Privacy Notice

Who are we?

UNHCR is the United Nations refugee agency who helps with assistance to refugees in times of emergencies and protects refugees from being sent back to their home country. UNHCR is assisting the Polish Government to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing Ukraine and to coordinate the delivery of assistance between multiple non-governmental organizations and service providers.

UNHCR is collecting and will use your personal data for the reasons explained below. CRS and its partner Caritas are acting on behalf of UNHCR when collecting and using your personal data for the reasons we will explain.

Why do we collect your personal data?

The personal data will be collected to enable UNHCR to pursue its mandate. Our mandate is to help refugees. Your personal data will be used to provide you with assistance. This process is called enrollment for assistance and is separate from when the Polish government collects your personal data.

UNHCR uses the information collected during the enrolment to determine which individuals need assistance and type of assistance, as well as to know who has received assistance, the time and location where assistance has been received.

What type of personal data do we need and how are we going to use it?

UNHCR will need personal data about you, including your

  1. biographical data (such as full name, date of birth, nationality, family composition),
  2. necessary information about any specific needs (e.g. health conditions) that you or your family members may have to allow for a more targeted assistance and support,
  3. photo and fingerprints for identification and distribution purposes,
  4. contact information (such as address and phone number) to be able to contact you and deliver the assistance through mobile services.

Your personal data will be kept for so long as required to give you cash assistance. We may keep your personal data longer, if we give you long-term protection and assistance, or to demonstrate accountability of our actions when necessary.

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

Who will have access to your data?

Where it is necessary to provide and coordinate assistance, your personal data, other than your fingerprints, may be shared with. 

  1. CRS and its partner, CARITAS, who are collecting and using your personal data on behalf of UNHCR
  2. Santander Bank Polska as the financial service provider for cash assistance
  3. Other humanitarian NGOs in Poland providing assistance to refugees

Please note that your fingerprints will not be shared with anyone. 

Under no circumstances, will we share your personal data with the Ukrainian government or any other entity other than those indicated above without your consent.

What do you need to further know?

We will seek to provide you with relevant assistance on the basis of the information you provide us. Therefore, it is important to provide accurate data. If the information that you provide is not accurate to the best of your knowledge, your access to assistance and services may be negatively impacted and even stopped

Decisions about your eligibility for assistance will be made through the intervention by UNHCR personnel and/or partner personnel.    

What are your rights?

You have the right to access your personal data and to relevant information concerning how we use it. You have the right to correct or update your personal data. Under certain conditions, you have the right to ask that we delete your personal data. You have the right to object to our use of your personal data, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time. Please note that you can exercise your rights by contacting us through the channels provided below and also by approaching enrollment staff with questions and reasons for objections

Please note that your personal data is necessary for coordination of delivery of assistance. Therefore, if you decide to opt out from the enrolment exercise or to object to the continued use of your personal data by us, you will not benefit from emergency cash assistance, and this may also further impact on assistance provided by UNHCR and humanitarian NGOs.

How can you contact us?

If you have questions to about how we collect and use your personal data, or if you would like to make a request or lodge a complaint about our use of your personal data you can do so by

  • Approaching enrollment staff during the enrollment interview
  • Sending an email to: [email protected]
  • Submitting a letter to the following address: 
    UNHCR
    Przemysłowa 30,
    00-450 Warszawa

See also: