Frequently asked questions

Pledges and contributions are commitments that advance the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees to achieve tangible benefits for refugees and host communities. These can be made by States and other stakeholders including organizations, development actors, cities, parliamentarians, businesses, academics, and refugees themselves.

• Financial, material, or technical support to host countries; 

• Places for resettlement and complementary pathways for admission to third countries, such as education opportunities for refugees; and 

• Changes to national laws and policies that enable refugees to become more self-reliant and better included. These can also include private sector investment, beneficial trade arrangements, and expanded educational and economic opportunities. 

For 2023, we encourage pledges designed to: 

• Ease the pressures on host countries 

• Enhance refugee self-reliance 

• Expand access to third-country solutions 

• Support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity 

Following the first Global Refugee Forum in 2019 and beyond, States and other stakeholders are encouraged to make commitments in the following areas to provide a strategic focus and maximize our collective impact. 

• UN Member States and observer States; 

• Stakeholders (international organizations, humanitarian and development actors; international and regional financial institutions; regional organizations; local authorities; civil society, faith-based organizations; academics and other experts; the private sector; media; host community members, and refugees themselves (Global Compact on Refugees, para. 3). 

• States and other stakeholders may make contributions either individually or jointly.

Building on lessons from 2019, stakeholders are encouraged to make high-quality pledges.  

What is a high-quality pledge?  

• It is aligned with the key recommendations that emerged from the High-Level Officials Meeting in December 2021; 

• Contributions are designed to be additional, quantifiable, and needs-driven; 

• Contributions are jointly developed, in a whole-of-society spirit; 

• It matches and supports a national pledge(s) surrounding inclusive policies; 

• It is developed  in consultation with refugees and considers age, gender, and diversity. 

Host countries wishing to develop new policy pledges according to needs, gaps, and areas of interest for potential matching are invited to submit a new pledge. Host countries wishing to update the status of their current policy pledges are invited to submit a pledge update.

Multistakeholder pledges are joint pledges with a large-scale reach, working towards an ambitious common goal. They aim to put in place long-term arrangements that advance responsibility sharing and draw from a clear resource base, donorship, or financial instrument linked to the pledge’s implementation. 
Stakeholders can get involved in developing pledges by participating in multi-stakeholder pledges currently under development. UNHCR will facilitate discussions and provide guidance for developing pledges at the country, regional, or global levels. Pledging entities can also reach out to UNHCR ([email protected]) for information.

Pledge matching is an opportunity for donors to align their financial, material or technical support with existing policy pledges made by host countries. This means that pledges made by states to provide inclusion, protection, and support for refugees can be matched with the necessary assistance for their implementation. This provides a concrete and coordinated way for traditional and non-traditional partners to engage in responsibility sharing alongside states. 

A pledge matching portal is available on the GCR Digital Platform. To match one of the host country pledges listed, please click the envelope button to the right of the pledge you want to match. If you would like to find out more about pledge matching, or to discuss other ways to get involved in the Global Refugee Forum 2023, please use this form.  

Matching can be initiated bilaterally between two stakeholders, or UNHCR and other independent parties can act as facilitators and coordinators of discussions between pledging entities. To find out more read Pledge Matching in the Context of the GRF 2023. 

Like multi-stakeholder pledges, joint contributions involve several stakeholders collaborating towards a collective goal. Examples of joint contributions could include: 

Partnership contributions:  
A group of States and/or other stakeholders form partnerships and announce contributions (based upon their respective capacities and areas of expertise) towards the achievement of a shared goal, such as supporting a host country to implement a policy providing refugee children with access to the national education system. 

Common contributions: 
A coalition of States or other stakeholders would announce identical or near-identical commitments. For example, a group of States could announce that they will each include refugees in their Voluntary National Reporting for the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Do we update our pledges through Canberra or via Geneva?  

• To modify submitted pledges at the GRF in 2019, the pledging entity must coordinate with the country office to agree on the new text and then share it with the GCR coordination team. 

• To submit updates on pledge implementation, pledging entities must use the "Submit a progress update" form available on the GCR Digital Platform. 

• For new pledges, pledging entities must use the "Submit or match a pledge" form on the GCR digital platform. Please complete a separate form for each new pledge. When submitting your pledge, you will be able to indicate whether it is part of a multi-stakeholder pledge. 

If you have any comments, queries, or notice any inaccuracies on the platform, please contact [email protected]. 

Explore the links below to see examples of existing pledges, contributions and good practices: 

Good Practices | The Global Compact on Refugees | UNHCR (globalcompactrefugees.org) 

Multistakeholder pledges for the Global Refugee Forum 2023 | The Global Compact on Refugees | UNHCR (globalcompactrefugees.org) 

Multistakeholder Pledge: ReSolve - for Resilience and Solutions, a pledge for the Afghanistan Situation | The Global Compact on Refugees | UNHCR (globalcompactrefugees.org) 

Expanded Solutions and Enhanced Resilience: A Multi-Stakeholder Pledge for Rohingya Refugees | UNHCR Asia Pacific 

Pledges can be submitted through the online form on the GCR digital platform at any time, but we strongly encourage you to make the submission before the GRF to facilitate effective pre-matching. Any stakeholder wishing to have a good practice published in advance of the GRF 2023, are asked to submit them no later than 30 November 2023. All pledging entities will make an individual submission of their pledges. In the pledging form, they will be able to indicate if their pledge is a contribution to any of the multi-stakeholder pledge(s). They can also contact the GCR Coordination Team ([email protected]) for guidance.

An updated multi-language pledge submission form will be launched mid-year to ensure that pledges are aligned with the key elements of a high-quality pledge outlined above. If pledges do not fully align with these elements, UNHCR will follow up with pledging entities to consider adjustments and determine the next steps.  

New pledges may be submitted at any time leading-up to and following the GRF 2023. All pledging entities will make an individual submission of their pledges. In the pledging form, they will be able to indicate if their pledge is a contribution to any of the multi-stakeholder pledge(s).  

Pledging entities are encouraged to share information about the pledges they are considering or working towards during the global briefings on the GRF in 2023 to facilitate matching in advance of the GRF and build momentum.