Help for millions of refugees can arrive from Portugal, with a contribution to the Personal Income Tax (IRS) campaign. UNHCR – Portugal (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)) has the “We only need your X” campaign in force. which reinforces that “any type of donation and solidarity gesture will make a difference and have a real impact on the lives of people supported by UNHCR”.
To DN, the National director of this entity, Soraya Ventura, highlights that this gesture can save lives. “When you allocate your IRS to ‘Portugal with UNHCR’, you are extending a hand to someone who has lost almost everything: home, security, future. It’s a simple gesture, at no cost, but it brings protection, dignity and hope to real families, with stories that could be ours. For you it may be a small gesture; for those who receive it, it could be the chance to start over”he emphasizes.
According to UNHCR, the increase in international armed conflicts reinforces the importance of aid. This is the case of the ongoing war in the Middle East. UNHCR recalls that many international entities are suffering from a decrease in funding.
In 2025, around $1.4 billion was cut from its budget. In practice, it means that 11.6 million refugees were affected by the lack of aid through this agency linked to the United Nations. Of these millions of people, the majority are women and children.
The most up-to-date official estimates indicate that there are more than 123 million forcibly displaced people. By the end of this year, this number is expected to rise to 140 millionan increase of 33 million people forced to leave their lives behind.
In the Income Tax campaign, which continues until June 30, the donation corresponds to 1% of income. The organization clarifies that it is not a question of losing money received: instead of allocating the tax amount to the State, it is allocated to UNHCR. To carry out this action, it is necessary to select “Portugal com UNHCR – Fundação” in the list of eligible entities during the IRS delivery period, which runs until June 30, 2026. The agency has been in Portugal since 2021.
amanda.lima@dn.pt
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