Afghanistan on the Brink
Displaced Afghans facing “humanitarian catastrophe” this winter. Photography by Andrew McConnell Afghanistan was facing a convergence of crises even before the Taliban took power in August. A severe drought was withering crops, the socio-economic impacts...
UNHCR comment on reinstatement of U.S. policy that endangers asylum seekers
This statement is attributable to Matthew Reynolds, UNHCR Representative for the United States and the Caribbean. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is aware of the United States government’s announcement on reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program. UNHCR...
UN High Commissioner for Refugees calls for a regional mechanism to deal with unprecedented displacement in Mexico and Central America
GENEVA – UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi concluded a 10-day visit to Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala with an impassioned appeal for a regional mechanism that would help to scale up, coordinate and create synergies between the different programmes,...
News Comment: UNHCR: Afghans struggle to seek safety as borders remain shut to most
By Indrika Ratwatte, Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is profoundly concerned by escalating risks faced by Afghans seeking to flee into neighbouring countries as the situation within Afghanistan continues to...
Refugees fight fires to preserve Mauritania’s environment
Malian refugees and local Mauritanians are fighting wildfires as part of wider efforts to stem the impacts of climate change on an increasingly fragile environment. By Catherine Wachiaya in Mbera refugee camp, Mauritania A convoy of pickup trucks hurtles through a...
UNHCR appalled by killings of dozens of displaced people by armed groups in eastern DRC
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Boris Cheshirkov – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appalled by a series of deadly attacks by armed...
UNHCR concerned about difficult conditions of indigenous Venezuelans in Guyana
This is a summary of what was said by Philippa Candler, UNHCR’s Multi-Country Office Representative in Panama – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, colleagues and I are...
UNHCR urges support to address worsening gender-based violence impact on displaced women and girls
The following statement is attributable to UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. One in five refugee or internally displaced women have faced sexual violence. Today, given the prolonged human rights and socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we...