UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. UNHCR has operations in more than 130 countries.

For decades, UNHCR has faced crises in many countries. We’ve provided life-saving assistance to asylum-seekers, refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. For millions forced from home, UNHCR saves lives and builds better futures. 

The 1951 Refugee Convention is the key legal document that forms the basis of our work. Ratified by 145 State parties, including Canada, it defines the term ‘refugee’ and outlines the rights of the displaced, as well as the legal obligations of States to protect them.