Processing of Personal Data by UNHCR

Attention! All services and assistance of UNHCR and its partners are free of charge!

During enrollment and verification interviews, UNHCR staff provides you with detailed information on the processing of your personal data. This page summarizes some key points to respond to questions you may have on how UNHCR processes personal data of refugees in Lebanon.

1. Why does UNHCR collect my personal data and how is UNHCR going to use my personal data?⬇️

UNHCR collects personal data from you so UNHCR can pursue its mandate. UNHCR’s mandate is to help refugees. UNHCR will include your personal data in its database to establish who you are. This process is called counselling and enrollment for assistance. Your personal data will then be used to provide you with assistance and services based on your needs and in line with the eligibility requirements of certain programs.

Your personal data will be treated confidentially and only those who need to see it will be given access to it.

2. Who will have access to my data?⬇️

Where it is necessary to provide and coordinate assistance, your personal data may be shared with humanitarian organizations and other service providers helping refugees in Lebanon.

UNHCR may also share your personal data with the Government of Lebanon for different purposes, to ensure needed protection and assistance, and recognizing the Government’s legitimate interest to know who is on its territory.

To implement the agreement that UNHCR and the Government of Lebanon reached in August 2023, UNHCR shared the following personal data of Syrian refugees known to UNHCR with the General Directorate of General Security as part of a one-time transfer in December 2023: individual ID with UNHCR, name (Arabic), first name (English), last name (English), father’s first name (English), mother’s first name (English), sex, date of birth, governorate in Lebanon, head of household individual ID with UNHCR, relationship to head of household and photo to be used for manual verification.

3. What do I need to further know?⬇️

UNHCR will include you for consideration for relevant assistance and services as appropriate on the basis of the information you provide to UNHCR. Therefore, it is important that you provide accurate and complete information, and inform UNHCR of any significant changes in your circumstances, including change of your address and telephone number, arrival or departure of family members or any other changes in your household.

4. What are my rights?⬇️

You have the right to access your personal data and to know how UNHCR uses it. You have the right to correct or update your personal data. Under certain conditions, you have the right to ask that UNHCR deletes your personal data. You have the right to object to UNHCR’s use of your personal data at any time. Please note that you can exercise your rights by contacting UNHCR through the channels provided below.

Please note that processing your personal data is necessary for the coordination of delivery of assistance and services. Therefore, if you decide to opt out from the enrollment exercise or to object to the continued use of your personal data by UNHCR, you will not be considered for assistance and services provided by UNHCR.

5. How can I contact UNHCR?⬇️

If you would like to make a request or lodge a complaint about UNHCR’s collection and use of your personal data, you can do so by:

  • contacting the UNHCR National Call Center at 04726111;
  • approaching enrollment staff during the enrollment interview or subsequent verification interviews; or
  • contacting us through 🗎 the Online Contact Form.

Also, if you or your family members have concerns or information about possible misconduct by UNHCR or other person or entity contracted by UNHCR, including in what concerns the handling of your personal data, you can contact UNHCR Inspector General’s Office (IGO) by:

Please note however that the IGO does not have the authority to deal with protection or assistance related requests.

Related Information