Other relevant bodies in the United Nations system 67 CHAPTER VII THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES  Summary: Many of the world’s refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and stateless persons are members of minority groups who have specific protection needs and often cannot rely on their own State for protection. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is mandated by the United Nations to lead and coordinate international action for the worldwide protection of refugees and to find durable solutions which protect them. The United Nations General Assembly has also requested UNHCR to work for the prevention and reduction of statelessness and the protection of stateless persons. In all its activities, UNHCR promotes an age-, gender- and diversity-sensitive approach and pays particular attention to groups with specific needs, seeking to promote the equal rights of disenfranchised groups, among others. The mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the agency mandated to oversee the application of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, provides international protection and assistance to almost 40 million people, including asylum seekers, refugees, returnees (former refugees), internally displaced persons and stateless persons around the world. In the 21st century, UNHCR has assisted with major refugee crises in Africa (e.g., in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia) and Asia (especially regarding Afghan refugees). UNHCR has also been asked to use its expertise to help people internally displaced by conflict, in particular in the Sudan, Colombia and Iraq. UNHCR actively contributes to the protection of minorities in the context of its major operations in support of internally displaced persons. However, failure to protect the rights of minorities has itself often been at the heart of the causes of displacement and may present an obstacle to the identification of durable solutions. The operational context in the Balkans, the Sudan, Sri Lanka, Georgia and Afghanistan, among other places, presents particularly complex realities in this regard. Since it began operations, UNHCR has also been involved with statelessness, first with stateless refugees, then with all stateless persons. Members of national minorities are often exposed to greater risks of becoming stateless; risks which tend to be heightened by the impact of displacement. Statelessness is a massive problem that affects an estimated 12 million people worldwide. Possession of nationality is essential for full participation in society and is a prerequisite for the enjoyment of the full range of human rights. The work of UNHCR on statelessness relies on the international human rights framework, in particular on the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Today, inter-ethnic and interracial tensions and conflict exist in nearly every region of the world. These conflicts are often rooted in power struggles and are aggravated by socioeconomic inequalities and competition for scarce resources. National, ethnic and religious minorities are often vulnerable in these conflicts; many of those who flee their countries for fear of persecution are members of minority groups. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees recognizes this link in its definition of a refugee, which includes persons who flee persecution not only because of their political opinion but also because of their race, religion, nationality, or membership of a particular social group.