Finnish unearmarked funds save refugees worldwide
Contributions to UNHCR
Finland is a reliable and significant donor to UNHCR, and UNHCR is the largest recipient of Finland’s humanitarian aid. Finland annually includes a large unearmarked contribution of EUR 7 million (USD 8.3 million) to UNHCR, which enables UNHCR to respond quickly when a new emergency occurs and allocate funding where the needs are the greatest.
In 2017, Finland was UNHCR’s 10th largest donor per capita, totalling USD 22 million in support. Finland mainly funded responses to major refugee crises in Africa and Middle East and North Africa, notably Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, including protracted displacement situations worldwide.
Finland has a thematic funding focus on strengthening support to vulnerable groups in displacement situations, including persons with disabilities and specific needs, which are often rendered invisible in uprooted communities. The Finnish Government is contributing with multi-year funding to strengthen protection of people with various disabilities and impairments in refugee contexts. This funding focus helps ensuring the inclusion, empowerment and participation of vulnerable groups in transformative processes seeking an end to forced displacement.
Finland’s thematic focus: displaced people with disabilities.
Read more on how Finland empowers the displaced and disabled
Activities
Finland supports UNHCR’s emergency work in several refugee crises
Finland has contributed EUR 8.7 million to UNHCR, of which EUR 4.5 million for the Syria crisis, EUR 2 million to the Central African Republic (CAR) crisis and EUR 2.2 million to the South Sudan crisis. In South Sudan new heavy fighting between government forces and rebel troops erupted in July 2016 and in September, the number of South Sudanese refugees sheltering in neighbouring countries passed the 1 million mark.
Finland Contributes EUR 10 million to Refugee Situations Worldwide
UNHCR has received a significant contribution of EUR 10 million from Finland to support UNHCR’s work with refugees and internally displaced people in several refugee situations around the world.
Finland strengthens its support to UNHCR
UNHCR thanks Finland for its significant support to UNHCR. Finland recently donated USD 12.4 million to the Syria crisis and for UNHCR operations in Africa and Asia, adding to the support so far of USD 22.4 million in 2014.
Donor Government Counterparts
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is UNHCR´s Government counterpart on matters related to strategic cooperation and funding.
Read more about our partnership with Finland.