On the ground with…Yukiko Iriyama, UNHCR Chief of Emergency Preparedness

In times of crisis, having a well-coordinated response can be the difference between life and death for those affected.

Yukiko Iriyama works in the Division of Emergency, Security and Supply.

With over 20 years of experience, she has been pivotal in ensuring the swift delivery of emergency relief in some of the world’s most challenging environments, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia and Myanmar.

Q. What does your role involve?

A. UNHCR’s Division of Emergency, Security and Supply – which I am part of – is responsible for timely supply of relief items such as blankets and tents, effective management of emergency deployments, and the safety of our staff especially in remote and high-risk areas.

Q. How does UNHCR ensure staff are in place when emergency strikes? 

A. We maintain an Emergency Response Team – a roster of 100-150 highly-trained staff ready to mobilise to the field within 72 hours.

For instance, to respond to the Sudan emergency, we deployed experts in specific areas like child protection, shelter, and gender.

I truly believe that one of UNHCR’s strengths is our dedicated staff who are ready and willing to serve in very difficult field locations. You could say it’s in our DNA.

Q. Is there a memory from your experiences in the field that stays with you?

A. Before my current role, I served in Myanmar. At that time, armed conflict intensified following the military takeover in 2021 and UNHCR needed to explore ways to provide assistance to people where humanitarian access was very limited.

I was so impressed by the solidarity, resilience, and generosity that the people of Myanmar demonstrated in extremely difficult circumstances – they lost almost everything, yet they were trying to share whatever they had with others.

Q. Working in emergencies can feel grim at times. What gives you hope?

A. I have been encouraged by the resilience and strength that displaced people demonstrate, even in extremely challenging circumstances.

I am also heartened by the generous support received from donors at times of crisis, which in 2023 allowed us to deliver lifesaving assistance to millions of people.

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This Q&A with Yukiko showcases the dedicated staff behind UNHCR’s global emergency response efforts.

To support our mission in providing urgent assistance to crisis-affected communities, please consider donating today. https://donate.unrefugees.org.uk/

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