International
Refugee Assistance Organizations
Italy
World Food Programme (WFP)
Via Cristoforo Colombo 426, 00145 Rome, Italy.
(39-6) 522821. FAX: (39-6) 5228-2837. Liaison Office at UN Headquarters:
(212) 963-8364. FAX: (212) 963-8019.
The World Food Programme serves as the food
aid organization of the United Nations. Its mandate is to use
food aid to eradicate hunger and poverty. The World Food Programme
provides food aid to save lives in refugee and other emergency
situations, improve the nutrition and quality of life of the
most vulnerable people at critical times of their lives, and
to help build assets and promote self-reliant growth among poor
people and communities. Its efforts reach about 50 million hungry
and poor people annually. More than half of its beneficiaries
are victims of disasters. The World Food Programme uses food
aid in a way that is as developmental as possible, consistent
with saving lives. The Programme considers the strengthening
of opportunities and options for women as the key to the solution
of the problems of hunger and poverty.
Switzerland
International Catholic Migration Commission
(ICMC)
37-39 rue de Vermont, Case Postale 96, CH-1211
Geneva 20, Switzerland. (41-22) 733-4150. FAX: (41-22) 734-7929.
E-mail: icmc.geneva@itu.ch. In the U.S., 1319 F St., NW, Suite
600, Washington, DC 20004. (202) 393-2904.
ICMC's mandate covers refugees, migrants, and
internally displaced persons, regardless of creed. Its task
is to coordinate Catholic assistance to these groups, and to
play an advocacy role on their behalf. ICMC is headquartered
in Geneva and operates through offices in 10 countries, through
Regional Liaison Offices in 3 countries, and through a network
of local Catholic agencies at grass-roots level in some 66 countries.
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
19 avenue de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland.
(41-22) 734-6001. FAX: (41-22) 733-2057. E-mail: op/doi.gva@icrc.org.
In New York: 801 Second Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10017.
(212) 599-6021. FAX: (212) 599-6009. In Washington, D.C.: 2100
Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 545, Washington, DC 20037. (202)
293-9430. FAX: (202) 293-9431.
The International Committee of the Red Cross
was the founder of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
It is an independent, neutral organization with the internationally
recognized role of humanitarian intermediary between belligerents
during armed conflicts. ICRC promotes international humanitarian
law. It protects and assists the victims of international and
civil wars and of internal disturbances and tensions by providing
medical aid, relief supplies, tracing, and information services
for prisoners of war and missing persons, a service for transmission
of family messages, and visits to civilian internees, prisoners
of war, and political detainees. ICRC has observer status in
the UN General Assembly. It has delegations in 53 countries.
International Council of Voluntary Agencies
(ICVA)
13 Rue Gautier, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland. Postal
Address: C.P. 216, 1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland. (41-22) 732-6600.
FAX: (41-22)738-9904. E-mail: icva_gva@gatekeeper.unicc.org.
ICVA was founded in 1962 to provide a forum
for voluntary agencies active in the fields of humanitarian
assistance and development cooperation. At present, ICVA has
101 members comprising international and national voluntary
agencies.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies
17 chemin des Crêts, P.O.Box 372, CH-1211 Geneva
19, Switzerland. (41-22) 730-4222. FAX: (41-22) 733-0393. E-mail:
secretariat@ifrc.org.
The International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies contributes to the humanitarian activities
of 169 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It coordinates
disaster relief operations and encourages development support.
It further cares for refugees and internally displaced persons
outside areas of conflict and aims to promote peace in the world.
In refugee and displaced persons situations, the Secretariat
mobilizes the International Federation's own financial and in-kind
contributions and health, social welfare, logistics, and managerial
staff to supplement Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' and
UNHCR's resources. Has observer status to the UN General Assembly.
International Organization For Migration (IOM)
17 route des Morillons, P.O.Box 71, CH-1211
Geneva 19, Switzerland. (41-22) 717-9111 FAX: (41-22) 798-6150.
E-mail: telex@geneva.iom.ch. Director General: James N. Purcell,
Jr. New York: Andrew Bruce, 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1610,
Chanin Building, New York, NY 10168-1699. (212) 681-7000. Washington:
Hans-Petter Boe, 1750 K Street, NW, Suite 1110, Washington,
DC 20006.(202) 862-1826. Chicago: Pannee Peiffer, O'Hare Corporate
Tower 1, 10400 West Higging Road, Suite 329, Rosemont, IL 60018.
(708) 296-3583. Miami: Magda DaVarona, 4471 N.W. 36th Street,
Suite 236, Miami Springs, FL 33166. (305) 885-5426. San Francisco:
Duc Tran, 114 Sansome Street, Suite 1225, The Adam Grant Building,
San Francisco, CA 94104. (415) 391-9796.
