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CLOSE THIS BOOKHandbook for Emergencies - Second Edition (UNHCR, 1999, 414 p.)
VIEW THE DOCUMENT(introduction...)
VIEW THE DOCUMENTUsing the Handbook
VIEW THE DOCUMENTIntroduction
VIEW THE DOCUMENTAbbreviations
VIEW THE DOCUMENTUNHCR's Mission Statement
1. Aim and Principles of Response
2. Protection
3. Emergency Management
4. Contingency Planning
5. Initial Assessment, Immediate Response
6. Operations Planning
7. Coordination and Site Level Organization
8. Implementing Arrangements
9. External Relations
10. Community Services and Education
11. Population Estimation and Registration
12. Site Selection, Planning and Shelter
13. Commodity Distribution
14. Health
15. Food and Nutrition
16. Water
17. Environmental Sanitation
18. Supplies and Transport
19. Voluntary Repatriation
20. Administration, Staffing and Finance
21. Communications
22. Coping with Stress
23. Staff Safety
24. Working with the Military
VIEW THE DOCUMENTAppendix 1 - Catalogue of Emergency Response Resources
VIEW THE DOCUMENTAppendix 2 - Toolbox
VIEW THE DOCUMENTAppendix 3 - Memoranda
VIEW THE DOCUMENTAppendix 4 - Glossary

Appendix 4 - Glossary

See also chapter 2 on protection, Annex 1 for a table of international instruments with their short and full titles. Chapter 15 on food and nutrition includes a glossary of technical terms used in that chapter.

Asylum seeker

An individual whose refugee status has not yet been determined.

Bureau

Organizational division at UNHCR Headquarters dealing with a particular region.

Children

All persons under the age of 18 (as defined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child).

Convention refugees

Persons determined to be refugees by the authorities of States that have acceded to the Convention and/or Protocol. As such, they are entitled to claim the rights and benefits which those States have undertaken to accord to refugees.

EXCOM

The Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme which currently consists of representatives from 53 states elected on the widest possible geographic basis from those states with a demonstrated interest in and devotion to finding solutions for refugee problems.

Financial Rules

The "Financial Rules for Voluntary funds administered by the High Commissioner for Refugees" (document A/AC/96/503/Rev-6 of 1 February 1996).

Headquarters

UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.

Implementing agreement

Agreement between UNHCR and a partner which defines the conditions governing the implementation of a project.

Implementing partners

Operational partner that signs an implementing agreement and receives funding from UNHCR.

Internally displaced persons

See definition in chapter 2 on protection.

IOM/FOM

An Inter-Office Memorandum/Field Office Memorandum originating from Headquarters and containing management and other instructions.

Mandate refugees

Persons considered by UNHCR to be refugees according to the Statute and other relevant General Assembly resolutions. This determination is not dependent upon the state of asylum being party to the 1951 Convention or 1967 Protocol. Mandate refugees can benefit from the High Commissioner's action. They do not, however, benefit from the rights accorded to Convention refugees, unless they are also recognized as refugees by a State party to the Convention.

Non-governmental organization

A private voluntary agency created to perform beneficial activities according to its statutes or constitution.

Operational

This term is applied to the organization directly implementing an assistance project, e.g. UNHCR becomes operational when it provides assistance directly to refugees.

Operational partner

Governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations and UN agencies that work in partnership with UNHCR to protect and assist refugees, leading to the achievement of durable solutions.

Refugee

For convenience, the word refugee is used in this handbook to describe any person of concern to UNHCR. Chapter 2 on protection provides definitions of the different categories of persons of concern, including refugees, internally displaced persons and stateless people.

Representative

The High Commissioner's representative in the country where the emergency occurs (regardless of the representative's official title).

The Field

The area, outside Headquarters, where UNHCR provides protection and assistance to refugees and which contains UNHCR's Regional Offices, Branch Offices, Sub-Offices and Field Offices.

The Statute

The Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (General Assembly Resolution 428 (v) of 14 Dec. 1950). "Statutory" should be understood accordingly.


United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
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