Category: Migrants Refugees

Rokaya needed time to recover after illness forced her to quit as a live-in maid in Malaysia and return home to Indramayu, West Java. However, under pressure from her agent who claimed two million Rupiah for her initial placement, she accepted an offer of work in Erbil, Iraq. There, Ms. Rokaya found herself responsible for… Continue reading From Desperation to Determination: Indonesian Trafficking Survivors Demand Justice

28 March 2024Migrants and Refugees The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and partners on Thursday appealed for $1.4 billion this year to support more than two million South Sudanese refugees in five African countries and local communities hosting them.  Since the start of the conflict in South Sudan over 10 years ago, growing humanitarian needs compounded… Continue reading New $1.4 billion plan to support South Sudanese refugees

26 March 2024Migrants and Refugees One in three migrant deaths happens while people flee conflict, the UN migration agency, IOM, said on Tuesday. More than two in three migrants whose deaths have been documented remain unidentified.  Last year was the deadliest on record, with 8,541 migrant victims. Nearly 60 per cent of deaths were linked… Continue reading IOM report: 1 in 3 migrant deaths occurs on the move

Global perspective Human stories A group of displaced people hosted in a school in the centre of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. 13 March 2024Humanitarian Aid The number of internally displaced people around the world is at a record high – well over 70 million – it’s a global crisis that needs collaborative solutions from the humanitarian community,… Continue reading With internal displacement at a record high, aid chief backs action call

Nearly 8,600 people on the move died in 2023, a 20 per cent increase from 2022, according to the UN agency’s Missing Migrants Project online platform. It details the global movement of people risking their lives to escape conflict, economic crisis and natural disasters, including drought and flooding linked to climate change. IOM says the… Continue reading World News in Brief, deadliest year for migrants, Syria refugee support crisis, Shamima Begum appeal

“The agency will no longer have funding as of the end of February, so that means our operations would come to a halt during March,” said Dorothee Klaus, UNRWA Director in Lebanon, describing the “severe impact” of fresh budget cuts. The funding crisis stemmed from Israel’s allegations that a dozen agency staff were involved in… Continue reading Amid a funding crisis, UNRWA’s work in Lebanon could end by March

31 January 2024Migrants and Refugees Yul Brynner was a charismatic and engaging star of stage and screen, and in 1959, the United Nations asked him to lend his talents to support efforts to aid the world’s refugees. The Russian-born actor, filmmaker and photographer was appointed a special consultant to the Office of the United Nations… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: All-star 1950s cast visits European refugee camps

1 February 2024Migrants and Refugees Yul Brynner was a charismatic and engaging star of stage and screen, and in 1959, the United Nations asked him to lend his talents to support efforts to aid the world’s refugees. The Russian-born actor, filmmaker and photographer was appointed a special consultant to the Office of the United Nations… Continue reading Stories from the UN Archive: All-star 1950s cast visits European refugee camps

IOM underscored the need for regular migration pathways at a one-day summit in Rome hosted by Italy to boost development in Africa and curb migration flows. The A Bridge for Common Life conference represented a critical opportunity to examine “unified and sustainable mechanisms to stop further needless loss of human life on treacherous routes,” said Amy Pope, the agency’s Director… Continue reading Latest Mediterranean deaths highlight need for safe migration routes

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was addressing the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board when he said that “several outstanding issues” still needed to be resolved by governments and that time was “very short” to find consensus. “A failure to deliver the pandemic agreement and the International Health Regulations amendments will be a missed opportunity for which… Continue reading World News in Brief: Pandemic treaty in jeopardy, historic IOM appeal, ‘enormous obstacles’ facing Iran’s lawyers

That’s according to Juliette Touma, Director of Communications for UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees, who spoke in depth to UN News’s Conor Lennon on Monday about her most recent visit to the Strip. The interview has been edited for clarity and length. “This was my second trip since the war began. I try… Continue reading Gaza: ‘The siege is the silent killer’

Sri Lankan migrants who paid their life savings to people traffickers for perilous and unsuccessful sea crossings in an attempt to find a better life overseas have returned home thanks to the support of the UN migration agency, IOM.

27 December 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has appealed for action in the wake of a mob attack against refugees in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on Wednesday. Hundreds of young people stormed a building basement where scores of Rohingya refugees were sheltered, according to media reports. The Rohingya are a mainly Muslim community… Continue reading Indonesia urged to protect refugees following mob attack

Global perspective Human stories Refugees in an inflatable boat approach the shores of the island of Lesbos, in northern Greece. 20 December 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN High Commissioner for Refugees on Wednesday welcomed a key deal by members of the European Union (EU) to overhaul their joint migration system which promises a fresh and… Continue reading UN’s Grandi welcomes EU deal overhauling regional migration system

In a message marking International Migrants Day, the UN chief emphasized that migration promotes the exchange of knowledge and contributes to economic growth, but at the same time, “poorly governed migration is a cause of great suffering.” “It forces people into the cruel realm of traffickers, where they face exploitation, abuse, and even death. It… Continue reading Migration is a fact of life and a ‘force for good’

Speaking at the closing of the Global Refugee Forum, the Secretary-General said that protection and help for these most vulnerable of people, was “an obligation shared by all of humanity”.  He was speaking after three days of intensive activity geared to finding solutions and building partnerships, which saw pledges from multiple stakeholders that have the potential… Continue reading Global Refugee Forum ends with bold pledges, solutions for displaced

The world’s largest gathering dedicated to refugee issues, the Forum is co-hosted by UNHCR and Switzerland and convened by Colombia, France, Japan, Jordan and Uganda. It brings together Member States, civil society, financial institutions, private companies and more than 300 refugee advocates. Shattered dreams, disrupted lives Setting the tone for the discussion, Mr. Grandi said… Continue reading Global Refugee Forum opens amid ‘crisis of humanity’

Global perspective Human stories A migrant from Venezuela talks to his family after crossing the Darien Gap into Central America. 7 December 2023Migrants and Refugees The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), on Thursday, called for urgent action to address the deepening humanitarian emergency in the Americas, as the number… Continue reading Protect those on the move using deadly Darién crossing

6 December 2023Human Rights Authorities in Nigeria must investigate a string of deadly airstrikes over the past six years and hold those responsible to account, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Wednesday.  OHCHR issued a statement deploring the latest strike – the fourth since 2017 – which took place in Kaduna state in… Continue reading World News in Brief: Nigeria airstrikes condemned, support for Venezuelan migrants and refugees, weapons in Myanmar

Abdullahi Mire grew up in the sprawling Dadaab refugee complex in northeastern Kenya with its population today of more than 240,000 registered refugees, mostly from Somalia. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) coordinates operations there together with partners, relying also on the support of the Kenyan Government and host communities. The majority of the population, around… Continue reading Somali-born champion of refugee education wins top UNHCR award

Pakistan announced in October that it would begin deporting “undocumented” foreign nationals starting on 1 November, affecting thousands of Afghans who have found refuge in the country. WFP said most families crossing the border are arriving hungry, desperate and in need of immediate support. The UN agency continues to supply them with fortified biscuits and… Continue reading World News in Brief: Aid cut threat for Afghan deportees, saving Rohingya lives at sea, China respiratory illness spike, new rail transport treaty

Global perspective Human stories Refugees from Sudan wait to collect aid items in a border village in Chad (file). 21 November 2023Humanitarian Aid Funding constraints and rising humanitarian needs could force the World Food Programme (WFP) to halt assistance to more than a million people in Chad, including newly arrived refugees from Sudan, the UN… Continue reading Funding shortfall puts WFP operations in Chad at risk

19 November 2023Migrants and Refugees A rising number of migrants are attempting the dangerous journey across the Darién jungle spanning the Colombia-Panama border. For Etzaida Rios, 35, the impact of providing hope and help runs deep. Migrants come ashore from the Chucunaque River after crossing the Darién jungle. A rising number of migrants are attempting… Continue reading From the Field: Transforming lives in Darién jungle

The floods were caused by ongoing heavy rains and come in the wake of the longest and most severe drought on record, the impacts of which are still being felt by millions across the region. Among the greatest needs are food, emergency shelter, kitchen sets, blankets, clean water and hygiene services. Families living in flood-prone… Continue reading Displaced families uprooted by severe floods across Horn of Africa

10 November 2023Migrants and Refugees Escalating violence across the Darfur region in Sudan has sparked fears that atrocities committed two decades ago could be repeated, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday, voicing grave concern over the development.  More than 800 people have been reportedly killed by armed groups in Ardamata, West Darfur, an… Continue reading Sudan: UNHCR warns Darfur atrocities of 20 years ago may reoccur

According to news reports, Pakistani security forces began detaining and deporting dozens of Afghans under the new policy this week after a Government deadline for them to leave ran out. The majority of undocumented refugees who have settled in Pakistan over decades are from neighbouring Afghanistan, and following the Taliban takeover, thousands more fled seeking… Continue reading World News in Brief: Protection call for refugees in Pakistan, ‘One Health’ plan launched, radio waves saving lives

Despite progress in clearing debris, the city still wears a haunting emptiness that is slowly returning to community life, thanks to support from the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM). Emel and her family were lucky to survive. Yet, their survival came at the heavy cost of losing everything they held dear. “My husband and… Continue reading Türkiye: Rebuilding lives in quake-affected communities

27 October 2023Human Rights Pakistan’s plan to deport “undocumented” foreign nationals will disproportionately affect more than 1.4 million Afghans in the country, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday, expressing alarm.  OHCHR is urging the authorities to halt deportations, which are set to begin on 1 November, Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told journalists in… Continue reading Pakistan urged to halt Afghan deportations to avoid ‘human rights catastrophe’

25 October 2023Migrants and Refugees More than 114 million people worldwide have been forced to flee their homes in the first nine months of this year due to conflict, persecution and human rights violations, UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Wednesday. War in Ukraine and conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and… Continue reading Over 114 million displaced by war, violence worldwide

