Setting the standard in complex emergencies.

HQ Location: Denmark 

Formed after the devastation of World War II and the European refugee crises triggered by the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council has been a constant, trusted presence in the humanitarian sphere for over 50 years. Serving a dual role, the organization’s activities revolve around the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons from immediate persecution in acute emergency situations, as well as the promotion of lasting solutions for conflict-affected populations (including via targeted international advocacy).

Currently operating in over 35 countries in service of more than 1.5 million people, the Danish Refugee Council has developed an enviable reputation for itself as a leading actor in insecure environments, including through the respected conflict zone work of the Danish Demining Group, the organization’s dedicated humanitarian mine action unit. At the same time, consistent with the trend toward increasing diversification of activities amongst major humanitarian groups, the Danish Refugee Council also works across a number of ‘non traditional’ recovery-focused sectors, including: housing and small scale infrastructure, income generation, food security, displacement-related law and information, social rehabilitation and NGO networking and capacity development.

As an umbrella body comprising 30 members, the Danish Refugee Council’s network and impact is expansive. Perhaps more importantly, the organization’s strong commitment to partnership and collective action is symbolized in collaborative innovations like the Joint IDP Profiling Service, which has become a one-stop shop for data-driven humanitarian planning throughout the sector. Ultimately though, one need look no further for evidence of the Danish Refugee Council’s reputation amongst those that count than the pattern of significant increases in institutional donor funding it has enjoyed in recent years.

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Photo © Danish Refugee Council

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