News Comment: UNHCR’s Grandi welcomes developments on EU asylum reform, encourages further progress under Czech EU Presidency
Statement attributed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi Prague – I have just returned from the Czech Republic, where I met government representatives as the country prepares to take over the Presidency of the European Union (EU) on 1 July. It...
Ethiopian families struggle to survive amid record drought
UNHCR is supporting local authorities in the Somali Region of Ethiopia to provide urgent aid to thousands forced to leave in search of water during worst drought for 40 years. By Eugene Sibomana in Kebribeyah, Ethiopia Ardo emerges from her shelter when she hears a...
UNHCR appeals for life-saving aid for millions affected by catastrophic Horn of Africa drought
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing for urgent support to help displaced people...
UNHCR and IOM deplore loss of life at Nador-Melilla crossing
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, express profound sadness and concern at the loss of life and injuries reported during attempted crossings of the fence between Nador in Morocco and Melilla in Spain on Friday morning....
Taking forward the UN Secretary-General’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement
Joint Statement by the Principals of DCO, IOM, OCHA, UNDP and UNHCR Today, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched his Action Agenda on Internal Displacement. With over 59 million people currently internally displaced around the world – the highest number...
UNHCR rushes relief supplies, humanitarian staff to Afghanistan’s earthquake-hit regions
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has rushed tons of relief items and several expert staff...
Yazidi women box their way to recovery
A boxing project implemented by an NGO Innovation Award winner is empowering displaced Yazidi women and girls in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. By Rasheed Hussein Rasheed and Kristy Siegfried When Nathifa Wadie Qasim was a young girl back in Sinjar, in Iraq’s Nineveh...
UNHCR deeply saddened at loss of life and destruction from Afghanistan earthquake
GENEVA – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply saddened to see the tragic aftermath of this morning’s deadly earthquake in Afghanistan. Reports suggest that so far nearly 1,000 people have died and more are injured amid large-scale destruction. UNHCR has...