17 October 2023Migrants and Refugees Pakistan should immediately cancel plans to deport 1.4 million Afghan nationals back to their country, independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council urged on Tuesday. The Government of Pakistan, which has hosted millions of Afghans for decades, recently announced that all “undocumented” foreign nationals must leave the country… Continue reading Human rights experts urge Pakistan to stop planned mass deportation of Afghans

14 October 2023Migrants and Refugees People who have fled to Armenia from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan have been talking about how their lives have been shattered by the recent escalation in hostilities there. Some 100,000 refugees have arrived in Armenia since the end of September and many have received support from the UN’s International… Continue reading First Person: ‘A handful of soil’ – refugee stories from Armenia

Goris, population 20,000, is a picture-postcard town, sitting in a bowl in the high mountains of southern of Armenia. It’s 25 kilometres to the border with Azerbaijan, to the Lachin corridor. During the last week in September, over 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled the Karabakh region and arrived in Goris, Armenia, necessitating urgent humanitarian action by… Continue reading 100,000 reasons to help: The UN migration agency at work in Armenia

“Over 1000 people have died and many more been injured following horrific acts of violence by Hamas on Saturday in Israel, and days of bombing by Israel in Gaza,” the WHO said  in a statement on Tuesday. The UN agency has offered assistance to health officials in both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.  … Continue reading World News in Brief: Health access in Israel-Palestine, Myanmar bombing, child refugee mental health

The World Food Programme continues to distribute food in Ethiopia’s Somali Region (file).. 9 October 2023Migrants and Refugees The World Food Programme (WFP) has begun rolling out food distributions to nearly 900,000 refugees in Ethiopia following a full revamp of its refugee operations.   Families living in refugee camps, including new arrivals who have fled from… Continue reading WFP resumes ‘vital’ food distributions to refugees across Ethiopia

7 October 2023Migrants and Refugees Following Pakistan’s announcement to repatriate Afghan nationals, the UN’s refugee and migration agencies together appealed to Islamabad on Saturday to continue protecting those who sought safety in the country and could be “at imminent risk if forced to return”. Amid a “severe humanitarian crisis”, Afghanistan currently faces several human rights… Continue reading UN agencies call on Pakistan to protect Afghan refugees

Speaking to reporters in Geneva on her first official day as head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope said that migrants were “people first” who should not be seen as a problem. That distinction was more critical than ever today, the IOM Director-General added, noting that it is almost 10 years since… Continue reading We’re better off thanks to migrants, says new IOM chief

“The situation underscores the urgent need for the immediate collective involvement of governments from origin, transit and destination countries to provide humanitarian assistance, especially to vulnerable groups like women and children,” said Michele Klein Solomon, IOM Regional Director for Central America, North America and the Caribbean.   Perilous journeys IOM cited statistics that reveal the… Continue reading Regional action essential to address migrant surge through Central America

Some 19,000 refugees have reportedly left the Karabakh Economic Region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including many elderly people, women and children.   UNHCR Spokesperson Shabia Mantoo called on all sides to protect civilians and to fully respect international humanitarian refugee law allowing them safe passage. All parties must “refrain from actions that would cause displacement… Continue reading UNHCR increasingly concerned for refugees fleeing Karabakh region

12 September 2023Migrants and Refugees The United States-Mexico border is the world’s deadliest land route for migrants, with at least 686 deaths and disappearances last year, the UN migration agency (IOM) said on Tuesday. Nearly half of the deaths on the border were linked to the hazardous crossing of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts. “These… Continue reading US-Mexico border, ‘world’s deadliest’ overland migration route: IOM

Children in the region driven from their homes by gang violence, instability, poverty and climate change represent around 25 per cent of migrants said UNICEF – almost double the global average of 13 per cent. “More and more children are on the move, of an increasingly young age, often alone and from diverse countries of… Continue reading Unprecedented child migration crisis across Latin America and Caribbean

Hope Away from Home gets underway at a time of unprecedented, forced displacement. There are a staggering 110 million people displaced from their homes, and access to asylum and protection is under threat in various regions due to increasingly harsh policies. “People fleeing war, violence and persecution should be met with compassion and kindness, not… Continue reading ‘Hope Away from Home’: UNCHR launches new global campaign

Rama, 13, Zubaida, 14, and Hadeel, 15, have a shared story of displacement and loss. The name of their city, Mosul, was synonymous with death, destruction, and despair less than a decade ago. Many families, including theirs, have returned to Mosul after years of living in limbo, and are building a brighter future for their… Continue reading How girls are moving the goalpost in Iraq

UNHCR’s representative in Niger, Emmanuel Gignac, said that sanctions imposed on the country by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following last month’s military takeover do not include any exemptions for humanitarian aid.  Mr. Gignac observed that food and commodity prices, already climbing before this crisis, jumped after sanctions were introduced. If humanitarians… Continue reading Niger spiralling into ‘protection crisis’ following takeover: UNHCR

That’s the message from the group of eight experts, including Ashwini K.P., the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, who urged Greece on Wednesday to investigate alleged violations against asylum-seekers. They said that they were “particularly concerned” by the failure of the country’s security personnel and coast guard to provide “prompt and effective” assistance… Continue reading Greece: Rights experts condemn ‘racist violence’ against asylum-seekers

10 August 2023Migrants and Refugees Three UN agencies on Thursday appealed for greater access to safe and regular pathways for migration and asylum in the European Union after another deadly shipwreck claimed dozens of lives in the Mediterranean. The International Organization for Migration (IOM); the UN refugee agency, UNCHR; and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)… Continue reading Save lives, UN agencies appeal, after yet another tragedy in the Mediterranean

8 August 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, voiced concern on Tuesday over the situation in Mexico, where refugees and migrants aspiring to get to the United States find themselves in cramped shelters, exposed to multiple risks.  At a press conference in Geneva, agency spokesman William Spindler pointed out that “the capacity to… Continue reading UN refugee agency concerned about situation at Mexico-US border

8 August 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is calling for safer legal paths to migration following the latest tragic attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. A pregnant woman and a young child died when two boats carrying scores of migrants sank in rough seas off the Italian island of Lampedusa… Continue reading UNICEF laments deaths of pregnant mother and toddler in Mediterranean Sea shipwreck

2 August 2023Migrants and Refugees Record numbers of migrants are crossing the Darién jungle in Latin America in a desperate and perilous journey, including from as far off as Nepal and Afghanistan, UN agencies said on Wednesday, highlighting the urgency of finding safe and regular pathways. Crossing the Darién jungle – on the border between… Continue reading Spike in dangerous Darién jungle crossings underscores need for safe migration pathways, say UN agencies

The International Conference on Development and Migration, held on Monday, brought together several UN agencies and representatives from multiple countries involved in managing migration flows to address challenges such as irregular migration and forced international displacement. ‘Complex challenges’ “Forced displacement and mixed movements are complex challenges for all: countries of origin, countries of transit and… Continue reading UNHCR, IOM outline new approach to assist growing number of migrants

The UN agency added that there have been more than 2,500 severe violations of children’s rights – an average of more than one an hour – in a country where 14 million youngsters need aid relief.  “As we reach more than 100 days since the conflict in Sudan escalated, we know that it is taking… Continue reading Sudan: Child deaths rise, concern intensifies for refugees after 100 days of battle

21 July 2023Migrants and Refugees Award-winning Somali-Canadian artist K’naan Warsame, creator of the chart-topping unofficial World Cup anthem Wavin’ Flag, released Refugee in late June, saying he wants to flip the word’s meaning “and make it something that people will wear proudly”. “I wanted to write a song that felt like a home for those… Continue reading From the Field: Hip hop artist K’naan’s new track hails refugees

In March, the value of the food vouchers for camp residents was reduced from $12 per person per month to $10, and in June, to just $8; the equivalent of 27 cents a day. “The ration cuts are our last resort. Many donors have stepped forward with funding but what we have received is simply… Continue reading Funding ‘simply not enough’ for Rohingya refugees, UN agencies report

18 July 2023Human Rights A group of UN independent experts on Tuesday expressed concern over Tunisia’s alleged discriminatory treatment of migrants, urging the authorities to take action to halt collective expulsions and protect human rights.  “Collective expulsions are prohibited under international law,” the UN experts warned in a statement. They emphasized that it is prohibition… Continue reading Tunisia: UN experts urge swift action to uphold migrants’ rights

Concerns over legislation The Illegal Immigration Bill eliminates access to asylum for anyone who arrives “irregularly” in the UK, meaning they passed through a country – however briefly – where they did not face persecution.   The bill bars migrants from presenting refugee protection or other human rights claims, regardless of their circumstances. It has… Continue reading UK Bill ‘significantly erodes’ human rights and refugee protections, UN agencies warn

The figure is equivalent to about 11 children dying each week, “far beyond what we hear in news headlines,” Vera Knaus, the agency’s Global Lead on Migration and Displacement, told journalists attending the biweekly UN humanitarian briefing in Geneva. “We cannot continue to ignore what is happening – stand by silently when nearly 300 children… Continue reading World ‘wilfully ignoring’ child deaths during dangerous Mediterranean Sea crossings

13 July 2023Human Rights A group of UN-appointed independent human rights experts on Thursday voiced “grave concern” over hostile conditions impacting Eritreans refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Ethiopia, including targeted arrests and prolonged arbitrary detention. According to the experts, hundreds of Eritreans were also subjected to summary deportations at the end of June. “Collective… Continue reading Ethiopia: Rights experts denounce mass deportation of Eritreans

“The effects of climate change are becoming more severe, and the number of people displaced across international borders is rapidly increasing,” said Ian Fry, independent human rights expert on climate change, who took up the new post last year.  “In 2020 alone, 30.7 million people were displaced from their homes due to weather-related events. Droughts… Continue reading Legal protection essential for people displaced by climate change: UN expert

 According to the Projected Global Resettlement Needs Assessment for 2024, over 2.4 million refugees will be in need of resettlement, marking a 20 per cent increase compared to 2023. A woman leaves a refugee camp in Rwanda on her way to resettlement in Norway. Escalating challenges  With a deepening refugee crisis, security breakdowns and conflicts, urgent… Continue reading UN refugee agency predicts spike in resettlement needs next year

