South Sudanese teacher dedicates his life in exile to refugees of all ages
Classes are overcrowded, there are not enough textbooks, but Koat Reath does not complain. A dedicated refugee teacher, he will do anything to improve his pupils’ lives. By Katie Nguyen in Gambella, Ethiopia The chorus of children’s voices coming from teacher Koat...
Millions in eastern Ukraine endure invisible wounds of war
After five years of conflict, aid agencies are striving to meet the mental health needs of those affected. By Iryna Tymchyshyn in Svitlodarsk, Ukraine The thought of one more night sheltering in her dark, damp basement makes Maryna*, 56, tremble, after five years of...
Syrian seamstress builds brand loyalty from a refugee camp
Widowed mother-of-seven turns former pastime into a thriving business in Iraq’s Domiz refugee camp, and passes on her skills to help others earn a living. By Firas Al-Khateeb and Rasheed Hussein Rasheed in Domiz Refugee Camp, Kurdistan Region of Iraq Standing inside...
News comment by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on anniversary of Lampedusa shipwreck
Today in Lampedusa, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is joining with civil society, local and national authorities, survivors of the shipwreck, and well-wishers from Italy to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Reception, established by law in 2016 to honour the 368...
UNHCR urges more support to boost refugee access to tertiary education
Only three per cent of refugees have access to higher education, according to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. In its “Refugee Student Voices: Refugee Students In Higher Education” report released this week, UNHCR is calling for critical support to scale up existing...
UN Refugee Chief in Mexico hears stories of hope and despair from Central American refugees, calls for more support for refugee response
Mexico City – During a four-day visit to Mexico, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi visited an innovative programme to integrate refugees, and met refugees and asylum seekers in cities in the northern and southern parts of the country, who told him about...
Intrepid lawyer achieves quest to eradicate statelessness in Kyrgyzstan
Heading out on foot, on horseback and in four-wheel drives, Azizbek Ashurov and his team of lawyers have helped Kyrgyzstan to end statelessness. By Kate Bond in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz Republic Azizbek Ashurov says he does not secure citizenship for people who live...
Kyrgyz human rights lawyer wins UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award
A lawyer whose work has supported the efforts of the Kyrgyz Republic in becoming the first country in the world to end statelessness has been selected as the 2019 winner of the UN Refugee Agency’s Nansen Refugee Award. Azizbek Ashurov, through his organization...