2.6 Feedback and Complaints 2.6.1 General Observations Unit 2: General Issues Each UNHCR Office must establish and maintain a confidential and accessible feedback and complaints mechanism to enable the Office to receive and respond to complaints, comments and suggestions by Applicants or other individuals about the services provided in UNHCR RSD procedures. Together with proactive measures to engage persons of concern to UNHCR, such as participatory assessments and focus groups, feedback and complaints mechanisms are an essential managerial tool that can permit the detection of any problems, potential areas of improvement or successes in the procedures for individual RSD case processing in UNHCR operations. 2.6.2 Information regarding RSD Feedback and Complaints Mechanisms Information regarding the basic rights of asylum-seekers who approach or are registered with UNHCR, and the procedures for giving feedback regarding the RSD process and procedures should be communicated to Applicants as early as possible in, and throughout the RSD process. Information about existing feedback and complaints procedures in the UNHCR Office should be made available in the main languages spoken by refugees and asylum-seekers registered with the Office, and should be communicated widely and through a variety of methods, including methods accessible to persons with disabilities (see also § 3.1.3 – Dissemination of Information to Asylum-Seekers). Means of communicating may include posting information outside the premises of each UNHCR Office, on electronic notice boards, via SMS systems, through information videos, on the UNHCR Office website or social media platforms, during community meetings or through UNHCR partners involved in providing services and assistance to asylum-seekers and refugees registered with UNHCR. UNHCR Offices should also clearly communicate to asylum-seekers and refugees, throughout the RSD process and by using a variety of means and channels, that the services of UNHCR and partners are free-of-charge, and that any request by UNHCR staff or staff of partners for monetary or non-monetary compensation (e.g. gifts or favours) from Applicants should be immediately reported to UNHCR. Offices should also provide information about the mandate of the Office of the Inspector General (IGO) and how an asylum-seeker or other individuals can report directly to the IGO any information about suspected misconduct of UNHCR staff or any person or entity that has a contractual link to UNHCR (e.g. consultants or staff of partner agencies). The IGO can also receive anonymous reports of possible misconduct.1 UNHCR Offices should ensure that asylum-seekers and refugees have appropriate alternative channels of communication with the UNHCR Office regarding the status of their application or other case processing related queries. Information on the feedback and complaints procedures should also be shared with UNHCR partners, so that they can advise asylum-seekers and refugees on the nature and purpose of the procedures and can assist them in using the established mechanism to submit complaints, comments or suggestions. 1 The IGO can be contacted at the following email address: inspector@unhcr.org. For further information regarding complaints to the IGO, please visit www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php. 59