Global Strategic
U
NHCR’s Global Strategic
Priorities (GSPs) for
2016 and 2017 represent
important areas where the
Office is making concerted
efforts through its operations to
strengthen protection, improve the
quality of life and seek solutions for
refugees and other people of concern.
Intended as a common set of
key priorities and a “blueprint” for
planning in UNHCR operations
worldwide, they target the
achievement of consistent progress
towards meeting international
standards.
The operational GSPs are
firmly established as a core tool to
guide UNHCR and its partners in
developing country-level operational
plans and in prioritizing activities
within budgetary parameters. Each
GSP is linked to an objective and
a specific impact indicator within
UNHCR’s results framework.
A separate set of support and
management GSPs represent
UNHCR’s commitments to
improving its organizational
effectiveness. These include
protection, results-based
management, financial
accountability, emergency response
and humanitarian coordination.
They also guide the work of
headquarters and regional offices in
oversight, policy development and
support for field operations.
PLANNING AND TRACKING
planning. During the year, UNHCR
Representatives in the field and their
teams, together with partners, track
progress and make adjustments. At
Headquarters, the GSP results are an
important “lens” for reviewing and
approving operations plans.
When analysing the operational
GSPs and their impact on the lives
of people of concern, the 22 impact
indicators provide important insight
into their situation and challenges
and the organization’s efforts to
address these. UNHCR’s institutional
commitment is to pursue the 2016-
2017 GSPs as comprehensively as
possible, with both field operations
and headquarters entities shaping
their planning accordingly.
GSPs 2016-2017
people of concern, including IDPs.
Finally the indicators used to measure
progress on solutions have been
revised to provide a more meaningful
and qualitative measurement of
UNHCR’s solutions work. The
support and management GSPs
have been adjusted where necessary
to ensure that they remain relevant
and aligned with the strategies
and orientation of the respective
Headquarters Divisions.
CHALLENGES
The implementation of the 2016-
2017 GSPs will build on the previous
biennium achievements which
have brought tangible differences
to the lives of many refugees and
others of concern. UNHCR’s
focus on the GSPs is continuous.
Each operation reviews its GSP
commitments during the detailed
planning process in October and
November, in consultation with
partners, and ensures that the GSPs
are integrated into implementation
In setting the Global Strategic
Priorities for 2016-2017, the High
Commissioner has affirmed the
overall validity and continued
relevance of the GSPs established for
the 2014-2015 biennium. Following a
broad consultative process, the latter
had been extended to strengthen
coverage of prevention and response
to sexual and gender-based violence;
child protection; the empowerment
of women in leadership structures;
host community support; and self-
reliance. However, participants in
the consultative process had also
emphasized the importance of
maintaining continuity over time
to help assess where UNHCR was
achieving meaningful progress.
Thus, for 2016-2017 only a
few changes to the GSP indicators
have been introduced, based on
recommendations by UNHCR
technical experts who analyse
the GSP process and results. An
additional GSP indicator has been
added to measure progress towards
the eradication of statelessness. The
engagement to promote the issuance
of birth certificates for refugee
children under 12 months of age
has been broadened to apply to all
There are a number of challenges
in ensuring that the organization’s
priorities for the protection and well-
being of people of concern are carried
out across all operations and over a
time period that enables UNHCR and
its partners to analyse progress and the
impact of these efforts.
Efficient coordination and
engagement in partnership with
all concerned parties - displaced
people themselves and their hosting
communities, States, as well as the
Office’s other partners, including
non-governmental organizations, UN
agencies and national organizations
– are required to create an enabling
environment. And in some cases, it
is contingent upon States themselves
to enact the necessary legislation to
permit the changes that will make
such a difference for refugees, IDPs
and stateless people.
The need for UNHCR to remain
adaptable and flexible in the face of
new emergency situations may also
disrupt some ongoing operations and
affect the anticipated programme
implementation including in GSP
areas – both from operational and
financial management perspectives.
Finally, it is clear that the growing
gap between the organization’s
financial requirements and available
funding for humanitarian aid
remains a key constraint which
will undoubtedly affect UNHCR’s
capacity to implement the 2016-2017
priorities.
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UNHCR Global Appeal 2016-2017