UN System Documentation

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

• Established, with effective date of 1 Jan. 1951, by A/RES/319 (IV) of 3 Dec. 1949
• Statute in A/RES/428 (V) of 14 Dec. 1950
• Annual report to the General Assembly
  • Supplement 12 of the General Assembly Official Records (GAOR)
  • Symbol pattern
    • A/session/12 + Add.1
    • example: A/72/12 + Add.1
  • Search results for Report of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
• Flagship publications
  • Global Report highlights past year's programmes and finances 
  • Global Appeal presents forthcoming programme and financial requirements
• RefWorld
  • Protection Manual with policy and guidance documents
  • Legal texts including Conventions, nationality laws and case law from various jurisdictions
• UNHCR Archives and Records
• Executive Committee
  • 1954-1957: UN Refugee Fund Executive Committee of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
    • Established by A/RES/864 (IX) of 29 Oct. 1954
  • 1957- present: UN Executive Committee of the Programme of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
    • Established by A/RES/1166 (XII) of 26 Nov. 1957
  • Membership increases regularly
  • Annual report
    • Addendum to the Report of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
    • Symbol pattern
      • A/session/12/Add.1
      • example: A/72/12/Add.1
    • Search results for Report of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
• High Commissioners
  • 2016- : Filippo Grandi (Italy)
    • Press release SG/A/1992 [2020], SG/A/2152 [2022]
  • 2005-2015: Antonio Guterres (Portugal)
    • Press release SG/A/924-BIO/3661-REF/1180 [2005]
  • 2001-2005: Rudolphus (Ruud) Lubbers (Netherlands)
    • Press release SG/A/747-REF/1167 [2000], REF/1177 [2003]
  • 1990-2000: Sadako N.Ogata (Japan)
    • Geneva press release REF/1666 [1991]
  • 1990: Thorvald Stoltenberg (Norway)
    • Press release SG/A/538-BIO/2764 [1993]
  • 1986-1989: Jean-Pierre Hocké (Switzerland)
    • Press release SG/A/347-BIO/2150-REF/941 [1985]
  • 1978-1985: Poul Hartling (Denmark)
    • Press release BIO/1446-REF/765 [1978]
  • 1965-1977: Sadruddin Aga Khan (Iran)
    • Press release BIO/563 [1968]
  • 1960-1965: Felix Schnyder (Switzerland)
  • 1956-1960: Auguste R. Lindt (Switzerland)
  • 1951-1956: Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart (Netherlands)