The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) - Protecting Refugees Around the World
- Mar 18
- 4 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Grade Level: 6-12
Duration of Video 1: 5 minutes 37 seconds
Duration of Video 2: 3 minutes 16 seconds
Themes:
Human dignity
Global cooperation
Refugee protection
International institutions
Humanitarian response
Problem-solving across borders
Responsible citizenship and thoughtful inquiry
The United Nations (UN), UNHCR
Civil Rights, World History
Photo: Children sing in front of a UNHCR tent at Mugombwa refugee camp in Rwanda. Photo by Shaban Masengesho / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Description:
Students learn about the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its mission to protect and assist people who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, persecution, or disaster. Through two short videos and guided discussion, students explore how UNHCR operates, the services it provides, and how international cooperation helps address refugee crises. Students also practice thoughtful inquiry by examining how organizations respond to humanitarian challenges and by considering how individuals can evaluate institutions and contribute responsibly to global efforts that support displaced populations.
Video 1: WHAT IS UNHCR? (5:37)
Video 2: All Inclusive: The Campaign for Refugee Education (3:16)
Lesson Plan:
🎯 OBJECTIVES (SWBAT)
Explain the mission and purpose of UNHCR.
Identify the challenges refugees face when forced to leave their homes.
Describe how UNHCR provides protection and assistance.
Analyze how cooperation between countries and organizations helps address humanitarian crises.
Practice responsible citizenship by asking thoughtful questions about how institutions operate and how individuals can contribute positively.
🧰 MATERIALS:
Video 1: WHAT IS UNHCR? (5:37)
Video 2: All Inclusive: The Campaign for Refugee Education (3:16)
Whiteboard or SMARTboard
Student Worksheet 1: Understanding the Work of UNHCR (Printed for each student or digital copy)
📋 LESSON FLOW
Hook
Teacher writes on the board:
What happens when people are forced to leave their homes because of war or danger?
Ask students:
“Where might people go if their home is no longer safe?”
“What challenges might they face when starting over somewhere new?”
Teacher writes on the board: UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Teacher explains:
“Around the world, millions of people are forced to leave their homes because of war, violence, or persecution. Today, we are going to learn about an international organization created to help protect and support these people. It is called the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR.”
Watch Video 1
Teacher says:
“As you watch this video, listen for two ideas: Who does UNHCR help and what kinds of support does it provide?”
Play Video 1: WHAT IS UNHCR?
Teach & Discuss
Ask students:
“Who does UNHCR help?”
“Why might people become refugees?”
Clarify key concepts:
Write these three vocabulary words on the board and ask students to define them:
Refugee – a person forced to leave their country because it is unsafe
Displacement – when people must leave their homes because of danger
Humanitarian assistance – help provided to people during emergencies
Teacher explains:
“UNHCR was created after World War II to help people who had lost their homes because of conflict. Today, it works in many countries around the world to provide safety, shelter, education, and support for refugees and displaced people.”
Introduce the Worksheet
Teacher says:
“Now that we understand what UNHCR is, we are going to look more closely at how it helps refugees.”
Hand out Student Worksheet 1: Understanding the Work of UNHCR (Printed for each student or digital copy).
Teacher explains:
“As we watch the next video, use this sheet to write examples of problems refugees face and how UNHCR helps respond to those problems.”
Watch Video 2
Play Video 2: All Inclusive: The Campaign for Refugee Education
In order to identify problems refugees face and the specific UNHCR responses to these problems, students fill in the chart on Part 1 of Student Worksheet 1: Understanding the Work of UNHCR (Printed for each student or digital copy)
Class Discussion: How Organizations Respond
Ask:
“What kinds of problems do refugees face?”
“What kinds of help did UNHCR provide?”
“Who works together with UNHCR to help people?”
Explain that large global challenges often require cooperation between:
Governments
International organizations
Aid groups
Volunteers
Local communities
Teacher says:
“Organizations like UNHCR are created to help solve real problems. Understanding how these organizations work helps us see how people around the world cooperate to help others.”
Partner Activity: Understanding the Impact
Partners then work together to complete Part 2 of the Student Worksheet 1: Understanding the Work of UNHCR (Printed for each student or digital copy)
Reflection: Thinking Like Responsible Citizens
Students discuss/share:
One thing they learned about how refugees are helped
One way people around the world work together to solve problems.
Any other ideas, comments, and /or questions they discussed with their partner
Teacher Notes:
Keep discussion focused on understanding institutions and humanitarian work, not political debate.
Emphasize facts, global cooperation, and problem-solving.
Encourage respectful discussion and curiosity about global issues.
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