UNHCR

Refugees' Place in Society

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was established in 1950 to respond to the displacement caused by the Second World War. Initially created with a three-year mandate, the agency has grown into one of the most critical institutions in global humanitarian governance. Over seven decades later, the reasons for displacement have evolved and expanded, but the UNHCR’s foundational mission—to protect the rights and well-being of refugees—remains unchanged.