Thousands of Somalis who fled persecution and civil war in the Horn of Africa country have benefitted from resettlement programmes in third countries like the US. Muhidin Libah is one of them. He told UN News how he set up the Somali Bantu Community Association in Lewiston, Maine, to both preserve Somali Bantu culture and… Continue reading First Person: The Somali refugees planting a new life in the United States

30 June 2021Migrants and Refugees The number of international migrant workers has increased from 164 to 169 million, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday, noting a marked rise in the number of young people seeking opportunities abroad, too. A new report from the ILO indicates that migrant workers made up one in 20 of the world’s workforce in 2019, often carrying out key functions in critical sectors from health care to transportation… Continue reading Migrant worker numbers rise by five million: ILO

The study focusses on transit routes in West and North Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, and Central America.  It also examines the differing types of violence inflicted on men and women, and presents factors and motivations behind abuse committed during smuggling operations.  No reason for punishment  “Our research showed that violence is used by the smugglers… Continue reading Violence against smuggled migrants widespread, but justice is lacking: UN report

24 June 2021Migrants and Refugees UN refugee agency UNHCR, on Thursday welcomed the growing number of countries that have offered COVID-19 vaccines to refugees before urging others to do the same. “Beyond the moral imperative, this is in our collective self-interest”, said Ann Burton, Chief of UNHCR’s Public Health Section. “As long as the pandemic remains out… Continue reading 91 countries now offer COVID-19 vaccinations to refugees, says UNHCR

That’s the warning from UN refugee agency, UNHCR, which on Tuesday published a report showing that the “great majority” of national immunization plans in 157 countries lacked “clarity” on anticipated coverage for people who have no legal proof of their identity,  “regardless of whether their age, health status or role in society would otherwise place them in… Continue reading ‘Invisible’ stateless people could miss out on COVID-19 jabs, UNHCR warns

19 June 2021Migrants and Refugees Everyone has a duty to help refugees rebuild their lives after a particularly difficult year for so many – that’s the message from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, to mark World Refugee Day on 20 June. Everyone has a duty to help refugees rebuild their lives after a particularly difficult year… Continue reading Refugees disproportionately exposed to COVID impact: Guterres

According to the UN Refugee Agency flagship Global Trends Report published on Friday, the restrictive COVID-19 pandemic did not slow forced displacement around the world, and instead could have left thousands of refugees and asylum seekers stranded and vulnerable. The new ‘one percent’ Despite COVID-related movement restrictions and pleas from the international community for a… Continue reading Forced displacement at record level, despite COVID shutdowns: UNHCR

16 June 2021Migrants and Refugees Migrants working away from their families made significant sacrifices to send money home last year as they did before COVID, UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday, warning that now is not the time for countries to withdraw their support to these key workers.  The Secretary-General’s message to mark the International Day of Family Remittances, comes as… Continue reading ‘Families came first’ for remittances in year of pandemic, says Guterres 

Since 2015, some 5.6 million Venezuelans have left the country to escape violence, insecurity and threats, as well as a longstanding economic crisis which has led to a lack of food, medicines and essential services, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. Some 2.5 million have settled in the Americas, where most were self-sufficient until the… Continue reading Continuing Venezuela exodus and COVID-19 highlights need for global solidarity for most vulnerable

28 May 2021Humanitarian Aid The threat of new volcanic eruptions from Mount  Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have triggered thousands of residents to flee from the eastern city of Goma, the UN humanitarian office said on Friday.   Speaking at a UN news briefing in Geneva, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office… Continue reading Thousands in Goma evacuated amid fears of further volcanic eruption 

The global crisis is damaging their well-being and access to vital rights and services, by heightening pre-existing threats to their physical and mental health, nutrition, finances and legal status.  “Older persons in forced displacement have long encountered neglect and insufficient protection. Their full inclusion in national responses to the pandemic, including in COVID-19 vaccination plans,… Continue reading Pandemic making life harder for older refugees in Latin America

25 May 2021SDGs Africa’s rich, diverse cultural and natural heritage, is important for sustainable development, poverty reduction, and “building and maintaining peace”, the UN chief said on Tuesday, marking the international day celebrating the continent.  “This year’s Africa Day highlights arts, culture and heritage as levers for building the Africa we want”, Secretary-General António Guterres  … Continue reading Africa essential for sustainable development, poverty reduction and peace

22 May 2021Migrants and Refugees Manizha Sangin arrived in Russia as young refugee, when her family fled the violence of the civil war in Tajikistan. Today, she is a high-profile singer, representing Russia in the final of the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, with the song “Russian Woman”. Ms. Sangin is also a UN… Continue reading First Person: Refugee ‘Russian Woman’ in bid for Eurovision glory

20 May 2021Migrants and Refugees The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has appealed to the Government of the United States to “swiftly lift” the public health-related asylum restrictions that remain in effect at the southern border, and to restore access to asylum for the people “whose lives depend on it”. In a statement published on… Continue reading UNHCR chief calls on US to end COVID-19 asylum restrictions at the Mexico border

19 May 2021Human Rights Migrants must be allowed to stay in Chile while their cases are being individually assessed or risk “irreparable harm”, a group of UN-appointed independent human rights experts said in a statement on Wednesday.  In line with international human rights norms and standards, the experts called on the Government of Chile to immediately stop collectively expelling migrants.  “Deportations of migrants cannot be carried out… Continue reading Arbitrary expulsions of migrants in Chile must stop immediately, urge rights experts

18 May 2021Migrants and Refugees Under the leadership of the Government of Bangladesh, the Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched a $943 million plan on Tuesday to “safeguard the well-being and dignity” of Rohingya refugees in the country and their host communities.  For the nearly 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, 2021 marks the… Continue reading UN launches response plan to ‘safeguard the well-being and dignity’ of Rohingya in Bangladesh 

In a survey of more than 17,000 youngsters aged 13 to 24, 54 per cent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people said that they had been bullied at least once, based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Backlash “Everyone says you can be whoever you want, you can be free, you can… Continue reading Over half of LGBTQI students in Europe bullied in school: UNESCO

9 May 2021Migrants and Refugees Misrah, an undocumented migrant worker, and her family, left their home in Ethiopia hoping for a better life. Instead, her three children are now dead, drowned during a perilous sea crossing across the Gulf of Aden, when the overloaded boat smuggling them into the country capsized. Misrah lost three children… Continue reading ‘I am alive, but I feel like I am dead’: a migrant grieves the drowning of 3 children

26 April 2021Migrants and Refugees The latest shipwreck in the Caribbean has highlighted the need for safe migration pathways, particularly in the COVID-19 era when many borders remain closed, two UN agencies said on Monday.  The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, expressed deep sadness over the deaths of two… Continue reading Deadly shipwreck off Venezuela underscores need for safe migration pathways, protection

23 April 2021Migrants and Refugees A shipwreck off the Libyan coast has reportedly claimed the lives of 130 people, despite SOS calls for help, the UN migration agency IOM said on Friday.  The tragedy was confirmed late on Thursday by the volunteer rescue vessel Ocean Viking, which found dozens of bodies floating in the water northeast of Tripoli.  It had been in distress since Wednesday morning, the NGO said in a… Continue reading Libya shipwreck claims 130 lives despite SOS calls, as UN agencies call for urgent action

22 April 2021Migrants and Refugees Weather-related crises have triggered more than twice as much displacement as conflict and violence in the last decade, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday. Coinciding with Earth Day on Thursday 22 April, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, published data showing how disasters linked to climate change likely worsen… Continue reading Climate change link to displacement of most vulnerable is clear: UNHCR

20 April 2021Migrants and Refugees Recent fighting between government forces and rebels in northern Central African Republic (CAR) has forced more than 2,000 refugees into neighboring Chad over the past week, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.  According to the agency, new arrivals in Chad reported having fled clashes, as well as pillaging,… Continue reading Thousands flee fresh clashes in Central African Republic: UN agency

Children comprise at least 30 per cent of migrants in Mexican shelters, who come from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and the country itself.  Half have travelled without their parents, which is among the highest proportions ever recorded in Mexico.  Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, wrapped up a five-day visit… Continue reading UNICEF reports sharp rise in migrant children in Mexico

13 April 2021Human Rights The rights of refugees and asylum seekers who have fled Burundi for Tanzania must be respected, experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said on Tuesday in an appeal to authorities in both countries.  Burundi refugees have suffered violations such as arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, allegedly carried out by… Continue reading Burundi refugees in Tanzania living in fear: UN rights experts

8 April 2021Migrants and Refugees Travel restrictions during the COVID pandemic have been particularly hard on refugees and migrants who move out of necessity, stranding millions from home, the UN migration agency, IOM, said on Thursday.  According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the first year of the pandemic saw more than 111,000 travel restrictions and border closures around the world at their peak in December.   These measures “have thwarted many people’s… Continue reading Migrants left stranded and without assistance by COVID-19 lockdowns 

That’s the message from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, which on Tuesday called for support for more than 60 Refugee Olympic and Paralympic athletes currently dedicating their lives to training for the games. To mark the UN’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, 6 April, UNHCR has released ‘The Journey,’ a social video depicting the extraordinary stories of… Continue reading Why we should support refugee athletes’ Olympic medal hopes in Tokyo: UNHCR

1 April 2021Migrants and Refugees Ten days after armed groups carried out a deadly attack on three villages near the western Niger town of Tillia, UN humanitarians have repeated their call for greater protection of civilians and all those displaced by violence in the Sahel. The UN refugee agency UNHCR reported on Thursday that six refugees from nearby Mali… Continue reading UNHCR urges greater protection for Sahel communities after deadly attack

28 March 2021Migrants and Refugees An association run by former rugby professionals in the French wine-making region of Bordeaux is supporting the integration of refugees, through career training, work opportunities and regular sports sessions. In his former life, in Syria, Hussam worked as a journalist, and was an elite athlete. “I was the Syrian kickboxing… Continue reading Vintage French rugby pros tackle refugee integration in the vineyards

