Twin scourges COVID-19 and climate change threaten world’s displaced and stateless
To fight climate change, the world must learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and act with urgency – or risk far-reaching and lethal consequences for people who are forced from their homes, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs, said today....
Donors show solidarity with refugees and steadfast support for UNHCR programmes for 2021
Donor governments today pledged a record US$932 million to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, for next year’s activities at its annual pledging conference in Geneva. These generous initial pledges will allow UNHCR to continue to deliver life-saving aid and to protect the...
How climate change is multiplying risks for displacement
Global heating is compounding threats for people already living with conflict and insecurity, further driving displacement around the world. By UNHCR Staff Until two years ago, David Cruz* had his own land in Nicaragua where he raised cattle and chickens and grew...
75,000 children in Iran to gain nationality under new law
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s...
Child-trafficking in Mali increasing because of conflict and COVID-19
Conflict, insecurity, COVID-19 and deteriorating economic conditions are leading to a rise in trafficking of children, forced labour and forced recruitment by armed groups in Mali, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is warning today. More cases of child recruitment were...
Humanitarian access urgently needed to reach civilians, Eritrean refugees in Tigray
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch – 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 appealing to the federal authorities in Ethiopia for...
Survivors of sexual violence rebuild their lives in the DRC
Over 300 women survivors of sexual and gender-based violence are receiving training and psychosocial support to help them reintegrate into society. By Robert Sibson in Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo Hundreds of women are hard at work at the back of a hall,...
Nearly 40 million at heightened risk of violence, discrimination and rights abuses as Covid spawns a ‘coping crisis’
Study reveals a severe deterioration in international efforts to protect the world’s most vulnerable, with human rights violations on the rise. GENEVA – A new report released today by the Norwegian Refugee Council and the UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency-led Global Protection...