Annual Report 2006 www.unrefugees.org.au Australia for UNHCR Suite 1, Level 4 171 Clarence Street Sydney NSW 2000 Tel. 02 9262 5377 Fax. 02 9262 4345 email: [email protected] Table of Contents Corporate Statement Australia for UNHCR is an Australian company limited by guarantee. It was registered under the Corporation Act on Introduction 4 July 2000. UNHCR is the single member of the company. Another 1,300 000 people were forced from In Emergencies Return and Rebuilding Lives A registered charity, Australia for UNHCR has tax deductible their homes by violent conflict during 2006, Gift Recipient Status through its listing as a specific Every year, UNHCR helps thousands of UNHCR provides practical support for joining millions already in exile. international affairs recipient under Section 30.80 of the people to escape from dangerous situations, refugees returning to their homes, negotiating Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. It is endorsed by the Many of these people fled with nothing providing safe haven and transport out of war their safe passage and providing immigration ATO as an Income Tax Exempt Charity. – without food, clothes, shelter, blankets or and disaster zones. The agency coordinates papers, building kits and special ‘start identity papers. They camped by roads and relief in refugee camps, registers exhausted up’ assistance for vulnerable families. As Australia for UNHCR is affiliated to the Fundraising Institute riverbeds, crowded into makeshift camps people on arrival and helps to provide the returnees struggle to reintegrate and rebuild of Australia (FIA), which sets standards for the charitable and and public buildings, or desperately sought essentials of survival: clean water, food, shelter their lives, UNHCR helps repair and rebuild fundraising sector. It is a signatory to the Code of Conduct refuge with relatives and friends. materials, blankets, sleeping mats, cooking facilities in their hometowns and supports of the Australian Council for International Development equipment and essential medical care. the establishment of local programs for (ACFID), which ensures that NGOs conduct their activities The United Nations Refugee Agency education, training and income generation. with integrity, transparency and accountability. This code – UNHCR - provides and coordinates In the Camps sets out an agreed set of values and principles for NGOs international relief for refugees and displaced In 2006, Australia for UNHCR raised People who spend months or years in to follow in the work they support overseas and in their people, offering them protection and AUS$2.7 million for UNHCR emergency refugee settlements are more vulnerable to fundraising and educational activities. assistance at every stage of their ordeal. and humanitarian programs. We worked exploitation, violence, poverty and disease. actively within the Australian community Australia for UNHCR is one of a number of fundraising While seeking permanent solutions to their to raise much-needed funds and organisations around the world set up by UNHCR to support plight, UNHCR strives to improve refugees’ awareness of the suffering and needs its private sector fundraising program. We operate through a quality of life and future opportunities, of the world’s 20.8 million refugees and formal funding and licensing agreement with UNHCR which providing community infrastructure, schools, internally displaced people. authorises Australia for UNHCR to raise funds on its behalf income generating projects and health in Australia to support UNHCR’s international humanitarian care in established refugee camps and projects. Australia for UNHCR works closely with the Public communities. Sector Fund Raising Section (PSFR) in UNHCR Geneva and the UNHCR Regional Office in Canberra. Report from the Chairman and National Director We are pleased to present our Annual Report for 2006 Global View Much of the increase is due to a rise in UNHCR is one of the leading players in the the number of people living in refugee-like international response system. Between During the past year, Australia for UNHCR has continued Worldwide, refugee numbers continued to situations within their own countries. January and September 2006, UNHCR to provide vital life saving support to many thousands fall in 2006 reaching a 26 year low: there deployed 200 staff to 27 countries affected of refugees and displaced people worldwide. In have been fewer refugee producing crises UNHCR continues to work towards lasting by emergencies. The largest deployments of 2006, we raised AUS$2.7 million to support UNHCR’s and several conflicts have subsided allowing solutions for millions of refugees through emergency staff were to Lebanon, Pakistan international humanitarian programs. This contribution refugees