UN humanitarians reported on Friday that aid teams have reached two camps for Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray region for the first time since fighting began in early November, only to find them destroyed and the former occupants “scattered”. UN refugee agency (UNCHR) spokesperson Boris Cheshirkov told reporters in Geneva that all the humanitarian… Continue reading Deep concern for thousands of Eritrean refugees ‘scattered’ in Ethiopia’s Tigray

“‘I kept running for days, holding my children tightly and fearing we could be caught at any time. I left my family, friends, and home to seek safety in another country. I am still running, but now from the memories that haunt me daily and the blurred future that awaits my children.’ These are the… Continue reading First Person: When refugees bloom in the desert

20 June 2023Migrants and Refugees Refugees deserve support and solidarity, not closed borders and pushbacks. That’s a reminder from UN chief António Guterres on Tuesday’s World Refugee Day, regarding the international community’s duty to assist and protect refugees. With forced displacement at a record high of 110 million people around the world, Mr. Guterres called for… Continue reading World Refugee Day: UN calls for solidarity and inclusion amid record displacement

Oksana and 11-year-old Sasha are among more than 100,000 Ukrainians who have been welcomed into homes across the United Kingdom after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Jane Howard and Laurens Jolles, who met them upon their arrival in the UK, said it “seemed the natural thing to do”. A UN-run bus takes… Continue reading UN retirees host Ukrainian refugee family

In this feature, part of a series exploring trafficking in the Sahel, UN News focuses on migrant smuggling. Migrant smugglers have been reaping rich dividends over the past decade in the Sahel, where armed violence, terrorist attacks, and climate shocks have displaced three million people and triggered growing numbers of others to flee, according to a… Continue reading Trafficking in the Sahel: Smugglers ‘will take you anywhere’

14 June 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday he was horrified at the news of dozens more deaths in the Mediterranean after an overloaded boat reportedly capsized and sank off the coast of Greece. Latest news reports said the bodies of at least 79 men, women and children had been recovered, with… Continue reading UN chief voices horror as scores die in migrant shipwreck off Greek coast

13 June 2023Migrants and Refugees The full-scale war in Ukraine, alongside other conflict and climate-driven upheaval, meant more people than ever remained uprooted from their homes last year, heightening the urgency for immediate, collective action to alleviate the global crisis, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Wednesday.   The agency’s flagship annual report, Global… Continue reading UNHCR calls for concerted action as forced displacement hits new high

The cuts will reduce the value of rations provided to Rohingya refugees to $8 per month, or 27 cents per day. At the beginning of the year, refugees were receiving a ration of $12 per person per month, which was just enough to meet daily needs, but on 1 March, that was cut to $10… Continue reading UN in Bangladesh decries devastating new round of rations cuts for Rohingya refugees

The number fleeing violence in Sudan since fighting between rival militaries began in mid-April in Khartoum, quickly destabilizing the entire country, has now topped 100,000. The majority of arrivals in eastern Chad – particularly Ouaddaï, Sila, and Wadi Fira provinces – are from the Darfur region, which has been deeply impacted by violence for decades,… Continue reading Urgent support needed for Chad, as arrivals from Sudan top 100,000: UNHCR

The mass displacement in 1948, known as the Nakba (meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic), has an importance to Palestinians across the world, said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, addressing a high-level event at UN Headquarters in New York, marking the day. ‘The occupation must end’ “The legacy of the event lives on, spearing… Continue reading UN marks 75 years since displacement of 700,000 Palestinians

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) issued a call for a more collaborative approach to better respond to the anticipated impact of changes on the southern US border. “The challenges facing the Americas call for ambitious, innovative, and principled cooperation among all stakeholders,” the agencies said. Such a plan… Continue reading UN agencies call for more collaboration over refugee, migration crisis in Americas

9 May 2023Migrants and Refugees The number of internally displaced (IDPs) in Sudan has more than doubled in just the last week, since armed clashes erupted between rival militaries in multiple cities across Sudan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday. Speaking at a press briefing at the United Nations in Geneva, IOM’s… Continue reading Sudan displacement doubles in one week, says IOM

At the same time, UN agencies are also helping to provide emergency relief support, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), whose Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) aims at assisting refugees and third country nationals who are desperately trying to flee fighting by escaping to neighbouring countries. Sudan’s national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF),… Continue reading First Person: Caught in the crossfire in Sudan

“I spent the night in fear, unable to go out of my house, as people were being killed everywhere,” she said, worrying about how she would protect her five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. Panicked by the sounds of shooting and warplanes flying overhead, she tried calling her husband at work, only to learn from friends… Continue reading Escaping Sudan: Home alone, with warplanes overhead

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) sounded the alarm after 36,000 people of Haitian origin were deported during the first three months of the year, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Some 90 per cent were deported from the Dominican Republic. Violations and abuses against Haitians The… Continue reading Stop deporting Haitians: Rights experts’ appeal to countries in Americas

13 April 2023Migrants and Refugees The arrival of a charter flight in Toronto on Wednesday marked the successful departure to Canada of more than 30,000 Afghan refugees with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). IOM has worked closely with the Government of Canada and other partners to safely resettle Afghans in the… Continue reading Canada: Over 30,000 Afghan refugees arrive with IOM’s support

13 April 2023Migrants and Refugees The sharp rise in migrants and asylum-seekers making the deadly Central Mediterranean crossing into Europe requires urgent action to save lives, UN High Commission for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Thursday.   Since 2014, over 26,000 people have died or gone missing crossing the Mediterranean Sea.  Most of these deaths… Continue reading UN rights chief calls for action to address Central Mediterranean Sea migrant crisis

IOM’s Missing Migrants Project documented 441 deaths during this period, though the true toll is likely to be higher.  Investigations continue into several reports of so-called invisible shipwrecks – cases where boats are reported missing but there are no records of survivors or search and rescue (SAR) operations.   The fates of more than 300… Continue reading Central Mediterranean: Deadliest quarter for migrant deaths in six years

10 April 2023Migrants and Refugees An unprecedented number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants have entered northern Brazil since 2017; the way they have been welcomed and dealt with at a UN-run facility has been praised as a model for the region. A Venezuelan girl waits at a reception centre in northern Brazil. More than 800,000… Continue reading From The Field: Brazil provides model welcome for Venezuelan migrants

29 March 2023Migrants and Refugees A new UN-backed network aims to drive action to save migrant lives in the Americas, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday.  Thousands searching for a better life meet their death crossing deserts, rivers and remote areas in the region.  IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, documented 1,433 deaths last… Continue reading New network aims to save migrant lives in the Americas

28 March 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday called for a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of at least 39 migrants in a fire at a processing centre on the border between Mexico and the United States. The blaze at the migrant centre which was reportedly run by Mexico’s National… Continue reading Mexico: Guterres calls for ‘thorough investigation’ into deadly migrant centre fire

“I’m from Jarra, a rural area in the Lower River Region of The Gambia, in the middle of the country. I moved to the capital, Banjul, when I was 15, to live with my brother and go to high school. I didn’t graduate, though, because we couldn’t afford the fees. Around five years ago, when… Continue reading First Person: Starting from zero – Gambian returning migrant counts cost of attempted Europe crossing

Mr. Grandi met with people who have been affected by the catastrophe, as well as aid workers on the ground. He also reviewed and discussed the immediate humanitarian response with the authorities. The earthquakes struck on 6 February, killing some 54,000 people across the region, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, which he heads.… Continue reading Step up support to Syria-Türkiye earthquake survivors: UN refugee chief

“In the ruins of historic Antakya city today, I met proud and brave people whose past has been eradicated, whose present is full of suffering and whose future is uncertain,” said António Vitorino, following a two-day visit to Türkiye, which included meetings with senior Government officials. “I am in awe of IOM colleagues and our many… Continue reading Türkiye-Syria quakes: Migration chief hails ‘proud and brave’ citizens of Antakya

8 March 2023Migrants and Refugees Draft migrant legislation proposed by the United Kingdom Government would result in a de facto “asylum ban”, the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday. If adopted, the new bill would deny the right to seek refugee protection to people arriving irregularly in the UK, such as those risking their… Continue reading New UK asylum bill would be in ‘clear breach’ of international law: UNHCR

2 March 2023Migrants and Refugees UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday praised Iraq for repatriating its citizens from camps in northeast Syria holding people suspected of having ties to ISIL extremists, urging other governments “to take responsibility and to act”.  The UN chief was speaking to journalists following a visit to the Jeddah Rehabilitation Centre… Continue reading Iraq: Repatriations from notorious Syria camp ‘an example for the world’

26 February 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN chief and agencies serving refugees and migrants urgently called for safer travel routes and bolstered rescue operations following a deadly shipwreck that left at least 45 dead on Sunday off the coast of Crotone, Italy. “Every person searching for a better life deserves safety and dignity,” UN Secretary-General… Continue reading Deadly shipwreck in Italy must trigger action to save lives, UN officials say

The Human Rights Council-appointed experts called for donors worldwide to give generously to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Rohingya Refugee Response fund. “The planned rations reductions are the devastating consequence of the international community’s failure to provide funding for initiatives that address the fundamental needs of Rohingya refugees”, the two Special Rapporteurs said in a statement. “Rations… Continue reading UN experts warn of ‘catastrophic consequences’ if Rohingya refugee rations are cut

16 February 2023Human Rights A proposed new law in Italy on humanitarian search-and-rescue (SAR) operations could hinder the provision of lifesaving assistance in the Central Mediterranean and result in more deaths, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk warned on Thursday.  “More people in distress will be made to suffer and more lives risk… Continue reading Italy sea rescue law could put more migrant lives at risk: UN rights chief

16 February 2023Migrants and Refugees The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and partners are seeking $84 million to provide humanitarian and development assistance to over one million migrants in the Horn of Africa and communities hosting them.  The Regional Migrant Response Plan, launched this week, will address the dire needs and protection risks facing people… Continue reading Horn of Africa: $84 million appeal to support migrants along risky route to Yemen

