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Working with partners in the Baltic-Nordic region
UNHCR works with many different partners worldwide such as governments, other United Nations organs and agencies, international and intergovernmental organizations as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Governments work with UNHCR in granting asylum or other forms of protection to refugees. Many governments also help refugees settle in their countries and provide financial assistance towards their integration and self-sufficiency. UNHCR receives most of its funding for its operations through contributions from governments.
UNHCR’s partnerships with other UN agencies and international organizations are vital for the coordination of the relief effort in refugee operations.
The NGOs play a vital role by promoting fair treatment of refugees, supporting them in applying for asylum, and helping them to integrate in their new societies. In refugee settlements and camps NGOs assist refugees with food and other supplies, medical care, longer term assistance and community services. UNHCR has project arrangements with close to 400 non-governmental organizations. A substantial part of UNHCR’s total budget is channeled through its implementing partners, mainly NGOs.
UNHCR cooperates worldwide and also regionally with several NGOs in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Some of the top non-governmental organizations working for refugees and displaced people have their seat in the Nordic countries.
The Danish Refugee Council
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) have a formal agreement for more effective cooperation in the areas of refugee protection, advocacy and emergency response. This agreement also strengthens existing collaboration in the areas of transport, logistics, emergency shelter and the deployment of personnel to field operations.
www.drc.dk
The Norwegian Refugee Council
UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) have an agreement which aims to improve the protection of displaced people worldwide. There are close to 25 million people around the world who are refugees in their own countries. They have fled persecution or conflict, but they have not crossed an international border. In the jargon of the humanitarian agencies, they are known as internally displaced persons, or "IDPs." Without the safeguards and assistance afforded refugees, IDPs constitute probably the largest group of vulnerable people in the world today. UNHCR and NRC are pursuing a more strategic partnership, at the global level as well as in specific operations, with emphasis on closer cooperation in the field to protect and assist IDPs.
The two agencies cooperate in many countries, including Colombia, Uganda and Sudan. In Liberia, for example, UNHCR and NRC work closely to carry out protection monitoring of returning IDPs and refugees.
www.flyktninghjelpen.no
The Swedish Rescue Services Agency
The Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) which is a governmental organization though, is capable of providing staff, equipment and service packages.
In extreme field conditions, when an operation has to be established in an environment where almost all infrastructure support needs to be brought in from the outside, SRSA is on stand-by for deployment to provide a comprehensive range of staff support. The main contents of a SRSA service package can be ready within seven days, with equipment and a team of staff to establish office and housing facilities, sanitation, water, electricity, transport, and nursing services. SRSA has a roster of over 2000 people, specialists in communication, computers hardware/software, catering and assessment. Mine Action experts, emergency managers, technicians, specialised logisticians or other experts can be requested from SRSA’s roster or network of contacts. SRSA also cooperates with UNHCR in training of UNHCR staff for the emergency roster.
www.srv.se
Save the Children
With the aim of strengthening UNHCR’s work in Community Services as well as Child Protection, Save the Children Norway and Sweden are deploying Community Services and Child Protection specialists for emergency and emergency-like UNHCR operations. Save the Children in Denmark cooperates within the same framework with UNHCR.
www.savethechildren.org
With regard to the educational sector UNHCR collaborates also with these organizations at a global level:
- Norwegian Refugee Council - Stand by agreement of Education Officers
- Save the Children Sweden and Norway - Europe Study on refugee and asylum seeking children and their access to education
- INEE (including Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children and others) - Inter agency Network for Education
- Save the Children Sweden and Norway - revision of ARC (Action for the Rights of Children) training modules
In addition UNHCR Regional Office in Stockholm cooperates with NGOs
and the Red Cross in the Nordic countries with regard to legal counselling of asylum seekers and refugees, in addition to public awareness activities. With some of these organisations UNHCR Regional Office have a formal agreement and with some others the cooperation has not been formalized. In Lithuania the Lithuanian
Red Cross is a UNHCR implementing partner. The activities cover legal assistance and social support and counselling of asylum-seekers and refugees.
Some of these other organisations UNHCR Regional office for the Baltic and
Nordic Countries cooperates closely with in the region are:
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