The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a UN agency that is mandated to protect and support refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, and other forcibly displaced people around the world. The organization was established in 1950 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. UNHCR works to ensure that people forced to flee their homes are provided with basic human rights, including shelter, food, water, healthcare, and education. The organization also advocates for policies that support the rights and well-being of refugees and works to find durable solutions to their situations, including resettlement in a third country, voluntary repatriation to their home country, or local integration in the country of asylum. UNHCR operates in over 130 countries around the world and works closely with governments, NGOs, and other partners to provide life-saving assistance and protection to millions of people who have been displaced due to conflict, persecution, or other reasons.