ABSTRACT
The world in which UNHCR turned sixty in 2010 is radically different from the world when it was established in 1950. UNHCR was created to address the situation of a particular group of people at a particular juncture of history. It was initially created with a temporary and short-term mandate to respond to the consequences of displacement in Europe in the aftermath of the Second World War. The Office’s mandate to protect and find solutions for people crossing international borders in fear of persecution by their own governments was consequently a reflection of the era and geographical context into which it was born. During the Cold War period this focus on people crossing borders in fear of persecution fitted the circumstances of many people fleeing Communism, conflict and government repression around the world. Since the end of the Cold War, however, the nature of forced displacement has changed in ways that pose a range of challenges for the mandate and work of the Office.
