Technology connects Somali refugee with Canada’s York University
Despite being thousands of kilometres away, a group of refugees in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp are studying at Canada’s York University. From seven master’s students, the programme is now expanding to 60 learners. Abdikadir Bare Abikar, 29, is on the verge of...
Refugee education in crisis: More than half of the world’s school-age refugee children do not get an education
Of the 7.1 million refugee children of school age, 3.7 million – more than half – do not go to school, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, says in a report released today. The report, Stepping Up: Refugee Education in Crisis, shows that as refugee children grow...
Scores dead off coast of Libya in latest Mediterranean shipwreck
At least 40 people are estimated to have drowned off the coast of Libya in the latest boat disaster on the Mediterranean. This shocking incident has prompted UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency to renew its urgent call for action to save lives. Some 60 survivors have been...
Cash for shelter programme empowers refugees and their hosts in Kenya
Cash assistance in Kenya’s Kalobeyei settlement allows refugees to build their own homes with materials bought from the local community. By Catherine Wachiaya in Kalobeyei settlement, Kenya When South Sudanese mother Florence Idiongo joined thousands of refugees...
Hellish journey over for young woman rescued from the Mediterranean
An asylum-seeker allowed to disembark from the Open Arms rescue vessel on the Italian island of Lampedusa recalls the horror of her journey. By Marco Rotunno AGRIGENTO, Italy – Feven* kept looking at her feet. The 18-year-old’s voice was a whisper amid dozens of...
Helping families to thrive at the world’s largest refugee settlement
Two years after Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh, strides are being made in enhancing nutrition, shelter, sanitation, healthcare and registration, though challenges remain. By Iffath Yeasmine and Areez Tanbeen Rahman in Kutupalong refugee settlement, Bangladesh....
Thousands of DR Congo refugees head home to Kasai region from Angola
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. An estimated 8,500 refugees have spontaneously left the Lóvua settlement in Angola’s...
UNHCR Statement on Voluntary Repatriation to Myanmar
Through their bilateral Joint Working Group on repatriation, the Government of Myanmar conveyed to the Government of Bangladesh the names of 3,450 Rohingya refugees who have been cleared for return to Rakhine State, Myanmar. UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, sees...