9 February 2023Human Rights Activists working with sea-rescue charities in Italy should not be criminalized, a UN independent human rights expert said on Thursday, ahead of a trial against crew members from several non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  Preliminary criminal proceedings opened last May in Sicily against 21 people charged with aiding and abetting illegal immigration in… Continue reading Rights expert urges Italy to stop criminalizing activists saving migrant lives at sea

8 February 2023Migrants and Refugees UN refugee agency (UNHCR) chief on Wednesday called for long-term solutions to help those displaced by the recent conflict in Ethiopia. “While the last few years have been incredibly difficult for many of those affected by the conflict, I was very encouraged to see the progress made towards peace in… Continue reading Ethiopia: UN refugee agency chief calls for more aid, new long-term strategy

Tucked away in the southeastern corner of Europe, Moldova’s winters may be drab and harsh, but the road from Ukraine’s border spools out through bare, brown hills like a ribbon of hope. To Larysa, who came from the Donetsk region of Ukraine, the silent heath means safety. It means a pause in the constant barrage… Continue reading Moldova: The long and winding road to safety

3 February 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN child rights committee on Friday commended Switzerland for swiftly granting asylum to four Kurdish children and their mother, who faced deportation after fleeing Syria, adding that it showed how controversial decisions could be effectively appealed. “We welcome the timely action taken by Switzerland to suspend the children’s return… Continue reading UN child rights committee lauds Swiss asylum offer to Kurdish family

31 January 2023Migrants and Refugees Youth empowerment and employment figured heavily in discussions between Saudi officials and the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), held in the kingdom last weekend.  In a first since 2020, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini visited Saudi Arabia on 28 and 29 January at the… Continue reading Saudi Arabia a strategic partner in UN support for Palestine refugees, amid concern over escalating violence

31 January 2023Migrants and Refugees Increasing numbers of Rohingya refugees have been arriving in Southeast Asian countries by sea and land, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Tuesday as it scales up support in the region.  Almost 3,300 arrived in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand last year, the UN agency said, a roughly 290… Continue reading IOM steps up support as Rohingya refugee numbers rise in Southeast Asia

In 1933, Hitler began putting the party’s core racist and nationalist ideology into practice, identifying who could claim Germany as home and who in their view, really belonged in the country. This process went way beyond enacting legislation to define and exclude Jews from society: the Nazis launched misinformation and hate speech campaigns vilifying and… Continue reading Home, belonging, and the Holocaust

Head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, told journalists in Geneva that competing global crises, and skyrocketing levels of poverty and unemployment among Palestine refugees, have put immense strain on them – and the agency – which started the year some $70 million in arrears. “On the one hand we are asked to deliver public-like services to… Continue reading Palestinian refugees face hitting ‘rock bottom’, warns UNRWA in $1.6 billion appeal

Two refugees from Odessa are now living in Chisinau, Moldova and working for local NGOs to help fellow Ukrainians. 21 January 2023Migrants and Refugees The UN High Commissioner for Refugees congratulated Moldova on Saturday, for its decision to initiate temporary protection for refugees fleeing Ukraine. “The Moldovan people and Government have shown remarkable solidarity with… Continue reading UN refugee chief praises Moldova for opening the country to Ukrainians fleeing war

More than 3,500 desperate Rohingya attempted deadly sea crossings in 39 boats in 2022 – mainly from Myanmar and Bangladesh – UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo told journalists in Geneva. “This represents a 360 per cent increase on the year before, when some 700 people made these journeys.” The UN agency’s latest warning about the situation… Continue reading Steep increase in deadly boat journeys reflects Rohingyas’ desperation: UNHCR

The hearing involving 24 volunteers and activists began on Tuesday on the Greek island of Lesvos, prompting OHCHR to warn of the “chilling effect” that it has had on other rights defenders, who’ve now halted their work in Greece and other European Union countries. Those on trial were all associated with Emergency Response Centre International, or ERCI;… Continue reading Greece in spotlight over trial of activists, volunteers who rescued migrants

11 January 2023Human Rights Recent Biden Administration border policy reforms “risk undermining the basic foundations of international human rights and refugee law”, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said on Wednesday. Taking aim at the expected rise in so-called “expedited removals” from the United States, Mr. Türk also criticised the intention to use… Continue reading New US border policy poses risk to fundamental rights, warns UN’s Türk

6 January 2023Migrants and Refugees Plans by the Biden administration to expand restrictions on people seeking refuge in the United States are “not in line with refugee law standards”, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday.  According to reports, the reforms would deny migrants the chance to seek asylum in the US if they… Continue reading New US border measures ‘not in line with international standards’, warns UNHCR 

Expressing deep sadness that more than 200 Rohingya – who fled military persecution in Myanmar in 2017 – have died trying to cross the Andaman Sea from Bangladesh this year, Mr. Türk said that the boats used to make the crossings are not only “overcrowded and unsafe” but also “left to drift for days on… Continue reading UN rights chief on Myanmar refugees and a future of ‘kindness, empathy and unity’

Newly arrived Rohingya refugees walk ashore after traveling by boat from Myanmar on the Bay of Bengal to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. (file) 27 December 2022Migrants and Refugees Indonesian fishing crews and local authorities who took part in rescuing more than 200 people adrift at sea, were hailed on Tuesday by the UN refugee agency,… Continue reading UN refugee agency welcomes Indonesia’s ‘act of humanity’ in rescuing migrants adrift at sea  

The 100 million figure, which includes those fleeing conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution, was announced by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in May and described by Filippo Grandi, the head of the agency, as “a record that should never have been set”. The figure is up from some 90 million in 2021. Outbreaks… Continue reading 2022 Year in Review: 100 million displaced, ‘a record that should never have been set’

However, its pleas continue to be ignored. “This shocking ordeal and tragedy must not continue”, said Indrika Ratwatte, UNHCR’s Director for Asia and the Pacific. “These are human beings – men, women and children”, he added. Unraveling the situation Reports indicate that they have been at sea in dire conditions for a month, lacking sufficient food or water, and… Continue reading UN refugee agency urges rescue of 190 desperate people adrift in Andaman Sea

Secretary-General António Guterres credited the more than 80 per cent of those who cross borders in a safe and orderly fashion as powerful drivers of “economic growth, dynamism, and understanding”. “But unregulated migration along increasingly perilous routes – the cruel realm of traffickers – continues to extract a terrible cost”, he continued in his message… Continue reading International Migrants Day: 280 million people leave home for ‘a better life’

The report, We wanted workers, but human beings came, published just ahead of International Migrants Day, zeroes-in on schemes in operation across the Asia-Pacific region – the largest single migrant-producing region in the world.  “Migrant workers are often dehumanized”, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, reminding that “they are human beings entitled… Continue reading New UN report warns against ‘dehumanizing’ migrants looking for work 

Coupled with a $400 million commitment from UNHCR’s private sector partners – – a group of independent NGOs known as the National Partners – in Argentina, Australia, Germany, Japan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, 2023 total pledges equal $1.53 billion.  This allows the UN agency to start the new year,… Continue reading Record support brings ‘hope for a brighter future’ for forcibly displaced: UNHCR 

6 December 2022Migrants and Refugees Tens of thousands of people have sought shelter in recent weeks at Kenya’s Dadaab camps, forced from their homes by extremist violence in neighbouring Somalia and an “unrelenting” drought, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday. An estimated 24,000 people have arrived at the camp complex since the end of… Continue reading Drought, conflict force 80,000 Somalis to shelter in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camps

2 December 2022Migrants and Refugees UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Friday, issued an alert over the dramatic increase in the number of people attempting to cross the Andaman Sea, from Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Southeast Asia waterway is one of the deadliest in the world and more than 1,900 people have already made the journey… Continue reading Dramatic increase in Andaman Sea crossings, warns UN refugee agency

Co-led by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V), aims to respond to the needs of millions who cannot afford three meals a day; lack safe and decent housing; face hurdles in accessing medical care; or are unable… Continue reading $1.72 billion plan launched to support Venezuelans on the move in Latin America and the Caribbean 

The tragic milestone was confirmed in a new report from the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project, which also maintains that little action had been taken by any country of origin, transit or arrival.  “While thousands of deaths have been documented across migration routes each year, very little has been done to address the… Continue reading More than 50,000 migrants ‘die in search of a better life’

Communications chief Melissa Fleming also called the Netflix film The Swimmers, “a wakeup call” and a “hugely welcome step” for everyone to stand in solidarity with refugees.  Although Yusra and Sara Mardini were forced to flee Syria’s civil war in 2015, the biographical drama, which Netflix dropped on Wednesday, makes clear that they took their… Continue reading Netflix biodrama draws attention to real-life refugee-turned-Olympian 

21 November 2022Human Rights Concluding a six-day official visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK), a UN-appointed independent human rights expert urged the country to help reverse the international community’s failure to address the crisis in Myanmar by taking the regional lead in ending violence against civilians there. “The Republic of Korea can play a vital… Continue reading Myanmar crisis: Rights expert urges Korea to play ‘enhanced leadership role’ 

11 November 2022Migrants and Refugees Millions of people displaced by conflict or persecution from Ukraine, Afghanistan and across the Middle East could face a perilous winter as freezing temperatures add to the misery already that they are already suffering from spiralling prices, the lingering impact of COVID-19 and extreme weather linked to the climate crisis,… Continue reading Displaced families face winter hardships, UN refugee agency warns

4 November 2022Migrants and Refugees The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, on Friday called for stronger political commitment and action to improve the lives of the roughly 4.3 million stateless people worldwide who are “languishing without citizenship and living in the shadows.”   Statelessness is “a pervasive and grave human rights violation”, as well… Continue reading UN refugee chief urges stronger action to end ‘legal limbo’ of statelessness

25 October 2022Migrants and Refugees Malaysia’s forced return of asylum-seekers to Myanmar has meant that hundreds of Myanmar nationals have been “sent back against their will” to the troubled country in the last two months, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday. There have been “multiple reports” of deportations since April which run contrary to international humanitarian law, UNHCR spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo,… Continue reading Malaysia’s forced return of Myanmar’s most vulnerable must stop: UNHCR

Some 4.3 million face challenges accessing food, housing, and stable jobs, according to the Refugee and Migrant Needs Analysis (RMNA) analysis, conducted by the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, and its migration agency, IOM. They co-lead the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V), and the report is based on collaboration with… Continue reading Venezuelan refugees and migrants struggle to survive in Latin America and the Caribbean

10 October 2022Migrants and Refugees For her political courage, compassion and decisive action in protecting people forced to flee, the head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, presented the former Chancellor of Germany with the prestigious Nansen Award, on Monday. High Commissioner Filippo Grandi introduced this year’s global laureate, Angela Merkel at the award ceremony,… Continue reading Grandi praises Angela Merkel’s strong ‘moral compass’ as she lands top UNHCR refugee award

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel was named winner of the prestigious Nansen Award, for offering a haven to over 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence at the height of the Syrian conflict, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.

