Reporting misconduct/fraud

All UNHCR and partner services, including any assistance from UNHCR or its partners, are free of charge.

What is fraud? 

If a humanitarian worker promises you assistance in exchange for money, they are committing fraud!

Protection from Fraud

  • Do not trust anyone or any organization asking you to pay for the services of UNHCR or its partners, as they are free of charge. Be aware that any UNHCR and partners’ services offered to you in exchange for money or other favours are fraudulent acts.
  • Ask to see official ID cards of people claiming to be UNHCR, its partners or other service providers before sharing your personal information, UNHCR documents, and other identification documents.
  • Be alert that those taking advantage of your situation may show you false documents to persuade you that they are connected to UNHCR, its partners or other agency.
  • Report if someone is offering you issuance of documents, financial or other kinds of assistance from UNHCR and/or its partners in exchange for money or other favours. These offers may be made to you in person, by phone, or via social media, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Twitter.
  • Remember that all services provided by UNHCR and its partners are free of charge.

Reporting sexual exploitation and abuse

Sexual exploitation and abuse are unacceptable behaviours and prohibited by all United Nations and NGO partners’ staff. Your report will be treated with discretion and be kept strictly confidential.

What is sexual exploitation? 

Any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust for sexual purposes.

What is sexual abuse? 

Any actual or threatened sexual activity carried out by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

Sexual exploitation and abuse can happen to anyone—men, women, boys, and girls—at any age or circumstance.

Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse

In line with United Nations standards of conduct, UNHCR staff members and NGO partners must not:

  • Have sexual activity with anyone in exchange for money, employment, preferential treatment, goods or services
  • Have sexual activity with any child under the age of 18 years old
  • Engage in any other form of sexually humiliating, degrading, or exploitative behaviour.

Report suspected sexual exploitation and abuse, or misconduct/fraud

If you are aware of or have concerns or suspicions about a possible case of sexual exploitation and abuse by a UNHCR, UN, or NGO staff member, you can report directly to UNHCR by:

  • Submitting a complaint through the UNHCR Complaint Boxes established at the State Agency for Refugee Centers and the Blue dots; or
  • Email to UNHCR Representation in Bulgaria: [email protected], or
  • Email UNHCR Inspector General’s Office: [email protected],
  • Submitting an online complaint: www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php
  • Please include detailed information in your report, including the name of the individual, place where the fraud occurred, action, witnesses, etc.
  • Anonymous complaints cannot be investigated
  • All information provided to UNHCR is kept confidential.

In your report, you should include:

  • What happened?
    • Describe in detail what you know about the incident or incidents.
  • Who committed the alleged wrongdoing?
    • Do you know if anyone else was involved? Please provide full names, job titles and organization, if possible.
  • When and where did the incident or incidents occur?
    • Include dates and times, if possible.

Reporting protection incidents that occurred at the borders

Asylum and border management are fully managed by the Bulgarian government. UNHCR supports relevant authorities in executing these duties in line with international and European standards and does not register asylum-seekers nor deal with individual cases directly. However, UNHCR’s responsibility is to advocate with the government to improve the situation of persons of concern to UNHCR.

Suppose you faced mistreatment while entering the territory of Bulgaria, including rejection at the border, denial of access to State asylum procedures, violence, and other types of mistreatment and/or incidents. In that case, you may wish to submit feedback or complaint directly to UNHCR Bulgaria, following which you will receive counselling and information on possible ways to follow up on this incident. In that case, you need to provide the details of the incident in the form on the following link: https://enketo.unhcr.org/x/g2XVdyaF

In your report, you should include:

  • What happened?
    • Describe in detail what you know about the incident or incidents.
  • Who committed the alleged wrongdoing?
    • Please provide job titles and organization of the alleged perpetrator, if possible.
    • You may also describe the colour of the uniform, the labels on the uniform or any other details that would help to identify perpetrators.
    •  You may also provide the details of the vehicles, including their colour, make or number of the plate.
  • When and where did the incident or incidents occur?
    •  Include the date and time of the incident. If the exact time is unknown, indicate if it occurred during the night, morning, day or evening.
    • Include details that would help identify the place where the incident occurred