Attachments
Key Figures
179,737 refugees obtained temporary protection in Romania (as of 31 December 2024).
17,759 refugees enrolled for cash assistance in 2024 and 2025.
28,366 refugees provided with protection counselling services and legal support in 2024 and 2025.
9,901 refugees supported with livelihood and employment services in 2024 and 2025.
Humanitarian Response and Advocacy
In order to better assess the needs and capacities of refugees in Romania, and therefore tailor better services and support mechanisms, and to better advice governmental and non-governmental actors, UNHCR and its partner the Center for Comparative Migration Studies (CCMS), affiliated to Babes-Bolyai University, undertook a workshop on 11 February, focused on refining the sampling framework for the 2025 Socio-Economic Insight Survey (SEIS). It also highlighted the importance of building a network of academics, practitioners, public institutions, and NGOs dedicated to forced displacement and migration research. Strengthening ties with the academic community was emphasized as crucial to improving the evidence base and informing policies that directly impact refugees' lives.
To enhance refugees’ wellbeing, on 11 February, UNHCR, in collaboration with AIDRom, launched a series of workshops in Timisoara. A psychologist facilitated a workshop using stained glass painting, a creative approach that allowed seven Ukrainian refugees to process their emotions and build resilience. Through the act of painting and storytelling, participants were encouraged to share their experiences, fostering a sense of empowerment and providing comfort in a supportive environment. This workshop helped refugees connect with their emotions, strengthening their mental health and resilience.
To ensure more accurate and coordinated data, thereby improving the effectiveness of response efforts and enhancing the services and support they receive, UNHCR’s inter-agency team trained 51 individuals from 38 organizations on the reporting framework for the 2025/2026 Regional Response Plan. This training focused on a new database and sector indicators, ensuring consistent reporting.
On 10 and 12 February, UNHCR held several meetings with partners in Galati and Constanta, to discuss 2025 priorities, plan information sessions and focus group discussions (FGDs) to assess refugees' access to services. These discussions aimed to strengthen collaboration and ensure that urgent needs of refugee communities are met, improving their access to essential services and support, and that their existing capacities are strengthened. In Constanța, partners World Vision, the Romanian National Council for Refugees (CNRR), and Civic Resource Centre (CRC), focused on child protection, livelihoods, legal assistance, document translation and social benefits directly addressing the needs of refugees. In Galați, Inima De Copil and CNRR emphasized child protection and digital safety for youth.
UNHCR’s Post-Distribution Monitoring data shows a positive impact of cash assistance in targeted areas such as winter aid, support for people with specific needs and transition multi-purpose cash assistance. The cash provided helped cover essential expenses like rent, utilities, healthcare, improving refugees' living conditions and wellbeing while reducing stress and reliance on coping mechanisms. In total, nearly 17,759 refugees have been enrolled for cash assistance through various programs from 2024 across Romania.
Since January 2025, the UNHCR-managed Emergency Transit Centre (ETC) in Timisoara has supported 49 refugees from Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia and other regions evacuated from Niger, Yemen and Libya. Of these, 38 have already departed the ETC and been resettled. The group includes survivors of violence and torture, women and girls at risk and unaccompanied minors. Over the past week, the refugees’ English language skills have been strengthened through reading and writing exercises.