| No | | COMMENTAIRE et ITV | Illustrations |
| 1. | 00’’ | She hasn’t forgotten anything she saw and heard in the chaos and distress of the refugee camps in Africa. In 1995, Aminata Gueye was in Bukavu, eastern Congo, home to over a million Hutu refugees fleeing Rwanda with neither food nor water.
| Coupe Aminata couloirs HCR et devant carte du Congo |
| 2. | 00’’ | ITW Aminata GUEYE, Senior Community Services Coordinator, Community Development Gender Equality and Children « The sheer number of people and the camps … I should say ‘villages’ not camps. Tents everywhere ... that’s the first thing I remember …» | In 0 43 35 14 |
| 3. | | Aminata Gueye started off as a social worker in Senegal where she took care of integration for people suffering from leprosy. When she joined the High Commissioner for Refugees her work took an unexpected new turn. | Coupe Aminata entre bureau |
| 4. | | « In the field you had to deal with different problems as quickly as possible to save people’s lives … above all to save lives.» | In 0 15 24 08 |
| 5. | | At that time aid workers had to deal with water shortages, malnutrition and even a cholera epidemic. One of the worst situations the organisation has had to handle. In such circumstance the Executive Committee takes over the decision-making process and the HCR coordinates the projects undertaken by the UN. The Commissioner’s 6,000 employees have to wage a daily war against the clock. | Images archives |
6. | | « As they were fleeing danger the first priority was to get them to a safe place. Before doing anything else we have to get them in a place where no-one can put them back in the situation they are trying to escape …then we give them food and drink and carry out medical examinations. Thirdly we put a roof over their heads – if they have shelter, food and can sleep in peace that’s an enormous weight off their shoulders.» | In 0 :33 :00 :16 |
| 7. | | This, in a nutshell, is the role of the organisation. Daily contact with the weakest among the world’s most fragile inhabitants. | Images archives |
8. | | « At first you just see an army of people. When you look closer you see groups, families, isolated people. We see people who are very self-sufficient, who immediately start communicating with others - looking for someone who can help them find a little something to feed their families. And then, amid the chaos and constant noise, you see others who are completely at a loss … it is vital at a time like that to take people’s details – especially the children – because before long they will have forgotten where they’re from and how they left.» | In 0:33 :58 :15 |
| 9. | | HCR is often the target of criticism in the field. There are those who find fault with what they see as certain inertia and a management structure ill adapted to the situation in the camps. The refugees depend entirely on the organisation for food and are not authorised to work. In all fairness, since the UNHCR was founded in 1950 to deal with displaced populations after the 2nd World War, the sheer scale of its mission has increased ten-fold.
Its critics say the responsibility is too much. The organisation is now responsible for 32 million people - almost 10 million of whom are refugees. Governments worldwide provide the organisation with logistic and administrative support for the camps. Despite such partnerships the involvement of the organisation - which is entirely financed by donations - still costs a lot of money. | Archives Camembert sur la composition des 32 millions sous responsabilité HCR |
| 10. | | Nicholas VAN PRAAG, Director of External Relations
« Every December we have a conference where the various nations announce the amounts they are prepared to contribute – as a rule it is about a third of what we actually need. In other words we start each year knowing that a third of what we need is available but we spend the rest of the year trying to persuade donor nations to cover our entire budget. It’s a continual process.» | In 0 17 39 22 |
| 11. | | This year’s budget is 1.5 billion dollars – half of which is destined for Africa. 90% of the organisation’s budget is provided by just 12 countries. The HCR directors, keen to diversify a funding process that is far too vulnerable, are calling on Gulf nations, international foundations and the private sector to participate. | |
| 12. | | « Last year we raised $34 million from private contributions, this year we hope to raise $40 million and our target for 2012 is $100 million. 70 % of this money comes from individuals. I think people are concerned about the corporate sector contribution. We are working on that and hope to raise around $10 million a year. » | In 0 11 27 22
In 0 13 03 10 |
| 13. | | The HCR is developing partnerships with major companies such as Nike and Manpower. The latter will provide refugees with advice on finding work. At the same time the organisation is attempting to reduce its running costs. As from next year 20% of the personnel currently based here at the organisation’s Geneva headquarters will be deployed in the field – on the front line so to speak. Meanwhile a new shockwave is on the way: there are already over 2 million Iraqi refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries … | |
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Lancement : Six thousand people, an annual budget of one billion dollars and an apparently impossible mission: helping over 32 million people in 110 countries. But that’s all in a day’s work for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - an organisation founded in 1950 to serve the world’s uprooted populations displaced by conflict and natural disasters. 