Kenya

UNHCR has been operational in Kenya for over fifty years.  Kenya is the fifth largest refugee-hosting country in Africa and the thirteenth largest asylum country in the world. 

 

$166 million

are urgently needed from January to December 2024

Check the latest Funding Update

man sitting on the floor surrounded by children
"We had to abandon our shelter after it got submerged. We picked only essential beddings and fled to the nearby school, to seek shelter". 70 year-old Muhumed Shafat and his family seek shelter in one of the schools in Dadaab refugee camps, after their shelter got damaged by floods. © UNHCR/Mohamed Maalim
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The refugee situation in Kenya is protracted, the majority of refugees have resided in the camps for over 30 years with new influxes over the years, mainly from Somalia and South Sudan. UNHCR works closely with the Government of Kenya and numerous national and international partners in providing protection and assistance to refugees and asylum seekers from across the East, Horn and Great Lakes Region. UNHCR also supports returnees (former Kenyan refugees abroad coming back to Kenya) with humanitarian assistance.  

UNHCR advocates on behalf of stateless persons in Kenya and with the support of different Government of Kenya actors, supports access to documentation (birth certificates and national ID cards). 

The Government of Kenya is currently shifting its approach toward refugees, which aims to transition refugees from camps into integrated settlements. The multi-year “Shirika Plan” is a pioneering initiative currently under development that could benefit refugees and host communities alike.

Explore the dedicated website to access additional information and UNHCR's news and stories related to Kenya.
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Populations

valDoubleCounted
nbHost
nbTotalPoc
valTotalStateless

Population types

Note: The "Stateless" category does not include stateless people who are also in other categories, to avoid double counting. The total number of stateless, across all categories, is  .

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

Population by country

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

Population by origin

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

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Financials

Budget and expenditure trend

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by pillar

Budget by objective

Note: The table presents the  budget for this operation broken down at the objective level. Resource allocation at the objective level is subject to change during the course of the year as the operational situation evolves and priorities shift. The current budget, reflected in the bottom line of this table, is updated on a monthly basis and is replaced by the final budget at year-end.

Expenditure by Outcome Area

Budget by Impact Area

Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.

Budget by Impact Area

Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2024 budget and 2023 current budget are taken from the budget document approved by UNHCR's Executive Committee in October 2023.

Budget by Impact Area

Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Impact Area

Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

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Impact indicators
Performance indicators
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Strategy
Strategy - Country
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Latest updates

29 February 2024
published
8 months ago
January 2024
published
9 months ago
October - December 2023
published
10 months ago
October - December 2023
published
10 months ago
December 2023
published
10 months ago
October 2023
published
1 year ago
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The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
UNHCR GIS data is publicly accessible in the Operational Data Portal