UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
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| UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) |
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This document is being made available by the Population Information
Network (POPIN) Gopher of the United Nations Population Division, Department
for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, in collaboration
with the United Nations Population Fund Emergency Relief Operations.
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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING GOVERNING COOPERATION BETWEEN
THE UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNFPA)
AND THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER
FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)
30 June 1995
Geneva, Switzerland
WHEREAS, the, United Nations Population Fund (hereinafter referred to
as "UNFPA") supports the promotion of a holistic approach to women's
health over their life spans and the concept of reproductive health as
a human right; and the provision to women and men of the necessary
information and services (hereinafter referred to as "RH"); and
WHEREAS, UNFPA has a mandate to address population issues and the
reproductive health including family planning needs of women and men
affected by natural or man-made disaster; and
WHEREAS, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (hereinafter referred to as "UNHCR") has the mandate to
provide international protection and assistance to asylum seekers,
refugees, returnees and, when requested, to other groups of internally
displaced persons (hereinafter referred to as "persons of concern to
UNHCR"), in close cooperation with governments; and
WHEREAS, an essential part of the international protection and
assistance rendered by UNHCR comprises the provision of appropriate
services to refugee women and men through host government ministries,
other UN agencies and NGOs in partnership with UNHCR, or directly; and
WHEREAS, UNFPA and UNHCR are concerned that the RH information and
Services needs of millions of women and men of concern to UNHCR be
adequately addressed; and
WHEREAS, UNFPA and UNHCR desire to cooperate in order to pursue their
common objectives, and to establish general principles and identify
areas in which such cooperation may take place for the benefit of
persons of concern to UNHCR;
NOW THEREFORE, UNFPA and UNHCR hereby agree to the following principles
governing their cooperation.
ARTICLE I
Purpose
The purpose of this agreement is to establish an overall framework for
collaboration and coordination between UNFPA and UNHCR for the benefit
of persons of concern to UNHCR, with the following objectives:
1. To address RH information and services needs, in particular by:
a. Increasing awareness of the RH needs;
b. Developing and strengthening RH clinical and counselling services
in the protection and assistance activities of UNHCR, its
operational partners and other relief agencies;
2. Promoting a holistic approach to girls' and women's health;
3. Promoting RH among adolescents and young people;
4. Combating sexual violence, with particular attention to the dangers
facing girls and women.
ARTICLE II
Areas of Collaboration and Coordination
The areas of specific collaboration and coordination between UNFPA and
UNHCR will include the following:
1. Development of operational guidelines on the provision of RH
information and services;
2. Advocacy of a holistic approach and integration of RH information
and services in the programmes of relief organizations, especially
NGOs;
3. Assessment of RH information and services needs of women and men in
refugee situations,
4. Integration of RH information and services (including information
on prevention of STDs/HIV/AIDS and counselling of adolescents) in
existing and future health services of UNHCR and other relief
organizations;
5. Monitoring and evaluation of RH information and services in
programmes in which UNFPA and UNHCR have collaborated;
6. Improvement of demographic and other relevant information;
7. Exchange of information in order to ensure that RI-I information and
services requirements are addressed effectively, especially in
emergency situations;
8. Advocacy of measures to prevent, and provide protection from, sexual
violence.
ARTICLE III
Responsibilities of UNFPA and UNHCR
1. UNFPA will:
a. Provide technical assistance and support, through the Office of
the Senior Adviser on Emergency Operations and UNFPA's network
of UNFPA Country Directors and Country Support Teams, in the
assessment, monitoring and evaluation of RH needs and services;
b. Provide appropriate equipment, supplies, drugs and contraceptives
consistent with UNFPA policies and consonant with the UNFPA
programme in the particular country, based on the assessment of
needs, as well as the resources available to UNFPA;
c. Provide technical assistance in the development and production
of appropriate education materials related to RH information and
services;
d. Provide technical assistance for the training of personnel for
service delivery and related Management Information Service
(MIS) activities;
e. Provide through the UNFPA Country Support Teams, and at the
request of UNHCR, technical assistance for the improvement of
statistical information on persons of concern to UNHCR.
2. UNHCR will:
a. Provide logistical support through its field network to RH
information and services needs assessment, monitoring and
evaluation missions, after agreement on objectives, activities
and time frames;
b. Provide RH information and services to persons of its concern;
c. Inform UNFPA on the situation of persons of its concern, in order
to facilitate, the provision of RH information and services;
d. Seek technical guidance from UNFPA on RH activities, especially
when assessing needs.
3. UNHCR and UNFPA will jointly:
a. Develop strategies and programmes of advocacy for RH information
and services needs and for combating sexual violence;
b. Develop strategies to promote RH among adolescents and young
people;
c. Organize joint assessment, monitoring and evaluation missions
relating to RH information and services;
d. Develop field manuals on the provision of RH information and
services, including RH counselling and clinical activities;
e. Facilitate coordination at the field level through the
establishment of coordination committees with the participation
of UNHCR, UNFPA, other relevant UN organizations and NGOs, for
the purpose of enhancing the provision of RH information and
services;
f. Develop strategies to ensure the integration of RH information
and services into the relevant programmes of other
organizations.
ARTICLE IV
General Conditions
1. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the contractual relationship
and administrative supervision of the operational partners of UNFPA
and UNHCR, nor relationships between UNFPA or UNHCR and Member
States;
2. The implementation of this Agreement will be in compliance with the
respective administrative rules and procedures of UNFPA and UNHCR
and be subject to availability of funds;
3. This Agreement may be modified at any time by mutual written consent
of the parties;
4. This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon 90 days'
written notice.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the duly authorized representatives affix their
signatures to signify their agreement.
For the United Nations For the United Nations
Population Fund High Commissioner
For Refugees
Nafis Sadik Sadako Ogata
Executive Director High Commissioner
Date: 30 June 1995 Date: 30 June 1995