving everything behind, but that the world often turns a blind eye to them. In Afghanistan, which has seen millions of people displaced by various conflicts over the past 40 years, more than half of the population relies on humanitarian assistance to survive. Most of them don't know where their next meal might come from. Syrian refugees and internally displaced people, 11 years after the start of the conflict, still represent the largest community in the world with over 13 million displaced persons. The crises in Yemen, South Sudan, the Sahel or the fate of the Rohingya people remind us that millions of people are experiencing forced displacement and need the same support ».

What is the role of foundations and businesses in supporting UNHCR?

“No one chooses to be a refugee, but everyone can choose to support them. UNHCR has increased its support for displaced people by including all sectors of society - companies, foundations and individuals can all contribute to solutions - whether in the form of employment, support for specific programs or sectoral skills. The private sector has a key role to play in helping us provide relief and education to refugees. In addition to monetary assistance, companies such as IKEA have offered jobs to thousands of refugees around the world, the Vodafone foundation has connected schools remotely in refugee camps, enabling children to continue learning in difficult conditions and during the Covid pandemic. Also in Switzerland, the MSC foundation is providing expeditions for UNHCR operations, Visilab has helped thousands of Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh get back to seeing by providing them with glasses, and the Zurich Foundation is supporting thousands of people with psychosocial support, helping them to overcome the trauma of displacement.
Italian-speaking Switzerland, once again, has responded positively to the crisis in Ukraine, showing important leadership, generosity and solidarity when it comes to mobilizing essential resources to protect those forced to flee. Companies such as VF Corporation and Helsinn are crucial partners for UNHCR's work around the world and must serve as an example for other local companies that want to define their sustainability strategy ”.

You have launched the “Aiming Higher, Let's aim more” campaign at the top. What is it about?

“Education is often seen as a bridge to one's future. Children, who have been forced to flee, often have their opportunities to go to school challenged. While 77% of refugee children are enrolled in primary school and 31% in secondary school, the biggest gap is in tertiary education: only 5% of refugees have access to higher education.
As Kelly T. Clements, Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees noted, “Access to higher education is life changing. For refugees, it can be an opportunity to take control of their future and give back to their communities. One of the most significant ways we can support young refugees is to help make these opportunities more widely available ”.
The Aiming Higher campaign tries to do just that. Through the funding of scholarships, talented refugees around the world have been able to pursue their dreams of becoming engineers, doctors, teachers and more, and give back to the communities that have welcomed them with open arms. It is crucial that refugees are given the same opportunities as everyone else, from primary school to higher education. When conflict often deprives children of a peaceful childhood, it is in everyone's hands to ensure that a lack of access to education does not deprive them of their future. Education empowers people forced to flee and gives them the tools to rebuild what has been taken from them. As Filippo Grandi said "Education provides the keys to a future in which refugees can find solutions for themselves and their communities".

How can people forced to leave their country be helped?

"The easiest way to support people forced to flee around the world is to donate to UNHCR, to ensure that various operations and projects can be funded and that anyone who needs help can get the attention they need. they deserve. While it is often thought that UNHCR is funded by the United Nations, in reality less than 1% of its budget is provided by the United Nations. The rest comes from voluntary donations.
Just over 10 years ago, there were around 40 million forcibly displaced people around the world. This number has increased dramatically and has more than doubled. As stated by the High Commissioner for Refugees "The question is not whether we will reach 100 million forcibly displaced persons, but when". As the number of people forced to flee continues to increase, so does the need to provide them with protection, shelter and to cover their basic needs. UNHCR is committed to staying on the ground and helping all those affected by conflict, persecution and violence around the world. But this support depends on people who decide to support those who are forced to flee, without abandoning them to their fate ».