Find out more in
Refugees
Navigating the transition from education to employment is a pivotal moment for young people, but for refugees, this journey is often compounded by significant challenges. With over 50% of refugees being under 25, they face disrupted education, trauma from displacement, limited networks, and the complexities of adapting to new cultures and languages. This not only hinders their personal development but also results in a vast waste of talent for their societies, potentially trapping another generation in dependency cycles.
In this podcast episode, we hear from two inspiring young refugees, Mashimbo Rose Nafisa and Joel Amani Mafigi, who have not only overcome these hurdles but have also dedicated their careers to empowering fellow young refugees. Their advocacy extends to the global stage, as they prepare to attend the United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum in New York, where they will champion better work opportunities for young refugees on an international platform.
The South Sudanese refugee population, with over 65% children, is the largest refugee situation in Africa. They live in precarious conditions, worsened by drought and food insecurity. This protracted situation is Africa's largest refugee crisis. Despite efforts toward peace, South Sudan still faces violence, food insecurity, and flooding. To help alleviate the situation, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will launch the South Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan on Thursday, March 28. The humanitarian initiative will address the needs of 2.2 million refugees in 2024.
Since 2014, millions of Ukrainians have been displaced by war. Yana Liubymova fled the city of Kadiivka in 2014 and settled in the city of Starobilsk, where she co-founded "The Effective Community" to help displaced people integrate into new communities. In 2020, she became the head of the Council for Internally Displaced People in the Luhansk region. However, on 24 February 2022, she had to flee again as Starobilsk came under Russian occupation. Yana helped others fleeing to find accommodation and access needed help, and after 4 months, she moved to Kyiv for a job at the Ombudsperson’s Office. Her focus remains on those displaced from the Luhansk region and on creating conditions for voluntary return after the Ukrainian government regains control over occupied areas.
WFP shares firsthand accounts from refugees, aid workers, and experts on the ground about the challenges and the critical assistance being provided due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Peace Therapist is the first online platform in Türkiye to also provide therapy in people's native languages, founded by Jin Dawod, a former Syrian refugee.
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett and Ke Huy Quan opened the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva with a performance of JJ Bola’s stunning poem “Refuge.”
The world’s largest gathering on refugee issues closed with over 1,600 pledges of action and financial commitments worth an estimated $2.2 billion. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi praised the "determined unity” shown by participants, who – in the face of global division and crises – pledged transformative action on behalf of refugees and the countries hosting them. The 2023 Global Refugee Forum came as the global refugee population has reached a record level of 36.4 million, with a total population of the forcibly displaced of 114 million people.
Abdullahi Mire's foundation has supplied over 100,000 books donated by education charities and former refugees living in the diaspora to support schools in Kenya's Dadaab camp and to establish three public libraries.
Palestine refugees have the same human rights as everyone else. UNRWA contributes to fulfilling these rights, however challenging the circumstances.
Erasmia Roumana’s job requires extraordinary strength. Working in Greece as a protection associate with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, she interviews refugees who have survived devastating shipwrecks at sea after embarking on desperate journeys in search of a better life.
“I have seen some very horrible situations. And I always wonder at that moment, how can people survive this? How can people move on after this?”
One tragic story stood out over the years. In 2014, Syrian refugee Doaa survived three days at sea following a shipwreck which killed 500 people, including her fiancé. In this episode of Awake at Night, Erasmia Roumana shares the latest fateful twist in Doaa’s story and reflects on the courage and resilience of the survivors she meets.
Baby Riazur, living in a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, receives his routine vaccines from UNICEF-supported community health volunteers. More than 952,000 Rohingya, half of whom are children, are living in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar after escaping violence that broke out in Myanmar in 2017. Rohingya families often miss routine vaccines - it is critical that children like Riazur receive them.
Syrians are laying down roots in their places of refuge and have valuable skills and knowledge that they can use in their host communities. IFAD grants are helping refugees fulfil their potential.
Creating a world where refugees are always included is the most effective way to support them in restarting their lives. Including refugees in the communities where they have found safety also enables them to contribute to the countries hosting them – while preparing their return home to help rebuild, when conditions allow a safe and voluntary return. This year, World Refugee Day focuses on the power of inclusion and solutions for refugees. Show your solidarity with refugees by supporting young refugees, by joining the global art contest, and by helping amplify our message. #WorldRefugeeDay
UNHCR gives young Venezuelans a second chance at their baseball dreams of one day going professional through providing uniforms, equipment and other needed support.