UNHCR’S EMERGENCY 2015 RESPONSE ANNUAL REPORT 2015 126 The number of countries KEY where UNHCR works FACTS UNHCR/ O. Laban-Mattei 60 MILLION The number of people forcibly displaced by conflict, of concern to UNHCR UNHCR/ M. Henley 2 Annual Report 2015 UNHCR’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE 8,560 UNHCR staff in the field (88% of all staff) UNHCR/ O. Laban-Mattei 88,457 The number of Australians who actively supported Australia for UNHCR 86% of Australian donations went to UNHCR humanitarian programs Australia for UNHCR Annual Report 2015 3 CONTENTS 6 Report from the Chairman 32 Sister Angélique Mission and National Director 33 Ethiopia Mission 8 2015 Highlights 34 Community Engagement 10 Year in Review 36 Thank You to 12 UNHCR’s Emergency Our Supporters Response 38 Financial Summary 2015 14 Key Emergencies 44 Governance 20 Ongoing Protection 45 About Australia for UNHCR of Refugees 46 How Our Funds Were 28 Raising Funds Distributed in 2015 Cover: A UNHCR field worker holds a young refugee boy close in a thermal blanket as refugees disembark from a boat on the Greek island of Lesvos. UNHCR/ H. Holland 4 Annual Report 2015 CONTENTS Syrian refugees make their way into Iraq at a crossing near Dohuk in Iraqi Kurdistan. UNHCR/ S.Baldwin Annual Report 2015 5 REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND NATIONAL DIRECTOR John Denton AO, Chair of Australia for UNHCR, at the World Refugee Day breakfast with National Director Naomi Steer and Special Representative Yarrie Bangura. Australia for UNHCR As European governments argued about of forced displacement – both conflicts and 2015 was, by any measure, a year how to respond to the crisis, a single natural hazards. He stressed the need for of extraordinary challenges for photograph of a drowned Syrian child brought development policies to focus on “creating the human story to the fore. The image of conditions that enable people to stay and UNHCR, with refugee issues 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi lying on a Turkish beach not be forced to move, to give them a better making world headlines and prompted a global outpouring of community future in their own countries”. compassion and generosity. Australians Australia for UNHCR continues to support dominating international and responded, along with the rest of the world, both these aspects of UNHCR’s mandate. domestic political debate. with Australia for UNHCR providing a conduit In 2015, our donors funded emergency relief for their concern. operations in 24 countries. At the same time, The arrival on Europe’s doorstep of more In December the National Director Naomi we supported projects to improve the lives than a million people from conflict-affected Steer attended the High Commissioner’s of long-term refugees, enabling them to live countries like Syria focused attention on the Annual Dialogue on Protection Challenges in safety and dignity, provide for their families global refugee crisis, the burden of which, with civil society representatives in Geneva. and give their children opportunities for until now, has been carried almost exclusively The High Commissioner, Mr António Guterres, the future. by poorer nations in the Middle East, Africa spoke of the need to address the root causes and Asia. 6 Annual Report 2015 REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND NATIONAL DIRECTOR Growing Support participated in our special events, giving Australia for UNHCR experienced exceptional generously of their time and talents. growth in 2015, in terms of both our On Australia Day, 2015, our Chairperson, supporter-base and fundraising income. John Denton, was awarded an Order of Australia We raised a record AU$32.8 million, an in recognition in part for his contribution to the increase of 22% on our income in 2014. humanitarian sector and his support for refugees Our regular giving program contributed as founding Chair of Australia for UNHCR. $21 million to UNHCR’s general emergency We welcomed Kate Dundas, the former fund, while donors across the organisation Director of ABC Radio, to our Board and supported specific UNHCR emergency farewelled Alice Spigelman AM. Alice made operations for Syria, Europe, Nigeria an invaluable contribution during her nine year and Nepal. tenure, driving our annual Mother’s Day Lunch We remained on track to raise $2.75 million and ground-breaking programs to fund women’s for sexual and gender-based violence education, livelihood and reproductive health (SGBV) projects in the Democratic Republic projects. She will be missed. of the Congo, and provided key funding In December, we bid a fond farewell to for health, education, nutrition, water and Mr António Guterres who stepped down livelihood programs for long-term refugees from the position of UN High Commissioner in Bangladesh, Mozambique, Ethiopia and for Refugees after ten years in the role. the DRC respectively. He steered UNHCR through one of the most challenging periods in its history, honing its Community Engagement emergency mechanisms to