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The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to direct and coordinate international action for the protection of refugees worldwide.
We work to ensure that all people have the right to seek asylum and find a safe haven, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster in their homes. Our main purpose at UNHCR is to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee. Together with partners and communities, we work to ensure that all people have the right to seek asylum and find a safe haven in another country. We also seek to ensure lasting solutions for uprooted people.
For more than fifty years, UNHCR has helped millions of people start their lives over again. These include refugees, returnees, stateless persons, internally displaced persons and asylum seekers. Our protection, shelter, health and education efforts have been crucial, helping to restore shattered pasts and building more promising futures.