Special Initiatives relating to UNHCR's Mandate

In the last few years, a number of initiatives have been launched to clarify and strengthen implementation of UNHCR's mandate. This "Special Feature" brings together some of the key documents in Refworld that stem from these initiatives.

High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges

The High Commissioner's Dialogue is aimed at examining challenges and dilemmas linked to international protection. Its first meeting took place on the issue of "Refugee Protection, Durable Solutions and International Migration"; the second meeting on "Protracted Refugee Situations", and the third meeting on "Challenges for persons of concern to UNHCR in urban settings". The fourth Dialogue will be held on 8-9 December 2010, on the issue of "Protection Gaps and Responses".

• Background Paper, 2010 High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges, "Protection Gaps and Challenges", 22 November 2010
• Concept Paper High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges. "Protection Gaps and Responses" (Geneva, 8-9 December 2010), 17 August 2010 (in French)
• Informal Summary Third High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges Theme: Challenges for Persons of Concern in Urban Settings (8-10 December 2009), 1 March 2010
• Concept Paper High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges. Challenges for persons of concern to UNHCR in urban settings (Geneva, 9-10 December 2009), 7 May 2009 (in French)
• Chairman's Summary, 11 December 2008 (High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges (10-11 December 2008), Theme: Protracted Refugee Situations, January 2009
• Protracted Refugee Situations. A Discussion Paper, UNHCR/DPC/2008/Doc. 02, 20 November 2008 (in French)
• Chairman's Summary, 12 December 2007 (High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges (11-12 December 2007), Theme: Refugee Protection, Durable Solutions and International Migration), 21 January 2008 (in French)
• Concept Paper on the "High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges", 30 July 2007
• All reports (in Refworld) of the High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges

Convention Plus Initiative and High Commissioner's Forum

Convention Plus was a UNHCR initiative, aimed at improving international protection worldwide and facilitating the resolution of refugee problems through multilateral special agreements. It did so through a process of discussion and negotiation with States and other UNHCR partners aimed at achieving firmer commitments to refugee protection and durable solutions, and promoting international burden- and responsibility-sharing. To consider progress on the Convention Plus initiative, the High Commissioner's Forum was established in 2003, and met biannually (until 2005). It consisted of UNHCR's stakeholders, including ExCom members, Standing Committee observers and NGOs.

• All Progress Reports of Convention Plus
• Convention Plus: Targeting of Development Assistance for Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement. Joint Statement by the Co-Chairs, FORUM/2005/8, 10 February 2006 (in French)
• High Commissioner's Forum (17 November 2005). Chairman's Summary, 17 November 2005
• Convention Plus Core Group on Addressing Irregular Secondary Movements of Refugees and Asylum-Seekers: Joint Statement by the Co-Chairs, FORUM/2005/7, 8 November 2005 (in French)
• Chairman's Summary: High Commissioner's Forum (12 March 2004), 12 March 2004
• Chairman's Summary: Inaugural Meeting of the Forum (27 June 2003), 27 June 2003
• All reports (in Refworld) on Convention Plus
• All reports (in Refworld) of the High Commissioner's Forum

UNHCR 2004 Process

The "UNHCR 2004 process" was launched in 2001 with a view to determine how UNHCR could be better positioned to meet new challenges, which have affected its capacity to carry out its mandate. To this end, the review focused on several areas, including the challenges of modernity; UNHCR's mandate; persons of concern to the Office; UNHCR's governance structure; UNHCR's position in the United Nations family; the asylum/migration nexus; and UNHCR's funding mechanism. The outcome was a report to the General Assembly containing proposals of the High Commissioner to strengthen the position of the Office and raise the profile of refugees on the agenda of the UN.

• Implementing actions proposed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to strengthen the capacity of his Office to carry out its mandate, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly, A/RES/58/153, 24 February 2004
• Conclusion on proposals arising from the UNHCR 2004 process, A/AC.96/987, 10 October 2003 (in French)
• Report by the High Commissioner on Strengthening the Capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees to Carry Out its Mandate, A/AC.96/987, 20 August 2003 (in French)

Expert Meetings in the context of implementation of the Agenda for Protection

In the context of implementation of the Agenda for Protection (deriving from the Global Consultations process) and in order to take stock of developments in refugee law and to examine a number of emerging issues, UNHCR, often in cooperation with its partners, organized several expert meetings. To facilitate discussion, background papers were commissioned from experts. Participants in the roundtable discussions were selected amongst governments, NGOs, academia, the judiciary and legal practitioners.

• Maintaining the Civilian and Humanitarian Character of Asylum. Conclusions and Preliminary Issues Raised (Geneva, 9-11 June 2004), 11 June 2004
• Summary Conclusions on the Concept of "Effective Protection" in the Context of Secondary Movements of Refugees and Asylum-Seekers (Lisbon Expert Roundtable, 9-10 December 2002), February 2003
• Summary Conclusions on Religion-Based Refugee Claims (Baltimore Expert Roundtable, 30-31 October 2002), February 2003
• Rescue-at-Sea: Specific Aspects Relating to the Protection of Asylum-Seekers and Refugees. Expert Roundtable, Lisbon 25-26 March 2002, Summary of Discussions, 11 April 2002
• All research papers (in Refworld) from UNHCR's Legal and Protection Policy Research Series

Global Consultations on International Protection

The Global Consultations on International Protection were organized, starting in 2001, to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The process was designed to improve the international protection of refugees, and ran in three "tracks": a Ministerial Meeting of signatories to the 1951 Convention which re-affirmed commitment to the Convention, a series of expert meetings on various refugee law issues relevant to the interpretation of the Convention, and several meetings in the framework of the Executive Committee which examined issues not covered by the Convention.

• Agenda for Protection, Third Edition, October 2003
• All documents of the Regional Meetings
• All documents of the Executive Committee meetings in the Third Track (on "Protection in Mass Influx", "Protection in Individual Asylum Systems" and "Search for Protection-Based Solutions; Protection of Refugee Women and Refugee Children")
• All Summary Conclusions of expert meetings in the Second Track (on "Article 31 of the 1951 Convention", "Cessation of Refugee Status", "Exclusion From Refugee Status", "Family Unity", "Gender-Related Persecution", "Internal Protection/Relocation/Flight Alternative", "Membership of a Particular Social Group", "Supervisory Responsibility", and "The Principle of Non-Refoulement")
• All Expert Papers submitted to expert meetings in the Second Track
• Declaration of States Parties to the 1951 Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, Global Consultations on International Protection/First Track: Ministerial Meeting of States Parties to the 1951 Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (12-13 December 2001), HCR/MMSP/2001/9, 16 January 2002 (in French)
• Chairperson's Reports on Roundtable 1 ("1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol Framework: Strengthening Implementation"), 2 ("International Cooperation to Protect Masses in Flight) and 3 ("Upholding Refugee Protection in the Face of Contemporary Challenges involving Mixed Flows)
• All reports (in Refworld) on Global Consultations on International Protection

Documents Related to Special Initiatives relating to UNHCR's Mandate

• All reports on Convention Plus
• All reports of the High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges
• All reports of the High Commissioner's Forum
• All reports on Global Consultations on International Protection