make it a more The refugee crisis in Europe triggered a surge responsive and agile organisation. in community fundraising activity and corporate support. Our annual World Refugee Day We are grateful for the support we received Breakfast was our most successful yet, and from UNHCR both globally and in Australia new partners such as the Islamic Museum of through the office of the Regional Representative, Australia took our message to new audiences. Mr Thomas Albrecht. We thank our fellow Board members, volunteers and staff who worked so We were fortunate to host a visit to Australia hard this year to realise our organisation’s goals by Nansen Award winner, Sister Angélique and respond to world events as they unfolded. Namaika. Her 12-day speaking tour focused attention on our work for SGBV survivors in the DRC and continued our participation in the national dialogue on women, peace and security. Naomi Steer Welcome, Farewell and Thanks John W.H. Denton AO We appointed two new Special National Director Chairman Representatives in 2015: the acclaimed Australian actor Marta Dusseldorp and poet and performer Yarrie Bangura, both of whom Annual Report 2015 7 2015 HIGHLIGHTS MAR UNHCR/ C. Delfosse Australia for UNHCR raises a further MAY Australia for UNHCR $320,000 as part of its three-year UNHCR/ H. Caux commitment to fund sexual and gender- Wendy Harmer hosts Australia for JAN based violence programs in the Democratic UNHCR’s Mother’s Day Lunch in Sydney, A massacre by Boko Haram militants in Republic of the Congo. The monies raised featuring a panel discussion with special the Nigerian city of Baga ignites a regional go towards community education, prevention guests Jane Turner, Jane Caro and emergency, sending over 200,000 people and training programs, health care, trauma Special Youth Representative Yarrie fleeing into Chad, Niger and Cameroon. services and livelihood initiatives for Bangura on issues facing women UNHCR is one of the few relief agencies survivors and the operation of mobile courts. in conflict zones. able to assist refugees in this volatile environment – prioritising emergency food, water, shelter and medical care. JUN Australia for UNHCR UNHCR/ D. Das Shrestha FEB Australia for UNHCR APR Our annual World Refugee Day Breakfast IKEA launches its second Brighter Lives A devastating earthquake hits Nepal, is the most successful yet. Special for Refugees campaign in partnership killing 8,000 and leaving 2.8 million guests Marta Dusseldorp, Ian Chappell, with UNHCR. The global campaign people in need of shelter. UNHCR is Awer Mabil and UNHCR Regional raised €1 EUR ($1.50) from each light among the first responders, delivering Representative Thomas Albrecht join host bulb sold to provide renewable energy thousands of plastic sheets and solar Sandra Sully to celebrate the contribution solutions in refugee camps, including lanterns within the first 24 hours, as well refugees have made to Australian life solar-powered lanterns and fuel- as rebuilding schools and providing and raise over $150,000 for UNHCR’s efficient cooking stoves. logistical and psychological support. emergency operations in Nigeria. 8 Annual Report 2015 2015 HIGHLIGHTS NOV Australia for UNHCR JUL UNHCR/ I. Prickett Eight members of Team UNHCR cycle The number of Syrian refugees reaches UNHCR/ A. Zavallis 420km from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam 4 million, with a further 7.6 million people SEPT to Siem Reap in Cambodia to raise money displaced within Syria. UNHCR issues for UNHCR’s emergency response fund. The refugee crisis in Europe escalates a global appeal for more emergency The thirteen-day ride raises over $36,000. funding to assist the massive refugee with the arrival of a record 160,000 populations sheltering in neighbouring people by boat in September alone. Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. Melbourne man James Wright raises $42,000 for Australia for UNHCR by asking commuters to donate their myki fares during the city’s train strike. DEC UNHCR/ H. Etyemezian AUG Australia for UNHCR Australia for UNHCR supporters give generously to our Christmas appeal, Nansen Prize laureate Sister Angélique OCT Australia for UNHCR donating $525,000 to address some Namaika undertakes a 12-day speaking of the basic needs of refugee families tour of Australia to talk about her Australia for UNHCR celebrates its 15th around the world. The funds provide groundbreaking work with survivors anniversary. A total of $150 million has winter relief items to displaced Syrians of Lord’s Resistance Army violence been raised since our organisation was in the Middle East, emergency nutrition in the remote north of the Democratic founded, and we have nearly 90,000 to camps in Ethiopia and health care Republic of the Congo. supporters on board. to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Annual Report 2015 9 YEAR IN REVIEW 60 million. Some 15.1 million of these Long before the refugee crisis in were refugees, 4 million of them Europe made headlines in July, from Syria.