Spain

a girl in class
Igirubuntu Divine, a refugee from Burundi, concentrates during a lesson in a school in Kakuma camp, Kenya
© UNHCR/Samuel Otieno
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Spain is a key donor and partner to UNHCR in the protection of forcibly displaced people worldwide, with particular attention to women and children.


Spanish support of UNHCR reflects the generosity and solidarity of its citizens. Thanks to significant efforts from both central and decentralized authorities, Spain's support for UNHCR reached new heights since 2020, with the country re-establishing itself as a key donor and reaching levels higher than before the economic crisis.

While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (and its Spanish Cooperation Agency, AECID) is overseeing Spanish humanitarian action, UNHCR is also receiving support from decentralized authorities through its national partner, España con ACNUR.

UNHCR, therefore, enjoys support from Spanish public authorities at all levels, from central government to autonomous communities, provincial councils, city councils and other local funds. Additionally, Spanish citizens have rallied behind the cause. The Spanish people are also among the largest private donors to UNHCR, with their contributions exceeding US$ 126 million in 2022 alone.

Spain’s predictable support to operations in the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East allows UNHCR to protect and assist forcibly displaced people in some of the largest emergency situations as well as in protracted crises.In-line with its foreign policy, Spain pays special attention to the needs of women and girls in emergency settings, including prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence, and prioritizes education, including higher education.

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Total contributions in 2023 to date