Mission and objectives UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is a global organization protecting people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We work in over 130 countries, helping millions of people with life-saving support, safeguarding fundamental human rights, and helping them build a better future (see www.unhcr.org). Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, the Government of Bulgaria has granted Temporary Protection to more than 204,700 refugees fleeing Ukraine, of whom the majority are women and children. Currently there are more than 76,000 valid temporary protection holders as of March 2025. The Council of Ministers has formed a Task Force for the Ukrainian Refugee Response, focusing on inter-ministerial coordination. UNHCR under its mandate leads and coordinates the Inter-Agency refugee response for the Ukraine Situation, in alignment with the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Ukraine Situation (RRP) โ co-leading with and in support of the Government. Under the Refugee Coordination Mechanism, UNHCR has established the national refugee coordination forum โ along with an inter-agency Cash Working Group (led by UNHCR and the Agency for Social Assistance), an Education Working Group (led by UNICEF and UNHCR), a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Technical Working Group (led by WHO), a Protection and Inclusion Working Group (led by UNHCR) as well as a Legal Protection Working Group (led by UNHCR and the State Agency for Refugees), a Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) network (co-led by UNHCR, UNICEF and a local organization) which fall under the inter-agency refugee coordination mechanism. There are currently 19 partners involved in the Refugee Response Plan for 2025-26. Additionally, Bulgaria as an external EU border, plays a strategic role in refugee protection within Europe. In 2024, Bulgaria's State Agency for Refugees (SAR) registered some 12,500 asylum seekers, most from Syria and Afghanistan. SAR operates six reception centers for the registration, Refugee Status Determination procedures and accommodation of asylum seekers. Amid an increase in arrivals of Afghan and Syrian asylum seekers since 2022, UNHCR supports Bulgaria's Government to ensure policies and legislation are in line with international and EU standards, and promotes a comprehensive refugee response, grounded in a multi-stakeholder, who le-of-society approach. UNHCR supports government-led efforts to provide key protection services โ including legal assistance, information on services, education and psychosocial support โ as well as the delivery of core relief items for winterization and cash assistance for the most vulnerable groups. UNHCR's priority protection interventions include access to territory and asylum procedures, inclusion of refugees in state-led programs, Child Protection and Gender Based Violence prevention, risk mitigation and response, support to persons with specific needs, and mitigation of the risks relating to trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation.
ContextBy a decision of the European Council on 4 December 2024, Bulgaria fully acceded to the Schengen zone as an EU Member State positioned on its external borders, lifting internal land borders with Romania. The evolving political and socio-economic landscape in Bulgaria, with a coalition government established in in January 2025, poses challenges for asylum seekers and refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and from countries in the Middle East and North Africa. In 2024, Bulgaria received 12,250 applications for asylum compared to 22,518 in 2023. Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, Bulgaria has granted temporary protection to more than 205,190 refugees as of the beginning of April 2025. Through an annual verification exercise, the Government has renewed the validity of temporary protection ID cards. Temporary Protection (TP) for refugees from Ukraine in Bulgaria has been extended until March 2026, in line with the EU Directive. UNHCR supports government-led efforts to provide key protection, including legal assistance, information on services, education, and psychosocial support. UNHCR's priority protection interventions include access to territory and asylum procedures, inclusion of refugees in essential services, Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence response, support to persons with specific needs, and mitigation of risks related to trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation. Selected candidates with assist UNHCR with specific legal research tasks concerning Bulgariaโs protection and inclusion regime concerning asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons as well as relevant legal and policy matters and good practices, and the impact of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum on refugee protection and inclusion / integration in Bulgaria. The research conducted by the volunteers will support UNHCRโs efforts to provide technical assistance to the national counterparts, and may include desk review of UNHCR positions and caselaw on asylum issues of European and national courts, reception conditions, child protection, and country of origin information. The volunteers will be provided with resources and training to conduct such research, and will receive feedback from UNHCR experts. We expect the selected online volunteer(s) to start with this task. 1. May โ July 2025 2. August โ October 2025
Task Description- Conducting legal research on issues relating to refugee protection with regards to Temporary Protection regime and the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum - Conducting desk review of UNHCR information and guidance, and legal research on questions formulated by UNHCR experts, relevant to Bulgariaโs protection and inclusion regime concerning asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons - Compiling and translating briefs on legal issues and caselaw of the national and European courts
Competencies and values
Living conditions and remarks