United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

What United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees does

UNHCR, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, is the UN's refugee agency, mandated by the UN General Assembly to lead and coordinate international action for the protection of refugees, returnees, internally displaced people (IDPs), stateless people, and asylum-seekers. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, UNHCR operates in 122 countries with a workforce of 10,356 personnel and, per its most recent reporting, protects or assists roughly 129.4 million people, or 117.8 million as of December 2025 depending on the data cut. The organization is a two-time Nobel Peace Prize laureate (1954 and 1981) and serves as the formal guardian of the Global Compact on Refugees, which was affirmed in December 2018.

UNHCR's core product surface includes humanitarian protection and assistance programs, the Innovation Service, and several digital platforms. The Innovation Service deploys biometric registration and cloud-based registration systems that process approximately 100,000 displaced people daily. Public-facing assets include the UNHCR Data portal, the RefWorld legal database, and the HELP Site, as well as the MADE51 social enterprise marketplace, which connects refugee artisans to international consumers. The organization is governed by the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, with 149 states parties recognizing its supervisory role.

UNHCR does not operate as a commercial enterprise and does not generate revenue; it is funded entirely through voluntary contributions from governments, the private sector, and individual donors. The organization's go-to-market is institutional: it coordinates an ecosystem of more than 1,200 funded partners, channels 57% of its funding to local and national responders including refugee-led organizations, and convenes multi-stakeholder forums such as the Global Refugee Forum, which generated $250 million in pledges in 2023. Private sector income has grown by more than 70% since 2018 and represents 39% of unearmarked funding, signaling an increasingly diversified donor base.

Name

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Legal name

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Website

https://unhcr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency, mandated to lead international action for the protection of refugees, IDPs, stateless persons, and asylum-seekers. Founded 1950 and headquartered in Geneva, it operates in 122 countries with 10,356 personnel, protecting or assisting roughly 117-129 million people.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Individual and Family Services (6241), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

United Nations System & Specialized Agencies (BPADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA), Refugee Camp Coordination & Management (CCCM) (BPADAHAC), Emergency Shelter, NFIs & Winterization for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAG), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Refugee/Migrant Health & Resettlement Health Units (HLAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Humanitarian assistance services
• Refugee protection programs
• Displacement response operations
• Statelessness advocacy support
• Emergency shelter services

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Contributions: UNHCR receives voluntary contributions from UN Member States through the UN General Assembly approved budget
2. Private Sector Partnerships: Corporate donations and partnerships from the private sector; since 2018, private sector income has increased by over 70% and now accounts for 39% of unearmarked funds
3. Individual Donations: Public donations from individuals worldwide supporting UNHCR's humanitarian operations
4. MADE51 Marketplace: Sale of refugee-crafted handmade products through the MADE51 platform, with proceeds supporting refugee artisans

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency mandated to provide international protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced people, and stateless persons. It delivers life-saving emergency assistance including shelter, food, water, and medical care directly through field operations in 122 countries, and works with governments and partners toward durable solutions such as voluntary return, local integration, and resettlement.

Product overview

UNHCR operates as a global humanitarian organization offering a portfolio of digital services and publications focused on refugee protection and assistance. The core digital products include UNHCR Data (statistics and data portal), RefWorld (legal database), HELP Site (refugee assistance portal), and MADE51 (e-commerce for refugee artisans). Supporting publications include the Global Trends Report, Global Report, and Global Appeal. The Innovation Service develops new humanitarian solutions. UNHCR does not offer a unified software platform with modular components; rather, these are distinct services unified by the organization's protection mandate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MADE51: A social enterprise initiative that supports refugee artisans by creating market access for hand-crafted products, helping refugees earn income through traditional craftsmanship.
• HELP

Products and services

• UNHCR Data

Quantifiable outcome

• 129.4 million people currently protected or assisted globally
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 149 States Parties to 1951 ConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2018149 States are parties to the 1951 Refugee Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol, committed to protecting refugees and upholding international refugee law under UNHCR's guidance as guardian of these instruments.
• GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR partners with UN Member State governments who provide funding, host refugees, and collaborate on refugee protection policies. These partnerships are foundational to UNHCR's mandate and operations globally.
• Private SectorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR builds relationships with private sector companies for funding, innovation, and expertise. Since 2018, private sector income has increased by over 70% and accounts for 39% of unearmarked funds. At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, businesses pledged USD 250 million in essential funding.
• UN and International OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR collaborates with sister UN agencies and international organizations including IOM (International Organization for Migration), UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, WFP, and OCHA for coordinated humanitarian responses and sustainable development initiatives.
• Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR works with hundreds of NGOs worldwide implementing humanitarian programs. Local and national responders including refugee-led organizations receive 57% of UNHCR funding.
• Refugee-led OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR places refugees at the centre of planning and decision-making, partnering with refugee-led organizations and ensuring those most affected are involved in humanitarian response design and implementation.
• Global Refugee Forum ParticipantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Global Refugee Forum, held every four years, brings together governments, international organizations, refugees, civil society, the private sector, and experts to advance the Global Compact on Refugees and make concrete pledges.
• Host CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR works with host communities that welcome refugees, providing support and ensuring host communities get the assistance they need under the Global Compact on Refugees framework.
• MADE51 (Refugee Artisan Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMADE51 is UNHCR's global brand for refugee-made products, supporting refugee artisans with market access and income opportunities through the sale of handmade crafts.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Organization for Migration (IOM): UN-related organization working on migration and displacement with comparable scale and field operations; closely aligned with UNHCR on refugee and IDP issues and a frequent operational partner.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Independent humanitarian organization providing protection and assistance in conflict zones; overlaps directly with UNHCR on conflict-driven displacement, international humanitarian law, and field operations.
• UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA): UN agency providing protection and assistance to a specific refugee population; directly comparable in mandate, UN system status, and service delivery model.
• World Food Programme (WFP): UN humanitarian agency addressing food insecurity among displaced populations; frequent UNHCR partner in joint operations and a comparable scale, funding, and field-operations model.
• UNICEF: UN agency delivering humanitarian assistance, including for refugee children (39% of whom are minors); overlapping beneficiary populations, donor base, and operational scale.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major international NGO providing humanitarian aid and refugee resettlement support; comparable beneficiary populations, donor-funded model, and field operations in crisis-affected countries.
• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC): International NGO delivering protection, shelter, and assistance to displaced populations; comparable operational model and frequently co-implements UNHCR-funded programs through partner network.
• Mercy Corps: Global humanitarian organization working on displacement, livelihoods, and emergency response; similar donor-funded model and field operations in many of the same countries as UNHCR.
• UN OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs): UN body coordinating humanitarian response across agencies; closely coupled with UNHCR on inter-agency coordination, humanitarian financing, and crisis response architecture.

Emerging players

• Human Rights Watch: International advocacy organization focused on human rights; overlaps with UNHCR on refugee rights, asylum advocacy, and statelessness, though delivery is through research and advocacy rather than direct humanitarian services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/refugees
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/unhcr
• Facebookfacebook.com/UNHCR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unhcr
• Instagraminstagram.com/refugees
• TikToktiktok.com/@refugees

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees