Abandoned at Sea
In May of this year, at least 5,000 refugees and migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh found themselves stranded at sea when the people smugglers and ship crews who had promised to take them to Malaysia abandoned them en masse in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea....
5 things you need to know this World Humanitarian Day
One. This World Humanitarian Day we at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, are celebrating all of the humanitarian—from generous people like you to our dedicated staff, network of committed volunteers and supportive locals in host countries—who are doing their bit, working...
The Refugees Learning to Reconnect
The city of Nouakchott, Mauritania, is no stranger to refugees. Around 1,500 people who have fled some of Africa’s bloodiest conflicts now call it home. One of them, Budiaki*, is sitting in a computer room at a bustling Women’s Centre when I arrive, using her own...
An Old Conflict Causes New Wounds in Iraq
Asam thought he had lost everything that mattered when his family fled their home in Sinjar, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, during an attack in August 2014. But just a few months after finding shelter in Amadi, an idyllic town perched atop a mountain in Dohuk...
Awaiting Peace, but Not a Paycheck
Rudy, with his gift for languages, found work at the front desk of a hotel. Nusheen got a job making sandwiches. And Simav, who was forced to put law school on hold when her family fled Syria, is selling cosmetics. Thousands of Syrian refugees, fleeing violence at...
An Epic Journey to Save Diana
As the navy ship was pulling into the port in Sicily, I could see Diana. She stood out from more than 400 migrants and refugees onboard, rescued while crossing the dangerous Mediterranean waters. Diana, 10, was born in Syria with a severe form of cerebral palsy.Her...
Syrian refugee in Lebanon decides to head to Turkey to risk flight to Europe.
SHOUEIFAT, Lebanon, July 21 (UNHCR)—In the hall of her bare apartment, five packed suitcases lay neatly on the floor. After four crushing years of living in Lebanon as a refugee, Hanan* had made up her mind. She was going to leave, no matter the cost....
The Canadian Connection
For almost 40 years, UNHCR has played a unique role in Canada. We don’t have tent cities full of refugees in Canada. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever see a UNHCR aid worker distributing food or blankets in Toronto or Ottawa. And never has a Canadian mayor ever...