UNHCR chief applauds Zambia’s openness to refugees
Filippo Grandi commends the African nation for its generosity towards refugees and calls for additional humanitarian and development support during a two-day visit. By Catherine Wachiaya in Lusaka, Zambia UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi called for...
Jordan’s accidental plumber trains team of Syrian refugee women
After a mistranslation led her to enrol in a plumbing workshop, Safaa trained her own team of mostly Syrian refugee women to fix leaky taps and challenge stereotypes. By Charlie Dunmore and Rima Cherri in Irbid, Jordan A former jewellery designer, Safaa had signed up...
New refugees arrive to Iraq in a week of violence in northeast Syria
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.For the fourth consecutive day, UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, has been receiving...
Unprecedented flooding affects thousands of locals, refugees in South Sudan
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Unprecedented heavy flooding in South Sudan’s Maban County has affected nearly...
Afghan boy endures hardship en route to a better future
Farouk, 15, fled Afghanistan and endured a difficult journey overland across 10 countries. Now he is reunited with his siblings in London thanks in part to help from UNHCR. By Barbara Molinario in Rome By the age of 16, most teenage boys have survived school, made...
Nicaraguans make their home in an idle Costa Rican factory
Uprooted by persecution, dozens of Nicaraguan journalists, teachers, labourers and accountants now rent a former San José tin factory as a shelter. By Jenny Barchfield in San José, Costa Rica With its roof and walls made out of corrugated tin, a single spartan...
Climate change and displacement
How conflict and climate change form a toxic combination that drives people from their homes. They murdered his father, torched his neighbourhood and sent him running for his life. Rounding up as many family members as he could find, Hawali Oumar fled his hometown of...
UNHCR increases aid in north-east Syria
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Liz Throssell – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Since the escalation of violence in north-east Syria last week, teams from UNHCR, the...