A Refugee Response Plan (RRP) is a comprehensive and coordinated strategy developed by the United Nations, other international organizations, governments and humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to address the needs of refugees in a specific context or crisis. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) leads the development of Refugee Response Plans.
The goal of a RRP is to provide a structured and organized approach to providing humanitarian assistance and protection to refugees, as well as addressing the broader challenges associated with forced displacement. A Refugee Response Plan is similar to a Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), but the latter is broader in scope and developed in response to a humanitarian crisis or emergency impacting a country or region, not limited to a specific group such as refugees.
Refugee Response Plans are often prepared in collaboration with host governments and in consultation with affected communities to ensure that their perspectives and priorities are taken into account. RRPs can be regularly updated to reflect the evolving nature of the refugee crisis and the changing needs of the affected population. The plans can also be developed for different levels of coordination, such as regional or national.
Regional Refugee Response Plans (also known as RRPs) are developed to respond to the needs of a specific refugee population in neighboring countries in the region. Examples include the 2024 Ukraine Regional Refugee Response Plan, the 2024 Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan, and the 2024 Afghanistan Regional Refugee Response Plan.
Specific plans have also been adapted for individual situations, such as the 2024 Venezuela Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan or the 2024 Syria Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan. The plan for Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh is called the Rohingya Joint Response Plan (JRP).