Community Centres – UNHCR Community-Based Protection in Action

This briefing note presents UNHCR’s approach to community-based protection. In situations of forced displacement, the ties which hold a community together are often severely weakened or broken. Tensions can arise not only amongst different displaced communities but also between the host community and refugees. Community centres are safe and public spaces where women, men, boys and girls of all backgrounds can meet for social events, recreation, education and livelihood programmes, information exchange, and other purposes. They are established with the main objective of empowering refugee and host communities and providing them with a forum to promote their participation in decisions that affect their lives.