to return home. voluntary repatriation, local integration following the earthquake, Timor Leste, made us the sixth largest private sector donor to However, while there have been fewer in countries of first asylum, and through Sudan and most recently to Kenya. UNHCR - an achievement of which both we and our refugee exoduses, conflict and civil strife resettlement to third countries. donors can be justly proud. We were able to provide have provoked more internal population UNHCR was equipped to respond within 72 emergency support and longer term support to displacement. Internal conflicts and a Emergency Response hours to the immediate needs of 400,000 refugees and displaced people in South America, declining respect for human rights and Over the past 16 years, UNHCR has people. This is an impressive achievement Africa, the Middle East and closer to home in East Asia humanitarian law have resulted in increased responded to 13 large scale emergencies. and one that UNHCR hopes to exceed in and the Pacific. attacks on civilian populations and on those These displaced more than 500,000 people 2007 by preparing to meet the immediate trying to assist and protect them. in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central needs of up to 500,000 people in emergency Asia, West and Central Africa and South situations. Today there are approximately 21 million East Asia. In statistical terms, there is a large people of concern to UNHCR around the scale emergency every 16 months with a world, including some 8.3 million refugees, major crisis – that is, one resulting in the 7.1 million internally displaced persons, displacement of some 1.5 million people, some 1.1 million returnees, 770,000 asylum occurring every two years. In addition, there seekers and 2.3 million stateless people. are many smaller emergencies which do not According to UNHCR statistics, the numbers attract the media spotlight. of uprooted people rose last year by 1.3 million – from 19.5 million to 20.8 million. Report from the Chairman and National Director How we made a difference Team. We now have over 7,000 Australian The National Director also visited a refugee committed to building our partnership with Of course, this emergency response and donors who contribute regularly to our ‘ camp on the Thai/Myanmar border late last UNHCR to ensure the wellbeing of refugees support for refugees and growing numbers ER Team’ program. With the support of year. Many refugees have lived their whole and displaced peoples. of internally displaced people requires this program, and through our emergency lives in these camps and with little prospect significant resources. UNHCR receives only appeals, Australia for UNHCR has been a of a settlement place will most likely remain in Our Thanks 3% of its funding from the regular UN budget key donor to UNHCR’s emergency response the camps and require UNHCR assistance. None of our efforts would be possible without operations globally, providing essential non and must source the remaining 97% from In all our appeals and activities, Australia for our donors – the individuals, organisations food items and other assistance in more voluntary donations. UNHCR has been generously supported by and companies who, through us, continued than 50 emergencies to date. In 2006, our to give so generously to UNHCR. Thank you In addition to government donations, our Patron, the Hon Mr Tim Fischer, and our support has funded numerous emergency to the many people who responded to our UNHCR welcomes sustainable private sector Special Representatives Ian Chappell, Jane relief operations including operations in calls for support during the year. contributions from both corporate partners Turner, Mark Schwarzer, Jack Gray, Adut Pakistan, Chad and Darfur, Timor Leste, and individuals. Australian donors have made Dau Atem and Sophie Weldon. Lebanon and Iraq. Finally, we thank the Australia for UNHCR an important contribution towards enabling staff and volunteers for their dedication and UNHCR to provide the all round support that A small delegation composed of our National Our Future Plans hard work, and our fellow Board members refugees need. Director Naomi Steer, Board member Australia for UNHCR aims to continue for their ongoing support and concern for Alice Spigelman and Marketing Director building a sustainable financial base to refugees. Our Achievements and Initiatives Debra O’ Neill visited Timor Leste following support UNHCR’s humanitarian work the outbreak of unrest midyear. While In 2006, Australia for UNHCR raised more while continuing to keep our overheads to the situation remained volatile, the team than AUD$2.7 million to support UNHCR’s a minimum. We hope to foster increasing was impressed at UNHCR’s Emergency international humanitarian programs. support