2015: The Year of Europe’s Refugee Crisis
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled across the Mediterranean Sea this year to escape war and persecution. Here are seven key events in this unfolding drama. The influx of refugees and migrants to Europe reached staggering new levels this year, dominating...Building a future through education in Chad
DJABAL REFUGEE CAMP, Chad, Dec 14 (UNHCR)—Anas, 10, and Zoera, eight, leap out from under their mosquito net into the cool morning air. It is only 6:45 when brother and sister rush through the sandy lanes of the labyrinthine Djabal refugee camp in eastern Chad....
UNHCR welcomes first Syrian refugee arrivals in Canada
GENEVA, Dec 11 (UNHCR) – The UN Refugee Agency has welcomed news of the arrival in Canada last night of the first group of Syrian refugees under a recently announced humanitarian programme. The programme will provide a new life in Canada for 25,000 Syrian refugees,...
Human Rights Day: Abuses rife in Central African Republic
BANGUI, Central African Republic, Dec 10 (UNHCR)—Three years after the start of the current wave of violence and persecution in Central African Republic, insecurity and human rights abuses remain rife, with minorities at particular risk. Based on UNHCR monitoring, an...
Don’t give terror groups propaganda says Guterres
GENEVA, Dec 10, (UNHCR)—The head of the UN Refugee Agency António Guterres has warned that anti-Muslim rhetoric, including pressure for tighter border controls, could backfire and play into the hands of terror groups. “What you are saying (with this) is the best...
A Teenage Refugee Champions Girls’ Education
A passionate advocate for the education of girls and young women in Jordan’s refugee camps, Muzon has been hailed as Syria’s answer to Malala. When Muzon’s family fled the war in Syria in early 2013, they briefly considered leaving her behind. The bright 14—year—old...
Refugee and sexual violence survivor restores hope in Rwanda
KIGALI, Rwanda, Dec 7 (UNHCR)—Jacqueline Umutesi had a traumatic childhood. But that hasn’t stopped the 37-year-old refugee from helping to heal others as one of Rwanda’s most outspoken community organisers fighting sexual and gender based violence (SGBV)....
Bay of Bengal boat flow manageable with regional cooperation—UNHCR
BANGKOK, Thailand, Dec 4 (UNHCR)—As the resumption of dangerous sea journeys in the Bay of Bengal looms, countries in the region today affirmed that the only way to reduce loss of life at sea is by working together on comprehensive and sustainable approaches to manage...