New York Fashion Week was treated to a celebration of diversity and inclusion earlier this month, when designers backed by the UN-supported No Nation Fashion initiative showcased their creations on the catwalk.

During her first official visit to Bangladesh, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, met with a host of officials, civil society representatives and Rohingya refugees on Tuesday.

UN agencies appealed on Tuesday for $73 million over the next six months to provide food rations to more than 750,000 people seeking refuge in Ethiopia.

After a two-year hiatus, the voluntary repatriation of refugees from Angola to their homeland in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has begun again, after the programme was put on hold in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic led to long-term border closures.

The UN World Food Programme, WFP, said on Monday that it will have no choice but to make further food ration cuts soon for refugees.

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel was named winner of the prestigious Nansen Award, for offering a haven to over 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence at the height of the Syrian conflict, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.

2 October 2022Migrants and Refugees New York Fashion Week was treated to a celebration of diversity and inclusion earlier this month, when designers backed by the UN-supported No Nation Fashion initiative showcased their creations on the catwalk. It’s not quite rags to riches, but No Nation Fashion has come a long way from its beginnings… Continue reading Migration becomes a trending topic at New York Fashion Week

Venezuelans desperate to leave the economic crisis in their country are risking their lives in the hope of a better future, braving extreme weather, border crossing, and bandits along the way. Jhonny, 26, along with his pregnant wife, Cribsel, 19, sits with their two children at a migrant reception centre in Chile. The 3,700-meter-high altitude… Continue reading Hypothermia, dehydration, and 5,000 km on foot: Venezuelan migrants risk their lives for a better future

2022 marks the tenth anniversary of the UN-run Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. It is the largest in the Middle East – and one of the largest in the world – and home to some 80,000 Syrians. UN News spoke to some of the refugees about life at the camp, and their hopes for the… Continue reading ‘My children ask me, what is Syria?’ Za’atari refugee camp enters second decade

Migrants who return home often face significant obstacles in rebuilding their lives. When her situation in Egypt became too difficult, Fatima decided to move back to Sudan, her homeland. With the help of the UN, she has started a small business, and is providing for her family. After her husband left her, 49-year-old Fatima became… Continue reading A successful return home to Sudan

When conflict broke out in Kaddy’s Senegalese village in early April, she was forced to leave her belongings behind to save her family. “We lost everything. When we left, we could not take anything with us. Our animals, our food; everything was destroyed in the fighting.” Together with her husband and seven children, Kaddy fled… Continue reading Dealing with the trauma of displacement in The Gambia

Six months after the Russian invasion, Ukraine is the scene of the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War. Almost a third of those displaced by the conflict come from the region around the country’s second largest city of Kharkiv, in the east. Helping those in need is dangerous work. Before dawn… Continue reading Braving mines and missiles to bring aid to Ukraine’s displaced population

This week marks five years since more than 700,000 ethnic Rohingya fled military persecution from Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday, appealing to the international community for greater support. “The latest exodus from Myanmar is now officially defined as being a protracted situation,” UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo told journalists at a… Continue reading Myanmar: 5 years since Rohingya mass exodus, UNHCR urges solutions 

The Russian invasion of Ukraine shows no sign of letting up, but the UN continues to bring humanitarian supplies to the country, including solar lamps, which bring some respite from the darkness of windowless basement shelters, in regions where electricity infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged by shelling. In a dark, overcrowded cellar in Kharkiv,… Continue reading A light in the darkness for Ukrainians under fire

During her first official visit to Bangladesh, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, met with a host of officials, civil society representatives and Rohingya refugees on Tuesday. In Cox’s Bazar, she visited camps housing Rohingya refugees who, after terrible repression and human rights violations, fled Myanmar five years ago “to get some… Continue reading Rohingya refugees share concerns with UN rights commissioner during visit to Cox’s Bazar

The news comes at a time when global needs are at an all-time high, with a record 303 million people in crisis worldwide. “UN appeals aim to reach 204 million of the most vulnerable. Never before have humanitarians been called to respond to this level of need and they are doing so in ever more… Continue reading 140 aid workers killed in 2021 as UN humanitarian funding gap looms larger than ever – OCHA

Dozens of people are said to be missing after a boat of migrants and refugees sank in the Aegean Sea on Wednesday off the Greek island of Karpathos, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. “Very sad news from the Aegean: Dozens of people are missing after a boat sank off the island of Rhodes… Continue reading Dozens missing after migrant boat sinks in Aegean Sea – UNHCR

UN agencies appealed on Tuesday for $73 million over the next six months to provide food rations to more than 750,000 people seeking refuge in Ethiopia. The World Food Programme (WFP), UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and Ethiopian Government Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) made the plea for assistance because without it, WFP will run out… Continue reading Ethiopia: Without immediate funding, 750,000 refugees will have ‘nothing to eat’

Ten years since Jordan’s Za’atari camp opened its doors to 80,000 displaced Syrians, poverty now affects an increasing number of residents who face an uncertain future, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday. “With the increase in food prices across the world, many refugee families are struggling to meet their basic needs on a daily basis,”… Continue reading Jordan: As vast Za’atari refugee camp turns 10, Syrians face uncertain future

According to the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) 2021 Return and Reintegration Key Highlights published on Thursday, nearly 50,000 migrants were assisted to voluntarily return to their country of origin in 2021. Global Migration, which had decreased by approximately 27 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic, has begun to rebound to pre-pandemic levels. In 2021, IOM… Continue reading IOM: Uptick in migrants heading home as world rebounds from COVID-19

A top UN-appointed human rights expert on Thursday raised the issue of an alleged “double standard” in Poland and Belarus towards those forced to flee the war in Ukraine. Mr. González Morales was referring to third country nationals who had been based in Ukraine at the outbreak of the war, particularly people of African descent and other… Continue reading Top rights expert questions ‘double standard’ on Ukraine’s war displaced

The Guiding Principles for Children on the Move in the Context of Climate Change contain a set of nine principles that address the unique and layered vulnerabilities of boys and girls who have been uprooted, whether internally or across borders, as a result of the adverse impacts of climate change.  Climate change is here and… Continue reading Landmark guidelines aim to protect children uprooted by climate change

The warning from the World Health Organization (WHO) comes in its first ever report on the health of refugees and migrants, published on Wednesday.  It calls for urgent action to ensure people on the move can access healthcare services that are sensitive to their needs.  “Whether by choice or by force, to be on the… Continue reading WHO calls for action to provide migrant and refugee healthcare

After a two-year hiatus, the voluntary repatriation of refugees from Angola to their homeland in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has begun again, after the programme was put on hold in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic led to long-term border closures. “The first convoy of 88 Congolese refugees departed from the Lôvua settlement in… Continue reading Voluntary repatriation of refugees from Angola to DR Congo resumes

The UN migration agency on Friday deplored the deaths of at least 20 migrants in the Libyan desert and renewed its call for stronger migrant protection along the Chad-Libya border.  “The death of twenty people in the Libyan desert yesterday is yet another wake-up call for the whole international community and a reminder that we… Continue reading Migrant deaths in Libyan desert ‘wake-up call’ for stronger protections  

The deaths of at least 23 migrants seeking to reach Spanish territory from Morocco should be investigated urgently by both countries, the UN rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, reacting also to reports overnight of of least 50 migrants found dead in a truck in southern Texas. The Morocco-Spain border incident took place last Friday when African… Continue reading UN rights office in probe call, after Morocco-Spain migrant deaths, Texas tragedy, show need for safer pathways

With record numbers of people uprooted within their homelands due to conflict, disasters, the climate emergency and other tragedies, more must be done to end this crisis, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday, launching his Action Agenda on Internal Displacement.  The plan outlines 31 commitments by the UN system to better resolve, prevent and… Continue reading UN plan calls for real progress towards ending internal displacement crisis

The 2022 Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) aims to deliver critical assistance to more than three million people as vulnerabilities rise, and to support public infrastructure, services, and the local economy.  Today, over 126 partners launched the LCRP to help support displaced &host communities in #Lebanon ,incl.:– 1.5M Lebanese– 1.5M displaced Syrians – 210,000 Palestinian… Continue reading Lebanon: $3.2 billion plan launched to support local families and refugees

The UN World Food Programme, WFP, said on Monday that it will have no choice but to make further food ration cuts soon for refugees. The cause of the imminent cuts is multiplying humanitarian needs around the world and insufficient funding. This has already forced the agency to make significant reductions in daily meals for… Continue reading UN food agency announces further refugee ration cuts, in quest for #ZeroHunger

Further food ration cuts are imminent for refugees as humanitarian needs multiply around the world while funding struggles to keep pace, the UN food relief agency warned on Monday, World Refugee Day.  “As global hunger soars way beyond the resources available to feed all the families who desperately need WFP’s help, we are being forced… Continue reading Amidst escalating needs and soaring hunger, refugees caught in the eye of the perfect storm  

