UNHCR and HIAS join forces to strengthen advocacy for refugee rights

“This formalizes our long-standing partnership with HIAS. We deeply value their exemplary work and advocacy for refugee rights in the US and globally,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, acknowledging their distinguished service to humanity since 1881.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and HIAS, an international faith-based Jewish organization that works with refugees, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) this week.

"This formalizes our long-standing partnership with HIAS. We deeply value their exemplary work and advocacy for refugee rights in the US and globally," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, acknowledging their distinguished service to humanity since 1881.

The two organizations have worked together for decades, primarily in the Americas.

The agreement seeks to strengthen collaboration and advocacy in the areas of legal protection, gender-based violence prevention and response, community-based mental health and psychosocial support, economic inclusion and resettlement.

The MoU also aims to support the implementation of pledges made by HIAS one year ago at the First Global Refugee Forum, by highlighting innovative partnerships that help to:

accelerate the economic inclusion of refugees;

protect and empower LGBTQ+ persons living in displacement;

reduce the risk of gender-based violence and addressing its root causes;

ensure that refugees can access fair asylum procedures and basic rights;

provide community-based mental health and psychosocial support;

increase resettlement and complementary pathways to meet the international protection needs of vulnerable refugees.

This is the first MoU that UNHCR has signed with a faith-based organization.