Non-governmental organizations
Working with NGO's in the region
The Regional Office for the Baltic and Nordic countries interacts with the NGO community on various arenas. We consult with NGOs for assessment, planning and implementation of activities. The Office has signed formal agreements (memoranda of understanding) with some NGOs providing legal assistance to asylum seekers in the region. These NGOs are so-called operational partners and assist UNHCR, particularly in those countries where UNHCR does not have a local presence, through exchange of information, promotion of refugee law principles and UNHCR positions, as well as public information.
We have operational agreements with the Danish Red Cross, the Danish Refugee Council, the Finnish Red Cross, the Finnish Refugee Council, the Icelandic Red Cross, the Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers (NOAS), the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Swedish Red Cross and the Swedish Refugee Advice Centre. In addition, UNHCR’s Regional Office has an implementing partner agreement with the Lithuanian Red Cross.
The Office for the Baltic and Nordic countries is also since several years implementing a joint ERF project with IOM Estonia aimed at capacity-building of asylum authorities and border guards.
UNHCR cooperates globally with several NGOs.
The Danish Refugee Council
UNHCR 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.
The Norwegian Refugee Council
UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) have an agreement which aims to improve the protection of internally displaced people worldwide. 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. UNHCR has the so-called cluster lead in IDP operations worldwide.
MSB – Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
MSB is a not an NGO but a governmental organization working to prevent, prepare, manage, and learn from emergencies, crises and disasters in Sweden and in the rest of the world. When an emergency or crisis occurs MSB enables support by providing experts, equipment and service packages. MSB provides services within the fields of disaster risk reduction, search and rescue, transport, logistics, office and housing facilities, WASH, health, environment, mine action and early recovery. Upon request from partners and in close collaboration with the Swedish Development Fund Sida, MSB has round the clock preparedness to respond. Since the beginning of the 1990’s MSB and UNHCR have worked in close collaboration. In addition to the operational support MSB and UNHCR also cooperate within the field of emergency training for persons on UNHCR’s emergency roster.
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.
In addition, the UNHCR Regional Office in Stockholm cooperates with NGOs and the Red Cross in the Nordic countries.
In Lithuania the Lithuanian Red Cross is a UNHCR implementing partner. The activities cover legal assistance, social support and counselling of asylum-seekers and refugees.
