Finnish unearmarked funds save refugees worldwide
Finland Contributions to UNHCR 2018
Finland is a significant donor to UNHCR, and UNHCR is the largest recipient of Finland’s humanitarian aid. Finland annually gives a large unearmarked contribution of EUR 7 million (USD 8.3 million) to UNHCR at the beginning of the year. This early contribution helps UNHCR to respond quickly when a new emergency occurs and allows for critical flexibility enabling the broadest operational outreach to refugees with the greatest needs and risks. In 2018, Finland was UNHCR’s 12th largest donor per capita, totalling USD 24.1 million in support.
Finland has mainly funded responses to major regional refugee crises in Africa and Middle East and North Africa, notably the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen Situation, including protracted displacement situations worldwide. In addition, Finland is also a keen supporter of the Global Compact on Refugees, including the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) providing support to countries where CRRF has been implemented.
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.
Read more about how Finland empowers displaced individuals with disabilities:
- Meet 4 year old Maysa, who was born deaf in war-torn Syria.
- Meet Agnes, a woman with a prosthetic leg, living in Nyabiheke refugee camp in Rwanda.
Activities
Finland’s support and flexible funding to UNHCR is providing protection to refugees from Syria
The situations in Syria and Iraq are among the world’s most underfunded crises. Support and unearmarked funding from Finland enables UNHCR to help the most vulnerable refugees.
Finland helps provide shelter to displaced Congolese families
A contribution of USD 1.9m from Finland allows UNHCR to strengthen the response in one of the most complex and forgotten displacement crises in the world.
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.
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.