“Like millions of refugees worldwide, they are helping bring new life, prosperity and rich diversity to their host communities. We must continue supporting them,” the UN chief said on Twitter following the visit. Ahead of #WorldRefugeeDay, I visited refugees from Iraq & Afghanistan currently living in New York. Like millions of refugees worldwide, they are… Continue reading Guterres visits refugees resettled in NYC, urges world to ‘stand together in solidarity’

“There are serious risks that the international law principle of non-refoulement will be breached by forcibly transferring asylum seekers to Rwanda,” said Siobhán Mullally, the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children. “People seeking international protection, fleeing conflict and persecution, have the right to seek and enjoy asylum – a fundamental tenet of… Continue reading UN expert urges UK to halt transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda

Conflict, violence and other crises left a record 36.5 million children displaced from their homes by the end of last year, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates – the highest number recorded since the Second World War, the agency said on Friday.  This figure includes 13.7 million child refugees and asylum-seekers, and nearly 22.8 million, who… Continue reading A record 37 million children displaced worldwide: UNICEF 

Ever greater numbers of vulnerable people are risking their lives on dangerous migration routes in Latin America, forced to move by the global food security crisis that’s been made worse by spiralling inflation linked to the war in Ukraine, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday. “We are having countries like Haiti with… Continue reading Hunger in Latin America: whole continent is on the move, warns WFP

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, on Monday dismissed the British Government’s proposal to process United Kingdom-bound asylum seekers in Rwanda, describing the offshore deal between the two countries announced in April, as “all wrong”. The development comes as senior judges in the UK ruled that the Government’s first flight taking asylum seekers to… Continue reading UK’s bid to export some refugees to Rwanda, ‘all wrong’, says UN refugee chief

For three generations, Marsel Abdo’s family have been fleeing conflict, including the Syrian war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A childhood photo of Marsel and his brother, Nidal., by Courtesy of Marsel Zaki Abdo It began when grandfather left his home in Palestine after the creation of Israel in 1948, to take refuge in… Continue reading From The Field: A ‘child of international solidarity’

Rose Mary Tiep, fled domestic abuse and the conflict in South Sudan five years ago. Today she is helping others through their trauma in an Ugandan refugee camp, as part of a UN-backed support programme. Ms. Tiep lives and works in Omugo II, an extension of Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement, which is home to 43,000… Continue reading First Person: The South Sudanese refugee helping others through trauma

Migrants who risk their lives to cross the Mediterranean to Europe on flimsy boats often piloted by people-smugglers, are at greater risk of dying now than for years, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday. Latest data visualisation figures from UNHCR, shows that there were 3,231 dead or missing at sea last year, a sharp rise… Continue reading Mediterranean Sea journeys for migrants have grown more deadly: UNHCR

For the first time ever, 150 Ethiopian migrants are flying to Addis Ababa on a Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) flight from Yemen’s conflict-affected Ma’rib governarate, the UN migration agency, IOM, said on Thursday. It is the first of several flights that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has planned to help 900 Ethiopians flee the… Continue reading Ethiopian migrants head home on first ever return flight from Yemen’s Ma’rib

With some 27,800 migrants having crossed from the Horn of Africa into war-torn Yemen this year, the UN migration agency, IOM, expressed concern on Tuesday over the safety and well-being of those on the move. Over the last five months, more people have made the dangerous journey than that of all of last year, according… Continue reading ‘We must not turn our backs’ on migrants stranded in Yemen

The Sahel is a vast under-populated region stretching across Africa from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east, an area which is being destabilized by terrorism-related conflict, the effects of climate change and a lack of development. UN News spoke to Mr. Annadif about the solutions to the problems the region faces.  … Continue reading Sahel should be seen as region of ‘opportunity’ despite ‘multiple crises’

Amid growing insecurity and gang violence in Haiti, the numbers of desperate people resorting to risky sea crossings has sharply increased. On Friday the UN called for regional Governments to step up protection for refugees. Speaking to journalists at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR),… Continue reading States urged to do more to help Haitians fleeing insecurity by sea

With more than 3.5 million people having fled to Poland since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, continues to scale up its operations to provide aid to arrivals, the agency’s spokesperson said on Friday. “Poland remains the main country of arrival for refugees from Ukraine,” UNHCR spokesperson Olga… Continue reading Ukrainian refugees arrive in Poland ‘in a state of distress and anxiety’

Wrapping up a five-day mission to Bangladesh, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees appealed on Wednesday for sustained and predictable support for Rohingya refugees and their host communities. “The world must remember the crisis that Rohingya refugees and their hosts have been facing for the last five years,” Filippo Grandi said after visiting refugee camps in… Continue reading UNHCR chief urges support for Bangladesh to save Rohingya lives, ‘build hope’

The UN migration agency IOM and the European Union’s Humanitarian Aid wing (ECHO), said on Monday that they are scaling up their efforts to respond to the needs of more than 325,000 displaced by the conflict in Yemen, including migrants and the communities that host them. Those in need will be provided with urgently needed… Continue reading UN migration agency and EU step up aid for 325,000 Yemenis in need 

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has said it is shocked and saddened by reports that more than a dozen Rohingya – including children – have perished at sea off the coast of Myanmar over the weekend. Initial reports suggest the boat left Sittwe in Rakhine State, Myanmar, last Thursday, the agency reported, and the vessel encountered bad… Continue reading 17 Rohingya feared dead amid storm off Myanmar coast: UNHCR

The Ukraine war and other conflicts pushed the number of people forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution over the staggering milestone of 100 million for the first time on record, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) informed on Sunday. “One hundred million is a stark figure — sobering and alarming in equal… Continue reading Forcibly displaced people worldwide reach record 100 million

Countries must find consensus on clear, equitable and streamlined pandemic travel measures, the heads of two organizations working to improve migration said on Friday during on event on the sidelines of the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) at UN Headquarters in New York.  António Vitorino, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and… Continue reading Global action needed to streamline pandemic travel measures

Mr. Guterres was addressing the official opening of a meeting to review progress towards implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted by governments in 2018.  — United Nations Network on Migration (@UNMigNetwork) May 19, 2022 The first International Migration Review Forum will also examine the interplay between migration and broader concerns,… Continue reading Countries review progress on global migration compact

Syrian families living in refugee camps in Iraq are facing new and alarming levels of food insecurity, according to figures released by the World Food Programme (WFP) and UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Tuesday. Money is running out to help families with basic day to day items, while amidst harsh economic conditions, refugees from the decade long… Continue reading Syrian refugees in Iraq, risk losing access to basic food supplies

The impact of the Ukraine crisis on the world of work: Initial assessments estimates that escalating hostilities would further affect the economy, causing employment losses to soar to seven million. However, if the fighting were to cease immediately, the International Labour Organization (ILO) study says that a rapid recovery could return 3.4 million jobs and… Continue reading Ukraine: UN labour agency update shows 4.8 million jobs lost to war

“People have opened their homes and their hearts to the Ukrainians”, he said, in admiration for the hospitality being extended to the refugees. Home away from home UN Photo/Mark Garten During his visit, the UN chief stopped in on a couple hosting refugees in their two-room apartment. Vasiliy and Klavdia Turkanu, a retired couple, have… Continue reading Moldovans open their borders, homes and hearts – UN chief

Speaking at a press conference alongside Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, the UN chief said: “Moldova is not just another country receiving refugees … I am deeply concerned about the continuation and possible spread of the war Russia is waging in Ukraine, and by the impact it is having not… Continue reading Guterres expresses solidarity as Moldova grapples with fallout of Russia’s war in Ukraine

More than 3,000 people died or went missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean and the Atlantic last year, hoping to reach Europe, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday, appealing for $163.5 million to assist and protect thousands of refugees and asylum seekers.   Of the 2021 total, 1,924 people were reported to… Continue reading Deaths at sea on migrant routes to Europe almost double, year on year

Speaking from Hungary, where almost half a million Ukrainians have sought safety, she updated that neighbouring countries are including refugees in national education, health and social programmes. “While the sheer scale and speed of displacement is immense, we must not lose sight of what these figures mean.” Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees @KellyTClements briefing the… Continue reading Ukraine: Security Council urged to ‘put aside’ divisions, end ‘senseless war’

On the heels of Black History Month in February, Women’s History Month in March and the appointment of the first Black female Justice to the US Supreme Court in April, one African woman has been talking to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, about her childhood experience of fleeing conflict in Liberia to become a leading… Continue reading African-born advocate and refugee, reflects on being a Black woman in the US 

Bucha. Once a quiet dormitory town near Kyiv, it is now synonymous with the mass killing of civilians in the increasingly brutal war in Ukraine. Although Yuliia and her family escaped the bloodshed, and are receiving help form the UN migration agency (IOM), they are struggling to adapt to their new status as they join… Continue reading Ukraine: Escaping Bucha

A deal reportedly made by the United Kingdom to send some migrants for processing and relocation to the Central African nation of Rwanda, are at odds with States’ responsibility to take care of those in need of protection, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Thursday. In an initial response, UNHCR spelled out that it was not a… Continue reading UNHCR ‘firmly’ opposing UK-Rwanda offshore migration processing deal

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Issuing the alert, WFP said that the figure rose to 43 million when the Central African Republic was included in the food insecurity estimate. And the problem is not limited to rural areas as 16 million people living in urban spaces are also at risk of acute food insecurity with WFP warning that some six… Continue reading Sub-Saharan Africa under threat from multiple humanitarian crises

The introduction of a series of measures in El Salvador in response to a rise in gang killings, has prompted the grave concern of the UN human rights office, which noted on Tuesday a pattern of “unnecessary and excessive use of force” by police and military forces. Since the state of emergency adopted on 27… Continue reading El Salvador: Response to the rise in gang killings ‘cruel and inhuman’

Many of the millions of refugees forced to leave Ukraine because of the Russian invasion are traumatized and need mental health support. In one Polish transit site, volunteers like Aurang Zeb Khan, have been trained by the UN refugee agency (IOM) to administer psychological first aid. Mlyny is a small town in southeastern Poland, approximately… Continue reading First Person: A first in psychological aid, for Ukraine refugees in Poland

