Mo Amer brings humour and heart to refugee experience in Netflix stand-up special
By Lauren La Rose in Toronto, Canada Long before he was touring the world, starring in his Netflix special “The Vagabond, and counting superstars like Will Smith among his famous fans, Mo Amer first honed his stand-up skills on an unlikely stage: his high school...
Forging a friendship through art
After fleeing his home for Rwanda, Burundian artist Mike has made a friend for life. By Catherine Wachiaya in Kigali, Rwanda Mike Katihabuga sits perfectly still on a wooden stool. His only movement is from his right arm, deftly swinging a paintbrush over a piece of...
Iran health-care program a lifesaver for refugees in need of medical care
The Islamic Republic is one of only a few countries to provide comprehensive medical insurance for refugees on the same basis as its own citizens. By Leah Cowan in Tehran, Iran Despite being partially blind since birth, Ali Hashemi works as a garbage collector in...
After decades in Thailand, Myanmar refugees head home
Around 300 refugees are returning to south-east Myanmar, among them a family of four generations. By Jennifer Harrison in Mae La Temporary Shelter, Thailand Great-grandparents Pree and Dee Noe are looking forward to returning to their homeland after three decades in...
El Salvador joins regional effort to address forced displacement in Central America
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes El Salvador’s decision to join a regional initiative that aims to better address forced displacement in and from Central America, and to help those affected by it. By joining the initiative, known in the region by its Spanish...
New Mediterranean boat tragedy is worst this year: UNHCR
Yesterday’s boat disaster off Libya, with reports of some 150 lives having been lost, underscores once again the terrible urgency of our repeated pleas to European and other governments for restoring sea rescues and help with alleviating the suffering of the thousands...
Pregnant women flee lack of maternal health care in Venezuela
Thousands of pregnant women have left Venezuela to protect the lives of their unborn babies and their own. By Alejandra Romo in Maicao, Colombia Roxibel Pulido, 29, was three months pregnant when she heard that the nearest hospital from her neighborhood, in the city...
Joint Statement: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and IOM Director General António Vitorino welcome consensus on need for action on Libya, Mediterranean
Today’s discussions in Paris with European States on addressing the situation on the Mediterranean Sea, and preventing loss of life in Libya, are welcome and much-needed. The violence in Tripoli in recent weeks has made the situation more desperate than ever, and the...