IOM was established in 1951 to arrange resettlement
processing and transportation for refugees and migrants. It
conducts related programs for medical screenings, language training,
and cultural orientation. It further plans and implements programs
for the transfer of specialized human resources through migration
to developing countries. IOM also undertakes research projects
and organizes international seminars on major migration themes.
It is represented in 68 countries worldwide.
United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees
(UNHCR)
Case Postale 2500, CH-1211 Geneva 2 Dépôt, Switzerland.
(41-22) 739-8111. Liaison Office at UN Headquarters: One UN
Plaza, DC1-2610 New York, NY 10017. (212) 963-0032. FAX: (212)
963-0074. E-Mail: usane@unhcr.ch. Regional Office for the United
States, 1775 K St., NW, Washington, DC 20006. (202) 296-5191.
FAX: (202) 296-5660. E-mail: usawa@unhcr.ch.
UNHCR was established in 1951 as a humanitarian
and non-political organization to provide international protection
to refugees. It seeks durable solutions through repatriation
of refugees to their homeland, integration of refugees in countries
of first asylum, or resettlement of refugees to third countries.
UNHCR also provides assistance to others forced to live in refugee-like
situations. This category includes people who have been granted
protection on purely humanitarian grounds, but who have not
been formally recognized as refugees, or internally displace
people who have fled from their homes but have not crossed an
international border. Along with its protection role, UNHCR
assists refugees by coordinating the provision of shelter, food,
water, sanitation, and medical care in emergency situations.
UNHCR also assists and monitors the reintegration of refugees
who have recently returned to their own countries. With representation
in some 119 countries, more that 26 million people fall under
UNHCR's concern.
UNHCR Centre for Documentation and Research
(CDR)
Case Postale 2500, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland;
street address: 62 rue de Vermont, 1202 Geneva. (41-22) 739-8488.
FAX: (41-22) 739-7367. E-mail: cdr@unhcr.ch.
CDR provides access to its integrated library
and computer-based information center containing hard copy and
electronic format information relating to refugees, including
country of origin information, human rights, minorities, national
and international law, policy documents, and bibliographic references.
CDR makes available information to the public through REFWORLD
CD-ROM, a fully searchable database, and through its journal,
the Refugee Survey Quarterly, published by Oxford University
Press; both are available by subscription. CDR undertakes research
for UNHCR and advises the agency on policy issues. It is also
establishing a research network linking UNHCR more closely to
the academic community. CDR further authors and coordinates
the bi-annual State of the World's Refugees.
World Council of Churches Refugee and Migration
Services
P.O. Box 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland. (41-22)
791-6111. FAX: (41-22) 788-0067. E-Mail: mk@wcc-coe.org.
World Council of Churches and Refugee Migration
Services works with local churches in about 70 countries in
support of their refugee and migration services, including both
emergency and long-term assistance. Also, in cooperation with
local churches, it advocates on behalf of refugees and migrants,
provides public information and training, and facilitates meetings
between churches on refugee and migration issues.
United Kingdom
European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
Bondway House, 3-9 Bondway, London S.W.8., U.K.
(44-171) 582-9928.
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles
is an international forum for 60 nongovernmental organizations
throughout Europe that assist refugees or are concerned with
refugee and asylum policy. ECRE monitors national and international
developments, promotes legal and information networks, and advocates
progressive standards for the treatment of refugees and asylum
seekers. The European Legal Network on Asylum (ELENA), a forum
for legal counselors, is a project activity of ECRE.
United States
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
3 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017. (212) 326-7000.
FAX: (212) 888-7465.
UNICEF was established in 1946 to assist children
of war-devastated Europe. It has expanded its role to meet the
needs of children and women in the developing world with a basic
services approach and community participation. UNICEF participates
in humanitarian efforts of the UN system in countries affected
by natural and man-made disasters. Its activities aim to meet
the needs of children and women in the refugee and internally
displaced population in the areas of health, nutrition, water
supply and sanitation, basic education, and children in especially
difficult circumstances.
United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs
(DHA)
UN Headquarters, New York, NY 10017, USA. (212)
963-6821 (Information). FAX: (212) 963-1388. Palais des Nations,
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland. (41-22) 917-2142 (Information).
Emergencies only (41-22) 917-2010. FAX: (41-22) 917-0023.
DHA was created in April 1992 to provide a rapid
and coordinated response by the UN system to natural disasters
and major complex emergencies. It serves as focal point for
facilitating action on emergencies by coordinating UN action,
fielding assessment missions, issuing appeals for funding humanitarian
relief programs, publishing situation reports, monitoring status
of donor contributions, etc. DHA incorporates the previous Office
of the UN Disaster Relief Coordinator and the secretariat of
the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.
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