Escalating airstrikes in Lebanon have displaced hundreds of thousands, forcing families into overcrowded shelters as humanitarian resources struggle to keep pace

In Renk, South Sudan, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador Kristin Davis met families who have fled escalating violence, insecurity and human rights violations in Sudan – many for the second or third time. At the Joda border crossing and Renk Transit Centre, she saw UNHCR and partners providing shelter, health care, clean water, sanitation and protection, even as needs far exceed available resources and funding remains critically low. Women and children, who make up about 80 per cent of those fleeing, shared harrowing stories of violence and loss, while support services for survivors are being forced to close. Discover why Davis says this crisis “demands more attention, more resources and more action – now”.

In Sudan’s White Nile State, the reopening of a rehabilitated secondary school is restoring hope and education to hundreds of displaced and local girls after years of conflict.

Theo James visited Syria to meet returning refugees and displaced families, highlighting both hope for rebuilding after years of conflict and the urgent need for continued humanitarian support, in his role as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.

Karla’s journey from repeated rejection to leadership at Coca-Cola FEMSA shows how inclusion unlocks talent and opportunity. After Mexico’s pledges at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum, UNHCR’s Programa de Integración Local helped connect refugees with jobs, documentation, and relocation support. Since 2016, more than 50,000 refugees have found employment, supported by over 600 companies. For refugees like Haitian technician Angelet François, work restores dignity, stability, and hope. These experiences prove that hiring refugees is not charity but smart economics, strengthening businesses, communities, and local economies.

The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award is an annual humanitarian honour presented by the UN Refugee Agency to an individual, group or organization that has gone above and beyond the call of duty to protect and assist refugees, displaced and stateless people around the world. The 2025 winners include heroes from Cameroon, Tajikistan, Iraq, Mexico and Ukraine, whose efforts have transformed the lives of tens of thousands of people through evacuation, integration and sustained support for refugees. Watch the 2025 ceremony with appearances by the regional winners and performances by award-winning artists.

From today until 17 December, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is hosting the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting brings together senior government officials and key stakeholders to assess progress in implementing pledges made at the 2019 and 2023 Forums. This high-level event aims to review global, regional, and country-level stocktaking efforts; strengthen support for refugees and host countries, accelerate pledge implementation through a multi-stakeholder approach; and identify priority areas requiring further action ahead of the 2027 Forum.

A journey from fleeing conflict to playing at the highest levels of basketball shows what’s possible when refugees are given the opportunity to thrive.

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Maya Ghazal has become the world’s first female Syrian commercial pilot from a refugee background, having officially received her “wings” to fly Boeing 737 jets as a second officer. Flight training is a demanding and competitive process, and only 5 per cent of the world’s pilots are women. Having arrived in the UK ten years ago, Ghazal taught herself English and graduated with a degree in aviation engineering, then completed a 19-month intensive cadet training programme. She advocates for safe legal routes and education for refugees.

After years of war and displacement, UNHCR and partners are helping residents return to Taiz, where local resilience and international support are driving the city’s fragile recovery.

After decades of displacement from violence in eastern DRC, refugees have built thriving farms in Zambia, providing food, income, and jobs for themselves and locals alike.

Jassim, a 103-year-old Syrian, witnessed significant changes and suffered immense loss during the conflict in Syria, including the deaths of three of his children in 2013. He fled to Lebanon with his surviving family, living in harsh conditions as refugees. After nearly 14 years, the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024 allowed Jassim and his family to return to their village, Al-Nahryieh, in April. By May, over half a million Syrians had returned home, though they faced substantial challenges. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is providing support to assist returnees with housing, legal documents, and livelihood initiatives.

The Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has seen a surge of Afghan families returning home, driven by Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan. In April, around 144,000 Afghans returned, including nearly 30,000 deported individuals. Many, like Ezatullah and his seven children, arrived with few belongings and uncertain futures, having lived in Pakistan for decades. With rising unemployment and poverty in Afghanistan, Ezatullah worries about providing for his family, emphasizing the importance of education for his children. Meanwhile, deportations are also occurring in Iran. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is offering emergency assistance, urging for $71 million in support to aid returnees, particularly women and children, as funding cuts severely limit their capacity to help those in need.

On April 15, 84 residents from the Areesha camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in northeast Syria began their journey home after more than seven years, assisted by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Among them was Shahrzad and her two daughters, aged 7 and 8, who were excited to reunite with their father in Al Mayadin, after he spent two months in Damascus for medical treatment. Shahrzad expressed her long-awaited joy, having fled a military offensive in 2017. Her youngest daughter was born in the camp, and both children have no memories of their parents' hometown. While UNHCR plans to support the return of about 3.5 million Syrian refugees and IDPs by 2025, their efforts face significant obstacles due to drastic cuts to global humanitarian funding, resulting in job reductions and the closure of community centers in Syria.

After surviving a devastating missile strike, 70-year-old Nadiia found safety, shelter, and healing thanks to UNHCR’s rapid response and flexible donor support.