2023 United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Nansen Refugee Award (US$ 150,000 Prize)

Each year, the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award recognizes several individuals, groups or organizations that have shown exceptional dedication in protecting and assisting refugees, internally displaced or stateless people.

The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award is given annually to an individual, group or organization that has shown outstanding dedication and service to people forced to flee their homes or people who are stateless. Since 2017, we have also recognized several regional winners each year. Learn about past winners at unhcr.org/nansen.

Nominations

Anyone may nominate a candidate for the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award. If you nominated someone in the past but they did not win, you may nominate them again.
The strongest nominations will provide a detailed account of the candidate’s work and results for displaced or stateless people, as well as three solid references to vouch for their character and impact. References should not all come from the same organization or group.

Selection criteria

Candidates may be individuals, groups or organizations.
Their work must have a direct and positive impact on the lives of forcibly displaced or stateless people.
Their work relates to a major displacement situation or issue. This year we especially encourage nominations that relate to inclusion or solutions, which will be central themes of the Global Forum on Refugees in December 2023, but this is optional.
They devote substantial time and effort to support forcibly displaced or stateless people, going above and beyond the call of duty and outside their expected role.
They have the capacity to successfully implement a suitable project with the prize money (US$100,000 for the global laureate, US$25,000 for regional winners).
They have three strong references.

Selection process
The global laureate and regional winners are chosen by an independent Selection Committee and will be announced in late 2023. The selection process remains strictly confidential, and no information regarding the status of your nomination will be released.