Sri Lanka has not ratified the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. However, UNHCR processes asylum claims following the agreement made with the government with the assurance of providing alternative durable solutions such as resettlement to recognized refugees.
UNHCR Sri Lanka also facilitates the voluntary repatriation of Sri Lankan refugees living in India and elsewhere. UNHCR supports vulnerable refugee returnees in need of specialized assistance by providing support to access legal counselling on housing, land and property documents through partners and assisting with sustainable reintegration
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Populations
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: 2023 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Population by country
NB: 2023 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Population by origin
NB: 2023 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Financials
Budget and expenditure trend
Source: 2024 budget and 2023 current budget are taken from the budget document approved by UNHCR's Executive Committee in October 2023.
Budget by pillar
Budget by Impact Area
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 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 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
Source: 2024 budget and 2023 current budget are taken from the budget document approved by UNHCR's Executive Committee in October 2023.
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Narratives
Map
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