New UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador will advocate for young refugees

A teenage refugee from Syria will use her role as Goodwill Ambassador with the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, to urge world leaders to stand with children uprooted by war. Muzoon Almellehan, 19, is the youngest person and the first official refugee, ever to be appointed to the position. Global displacement reached a record high last year, with more than 65 million people forced to flee their homes due to war, violence and persecution. Muzoon spoke to Reem Abaza about her hopes as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and also explained why education is critical in order to change the world.

Young refugee mother in Uganda thankful for UN support

A young mother who escaped conflict in South Sudan is grateful to have found shelter and safety at a UN-run refugee camp in neighbouring Uganda. Akwi Gairi fled Eastern Equatoria state last month, with her small children and a baby on her back, after her husband was killed. Uganda is hosting more than a million refugees from countries like South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is placing a strain on resources. The government and the UN are this week hosting a “solidarity summit” in the capital, Kampala, to drum up support for refugees and the communities hosting them. Jocelyne Sambira met Akwi at the Impevi camp reception centre in northern Uganda where she’s been living for almost a month.

UN-backed fish farm project in Uganda unites refugees and local people

The number of people who have fled their homes due to conflict, persecution and instability hit a record high of 65.6 million in 2016, according to the latest data from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. Nowhere is the refugee crisis growing faster than in Uganda which, as we just heard, has taken in more than one million refugees: double the number from last year. Dianne Penn reports on the story of one Congolese woman who is trying to build a new life in the country.

Presenter: Dianne Penn

Production Assistant: Sandra Guy

Duration: 10’00″