The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, leads and coordinates international action to protect refugees and other people of concern, including the stateless, asylum-seekers, returnees and millions of the world’s internally displaced people (IDP).
As a UNAIDS Cosponsor, and under the UNAIDS division of labour, UNHCR is the lead agency for addressing HIV among refugees and IDPs.
It promotes and supports the development of comprehensive HIV programmes to ensure universal access to HIV prevention services and AIDS treatment, care and support programmes. It has substantial AIDS programmes and logistics in place to reach refugees, internally displaced people, others of concern to UNHCR as well as the surrounding host communities, which are often located in remote areas. UNHCR also has expertise in HIV in conflict settings, particularly related to displaced populations.
Key publications
- UNHCR 2008 Annual Report Public Health and HIV (UNHCR, 2009)
- Educational Responses to HIV and AIDS for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (UNESCO/UNHCR, 2007)
- Guidelines for HIV Interventions in Emergency Settings (UNHCR/WHO/UNAIDS, 1996)
Policies and guidance
- HIV Testing and Counselling in Health Facilities for Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and other Persons of Concern to UNHCR: Policy statement (UNHCR/WHO/UNAIDS, 2009)
- Health Information System Training Manual: Part Two: Module 10 - HIV/AIDS (UNHCR, 2010)
- Guiding Principles and Strategic Plans for HIV and AIDS, Malaria Control, Nutrition and Food Security, Reproductive Health, Water and Sanitation, 2008-2012 (UNHCR, 2008)
- HIV and Refugees: Policy Brief (UNAIDS/UNHCR, 2007)
HIV treatment for refugees
Nutrition, HIV and refugees
HIV prevention for refugees
- HIV/AIDS Education for Refugee Youth (UNHCR, 2001)
- Introducing the Female Condom in Refugee Settings: A Guide for Implementation (UNHCR, 2006)
Sexual violence
- Clinical management of rape survivors (UNHCR/WHO/UNFPA online course)
- Sexual and gender-based violence against refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons (UNHCR, 2003)
Contact
HIV Unit, UNHCR HQ
94, Rue de Montbrillant, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: +41.22.739.8289
Learn more
Visit the UNHCR web site to learn more about its work on HIV. More
UNAIDS Strategy 2011-2015
Guided by the UNAIDS Strategy 2011–2015 —the ten Cosponsors and the UNAIDS Secretariat are united in working towards the vision of “Zero new infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.”
