Norway donates NOK 31.5 million to refugees and IDPs

From the total contribution of NOK 31.5 million (USD 4 million), NOK 20 million (USD 2.4 million) will support UNHCR´s response strategies for refugees and IDPs in Afghanistan and Pakistan. NOK 8 million (USD 970 000) will fund UNHCR-led activities for IDPs in Ukraine, and the remaining NOK 3.5 million (USD 460 000) is allocated to UNHCR´s work aimed at facilitating returns of IDPs to the Rakhine State in Myanmar.

“UNHCR strongly appreciate the Norwegian Government´s donations to assist vulnerable people in multiple emergencies and ongoing displacement situations. These four refugee and IDP situations are in need of great humanitarian financing, and the contribution will enable UNHCR to strengthen ongoing, as well as underfunded, operations”, says Pia Prytz Phiri, UNHCR’s Regional Representative for Northern Europe.

Pakistan is the second biggest refugee-hosting country in the world, and is currently hosting 1.5 million Afghan refugees. Approximately 4 million Afghan refugees have been living outside their country for over three decades and the situation is regarded as the world’s largest protracted refugee situation. Since 2002, more than 5.8 million Afghan refugees have returned, assisted through the largest voluntary repatriation or return programme in UNHCR´s history. However, fewer Afghans have gone back in recent years, and returnee numbers hit an all-time low in 2014. In Pakistan, 1.3 million people remain internally displaced. By December 2014, hostilities in Pakistan´s North Waziristan Agency forced 300,000 persons to seek protection in the neighboring country, prompting UNHCR to launch a Refugee Response Plan for Afghanistan for 2015.

Norway’s donation of NOK 31.5 million will ensure that UNHCR can continue to provide lifesaving assistance, seek solutions for forcibly displaced Pakistanis and Afghans and strengthen protection services for vulnerable persons, specifically women and girls. From the total contribution, NOK 12 million (USD 1.6 million) will address activities in Afghanistan, whilst NOK 8 million will fund similar responses in Pakistan.

The Ukraine situation has triggered the displacement of more than 1.4 million people. Since 27 June this year, UNHCR has provided non-food items, such as blankets, beds, kitchen sets and towels, and emergency shelter assistance to more than 8,800 people in Government controlled areas. In non-Government controlled areas, UNHCR has delivered non-food items and shelter assistance to some 430 people. As the Ukraine situation continues to remain unstable, causing growing hardship for the civilian population, the gap between humanitarian resources and needs has increased. The NOK 8 million from the Norwegian Government will enable UNHCR to provide crucial protection and legal assistance and emergency materials to IDPs.

In 2014, support for IDPs in Myanmar was significantly hampered when violence prevented humanitarian agencies from delivering aid. With the NOK 3.5 million financial help from Norway, UNHCR will be able to enhance the protection presence in areas hosting IDPs and identify efforts enabling the return of IDPs to Rakhine.

In 2014, Norway was UNHCR’s ninth largest contributor, with USD 91 million donated. Most of this donation was not earmarked, enabling UNHCR to respond immediately and simultaneously to several humanitarian emergencies. This unrestricted support is essential for UNHCR to provide uninterrupted protection and assistance for populations of concern.