2015 likely to break records for forced displacement – study
GENEVA, Dec 18 (UNHCR)—With almost a million people having crossed the Mediterranean as refugees and migrants so far this year, and conflicts in Syria and elsewhere continuing to generate staggering levels of human suffering, 2015 is likely to exceed all...
Restoring peace must become a priority, says Guterres
GENEVA, Dec 18 (UNHCR)—Renewed efforts to bring peace to conflicts across the world must become the priority of the international community if current record levels of global displacement are not to continue, António Guterres, the outgoing head of the UN Refugee...
Ivorian returns resume from Liberia after Ebola outbreak
PROLLO, Côte d’Ivoire, Dec 18 (UNHCR)—The UN Refugee Agency has resumed the voluntary repatriation of tens of thousands of Ivorian refugees from Liberia, after a pause of more than a year because land borders were closed to prevent the spread of a deadly Ebola...
The Central African Republic: 1 in 5 forced to flee
Making a world of difference: Responding wherever needed In 2015, inter-communal fighting continued to drive hundreds of thousands of people to seek refuge in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo. Nearly 900,000...
Europe crisis: +850,000 arrivals by sea as of November 2015
Making a world of difference: responding wherever needed Staggering numbers of refugees and migrants have risked their lives crossing the Mediterranean and thousands continue to do so every day, desperate to reach safety in Europe. Over half of them are Syrians,...
Nepal earthquake: The worst disaster in over 80 years
Making a world of difference: Responding wherever needed UNHCR has been working with the Nepalese authorities since the early 1960s, helping the government care for over 21,000 Bhutanese refugees. In 2015, we were called to support the emergency response to the 7.8...
HC’s Dialogue: Understanding and addressing displacement
GENEVA, Dec 16 (UNHCR)—From the Middle East to Africa, wars and conflict are driving an unprecedented number of people from their homes. Meanwhile, in other places, most notably parts of Asia, floods, storms, cyclones and droughts are destroying more and more...
As sea levels rise, Bangladeshis seek higher ground
COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh, Dec 15 (UNHCR)—When a cyclone struck low-lying Kutubdia Island in 1991, the water surged across Nur Jahan’s plot of farmland, swallowed up her home and swept away all six of her children. “The sea simply ate it,” she...