“Robust and sustained international support” is again needed for Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi communities generously hosting them, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday. “Humanitarian agencies are seeking more than $881 million to support approximately 1.4 million people, including over 918,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, and around 540,000 Bangladeshis… Continue reading Response plan launched to support 1.4 million Rohingya and Bangladeshis

Around three per cent of Costa Rica’s population is now made up of Nicaraguan refugees and asylum seekers, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday. Doubling in number over the last eight months, the agency now estimates that there are more than 150,000 Nicaraguans who have crossed over the southern border, seeking refuge in… Continue reading ‘Sharp rise’ in Nicaraguans fleeing to Costa Rica, strains asylum system

“The war has caused one of the fastest large-scale displacements of children since World War Two,” said UNICEF chief Catherine Russell. This includes more than 1.8 million who have crossed into neighbouring countries as refugees and 2.5 million who are now internally displaced. Grim milestone According to UN human rights office, OHCHR, 78 children have… Continue reading One month of war leaves more than half of Ukraine’s children displaced

One year after brutal attacks by suspected Al Shabab militants began in northern Mozambique, thousands continue to flee ongoing violence in Cabo Delgado province, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday. “According to partners in the region, a series of attacks by non-State armed groups between January and mid-March displaced some 24,000 people within… Continue reading Mozambique: Thousands continue to flee violence in Cabo Delgado

The UN has helped tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees to cross into Poland and other neighbouring countries. Chris Melzer, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Germany, told UN News that he has witnessed many traumatic scenes, of families ripped apart by the crisis. “I have witnessed many difficult things since this conflict… Continue reading First Person: Witnessing the pain of Ukraine refugees wrenched apart

The head of UN refugee agency UNHCR, spoke out on Monday against the “ugly reality” that some refugees fleeing across the Ukraine border, and Third Country Nationals, have been subjected to racism and discrimination. In a statement issued marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Filippo Grandi said that although he had been “humbled”… Continue reading UNHCR chief condemns ‘discrimination, violence and racism’ against some fleeing Ukraine

Over the past two weeks, at least 70 migrants have gone missing at sea and are presumed dead off the coast of Libya, the UN migration agency said on Thursday. “I am appalled by the continuing loss of life in the Central Mediterranean and the lack of action to tackle this ongoing tragedy,” said Federico… Continue reading UN says at least 70 migrants dead or missing off Libyan coast

He said in a statement that violence, ill-treatment, and pushbacks continue to be regularly reported at multiple entry points at land and sea borders.   The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, expressed deep concern over an increasing number of incidents of violence and serious human rights violations against refugees and migrants at various European borders, several of… Continue reading Stop violence at European borders and protect refugees – UNHCR

“Migration is a fact of life” and a “positive phenomenon” that enriches societies and economies, Secretary-General António Guterres said. However, if poorly managed, it generates huge challenges, he added, “from tragic loss of life, to rights abuses and social tensions”, which is why effectively managing migration and protecting their rights, requires “strengthened international cooperation”. Make… Continue reading ‘Strengthened international cooperation’ needed for safe, regular migration

Independent UN experts expressed deep concern on Tuesday over allegations that human rights defenders have been threatened at the Polish-Belarusian border, including media workers and interpreters.  “I am receiving several reports of harassments from human rights defenders who assist migrants and document human rights violations against them, at the Polish-Belarusian border, and I am deeply… Continue reading Human rights defenders threatened at Poland-Belarus border

The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar has doubled since February of last year, now crossing the 800,000 mark, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) announced on Friday.  Speaking to journalists in Geneva, UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh said the agency was stepping up aid for the displaced as conflict intensifies.  “Security is deteriorating rapidly across the… Continue reading Number of internally displaced in Myanmar doubles, to 800,000

Following the death of a baby during an interception at sea off the southeast coast of the island of Trinidad on Sunday, UN agencies have expressed their deep sadness and called for stronger measures to protects refugees and migrants. The vessel carrying Venezuelans was intercepted by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard when it entered… Continue reading Tragic death of Venezuela baby highlights need for greater migrant protection

For the last three years, a retired cook in northern Burkina Faso has been providing shelter for people displaced by armed attacks in the country, where the security situation continues to deteriorate. Recent unrest in the capital Ouagadougou surrounding the military coup, is just the latest example of instability in Burkina Faso, whose citizens have… Continue reading First Person: Hope and shelter, amid the fighting in Burkina Faso

Around 1.5 million Ukrainians have been forced from their homes since fighting in the far east of the country began in 2014. The UN and other humanitarian organizations are supporting those who have been displaced, as they try to adjust to their new lives. When the conflict broke out between Government forces and mostly pro-Russian… Continue reading Finding homes for more than a million displaced Ukrainians

For the first time in weeks, aid teams have reached refugee camps in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, only to find that some Eritrean nationals living there have likely died of preventable diseases, while others are “scared and struggling to get enough to eat”, the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said on Friday. More than 25,000 refugees live in in… Continue reading Tigray: Eritrean refugees ‘scared and struggling to eat’ amid aid obstacles

A new bill being debated by lawmakers in the United Kingdom increases the risk of discrimination and “serious human rights violations” and breaches the country’s obligations under international law, five independent UN human rights experts said on Friday. If adopted, the Nationality and Borders Bill would “seriously undermine the protection of the human rights of… Continue reading UK Borders Bill increases risks of discrimination, human rights violations

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) called on Friday for concerted international action to end armed conflict in Africa’s central Sahel region, which has forced more than 2.5 million people to flee their homes in the last decade. Speaking to journalists in Geneva, the agency’s spokesperson, Boris Cheshirkov, informed that internal displacement has increased tenfold since 2013, going… Continue reading Decade of Sahel conflict leaves 2.5 million people displaced

Teams from UN migration agency IOM were mobilized on Sunday after fire swept through a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, home to thousands of Rohingya who have fled violence in neighbouring Myanmar.  The blaze was first reported just before 5 pm local time and caused considerable damage to sections of the largest camp of… Continue reading Bangladesh: Second fire in a week tears through vast Rohingya refugee camp

UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday that a harsh winter in Afghanistan is aggravating already severe conditions faced by millions across the country. In the past 24 hours, heavy snowfall and rain have impacted a number of areas, disrupting flights to and from Kabul Airport, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).… Continue reading Harsh winter fuels ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

A devastating fire has ripped through a COVID-19 treatment centre for Myanmar refugees sheltering in Bangladesh, UN migration agency (IOM) said on Tuesday.   In a tweet, IOM said that no-one was hurt at the health facility, part of the vast Cox’s Bazar camp complex, after the blaze began suddenly on Sunday evening.   Parts of the hospital were… Continue reading Bangladesh: Fire rips through COVID treatment centre for Myanmar refugees  

The first drive to verify data relating to around 1.4 million Afghan refugees on the move over past decade in Pakistan has been concluded, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday. The agency commended the Government of Pakistan for its country-wide campaign, the agency’s spokesperson, Babar Baloch, told journalists in Geneva. “Following a short… Continue reading Pakistan: Smartcard registration drive for Afghan refugees ends

“I was trying the reach the Turks and Caicos Islands, but my boat capsized at sea. If there were opportunities to start up my own business, I would stay in Haiti.”  The story of Jacques* a 32-year-old father from Limonade on Haiti’s northern coast is perhaps typical of the increasing numbers of people who try… Continue reading Waves of Haitians risk treacherous sea journey to find better life

The UN refugee agency called on Wednesday for the immediate, life-saving disembarkation of a group of Rohingya refugees in distress at sea off the coast of Indonesia.  In a statement, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that it was “deeply concerned for the safety and lives of those onboard”.  The… Continue reading Urgent action needed to save Rohingya refugees distressed at sea in Indonesia  

By November, more than 84 million people had been forced from their homes, according to UNHCR data. This figure is an increase from 2020 and 2019, both of which were record-breaking years in terms of the numbers forcibly displaced around the world.  ‘A paradox not seen before in human history’ This rise was coupled with… Continue reading 2021 Year in Review: Refugee, migrant numbers rise, despite travel curbs

Many migrant domestic workers in Lebanon are denied basic human rights, and suffered abuse at the hands of their employers. Since the worsening economic crisis in the country their plight has, if anything, worsened. “The recruitment agencies and employers treat us as if we are human commodities!”, says Adanesh Worko, an Ethiopian worker who works… Continue reading Lebanon crises increase suffering of migrant domestic workers

Nearly 5,000 refugees who fled violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) four years ago, are opting to head home voluntarily from Zambia over the coming months, with the first 100 people setting out on Tuesday.  The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said that security had improved sufficiently in DR Congo’s Pweto territory, Haut-Katanga province, for them to go home… Continue reading Thousands head home voluntarily from Zambia to DR Congo  

Belarus and Poland must resolve the migrant and refugee crisis at their mutual border, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, describing the on-going situation as “appalling”.  OHCHR again called on the two countries to address the matter in line with their obligations under international law.  This follows a visit by a UN… Continue reading End ‘appalling’ Belarus-Poland border crisis, UN rights office urges

Fractured along sectarian lines, successive Governments have been unable to put the country on a sustainable path forward. Kicking off a four-day visit, he met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, saying they had a “fruitful” talk. One simple message Subsequently, at a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace, the UN chief called on the… Continue reading UN chief calls for unity among Lebanese leaders, affirms solidarity with citizens

Today, more people than ever live in a country other than the one where they were born. While many individuals migrate out of choice, many others leave home out of necessity.  Approximately 281 million people were international migrants in 2020, representing 3.6 per cent of the global population. In his message, António Guterres said those on the… Continue reading ‘Solidarity with migrants has never been more urgent’: Guterres

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the key role that migrant workers play in the global economy, as well as the “terrible risks” that they are forced to take, to find work. The analysis featured on the Global Migration Data Portal, provides snapshots of the latest statistics and trends, including the impacts of COVID-19 on mobility.… Continue reading Migrant workers still at great risk despite key role in global economy