UNHCR Canberra is one office in our global network providing vital assistance to refugees and other persons of concern in 116 countries around the world.

The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide.

Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. It also has a mandate to help stateless people.

In more than five decades, the agency has helped an estimated 50 million people restart their lives. Today, a staff of around 7,735 people working out of 119 regional and branch offices and 299 sub and field offices in 126 countries continues to help an estimated 17 million persons. About 85 per cent of its staff work in the field, 60 per cent of them in often difficult and dangerous non-family duty stations.

To find out more about UNHCR worldwide, visit our global website.