Unit 2: General Issues
UNHCR Offices should establish procedures for screening of feedback and complaints, as well as
timeframes for responding (where applicable) and taking appropriate action. Procedures should include
appropriate safeguards to ensure that complaints submitted to the UNHCR Office are not intercepted
or referred for follow-up by staff members against whom the complaints are made. Safeguards should
also be in place to prevent disclosure of the identity of the person who made the complaint, or against
whom the complaint was made. As a recommended practice, feedback and complaints relating to the
RSD process and procedures in a particular Office should be considered/read on a regular basis, not less
than once weekly, by the RSD Supervisor and the Head of the Office, or another senior Protection staff
member designated by the Head of the Office.
The RSD Supervisor, or another senior Protection staff member designated by the Head of Office, should
be responsible for reviewing all feedback and complaints received by the Office regarding the UNCHR
RSD procedures, and for referring them to the appropriate staff member for follow-up or directly to the
IGO if the subject matter of the complaint involves suspected misconduct by of a staff member or any
person or entity that has a contractual link to UNHCR. Complaints or feedback that indicate that fraud by
persons of concern may be occurring in the RSD procedures should be referred to Anti-Fraud Focal Point
in the UNHCR office.
The date of the referral of the feedback or complaint for follow-up and the name of the staff member
assigned to follow up on the feedback or complaint should be noted in the Office central record system
for feedback and complaints and on the feedback/complaint form, where applicable.
UNHCR Offices with limited numbers of Protection staff should make necessary and appropriate
arrangements for referral of complaints to the Representative or other senior Officers, or to the
appropriate UNHCR Regional Office.
Staff to whom the feedback or complaints are referred should be required to follow up on the individual
feedback or complaint and report on the action taken in a timely manner and according to established
procedures. Where appropriate, given the subject matter of the complaint, a record of the feedback or
complaint, as well as any action taken in response to it, should be maintained in the individual’s RSD file.
Where possible and appropriate, the individual who provided the feedback or made the complaint should
be informed in writing of the action taken or of the reasons why no action is considered necessary in a
particular case.
Feedback and complaints procedures in the UNHCR Office should also include effective measures for
UNHCR staff to report suspected misconduct by UNHCR staff members, including supervisory staff or
managers, and any person or entity that has a contractual link to UNHCR. All UNHCR staff should be
aware of their obligation to report suspected misconduct, without delay, directly to the IGO.
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