Children in Calais in a world away from home
A centre for young refugees in Saint-Omer offers shelter and protection, as well as the chance to enjoy being children again. On a cloudy day in the northern French town of Saint-Omer, Ibrahim, from Darfur in Sudan, is tending to a crop of vegetables with eight other...
UNHCR saddened by loss of life in boat capsize off Egypt
Egyptian authorities rescue 150 people including Sudanese, Eritreans and Somalis after boat capsizes off Rosetta. At least 42 bodies have reportedly been recovered. GENEVA – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply saddened by the loss of life after yet another boat...
Number fleeing Burundi to neighbouring countries tops 300,000
Reception capacities in host countries Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are severely overstretched, UNHCR warns. GENEVA – The number of people fleeing violence, threats, extrajudicial killings, abduction, torture and persecution in Burundi...
Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram return home to ruins
Around 70,000 people have found destruction, insecurity and scarcity on arrival in Gwoza, a city liberated earlier this year from militants in northern Nigeria. GWOZA, Nigeria – After Nigerian forces liberated this once thriving city from Boko Haram militants,...
Talk, or the water will break your heart
Volunteers for 2016 Nansen Refugee Award winners Hellenic Rescue Team share their experience of a traumatic year. LESVOS, Greece – At a small tavern overlooking the coastline of Lesvos, Panagiotis Konstantaras and Antigoni Piperaki are taking a short break from...UNHCR welcomes Canada’s support at Summit
UNHCR Representative in Canada, Johannes van der Klaauw, praised Canada for its very active engagement at both the General Assembly and Leader’s Summit in New York last week. “I would like to express UNHCR’s profound appreciation to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau...Canada, UNHCR and Open Society Foundations seek to increase refugee resettlement
UNITED NATIONS/NEW YORK CITY, September 19, 2016 – The Government of Canada, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the Open Society Foundations have agreed to launch a joint initiative aimed at increasing private sponsorship of refugees around the...
As beloved imam’s hope for peace live on
For decades, Imam Moussa Bawa worked with Italian nun Sister Maria Concetta to help refugees of all faiths to live in peace. On his death, his successor pledges to continue his work. When they welcomed newborn babies in this town in Democratic Republic of the Congo...