Refugees and Migrants

Migrants in Libya who are compelled to accept so-called ‘assisted returns’ to their countries of origin often find themselves as victims of widespread and systematic human rights violations and abuses in conditions below those of international human rights laws and standards, according to a UN human rights report released on Tuesday.

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel was named winner of the prestigious Nansen Award, for offering a haven to over 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence at the height of the Syrian conflict, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.

New York Fashion Week was treated to a celebration of diversity and inclusion earlier this month, when designers backed by the UN-supported No Nation Fashion initiative showcased their creations on the catwalk.

The bodies of 71 migrants have reportedly been recovered following another shipwreck in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Syria, which heads of UN agencies described as a “simply tragic” development that demanded an international response to improve conditions for those forced to flee their homes.

Venezuelans desperate to leave the economic crisis in their country are risking their lives in the hope of a better future, braving extreme weather, border crossing, and bandits along the way.

Forced labour and marriage have increased significantly over the last five years, according to a new UN report released on Monday.

Migrants who return home often face significant obstacles in rebuilding their lives. When her situation in Egypt became too difficult, Fatima decided to move back to Sudan, her homeland. With the help of the UN, she has started a small business, and is providing for her family.

Thousands of Senegalese have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in The Gambia, after clashes broke out earlier this year, in parts of Senegal occupied by separatists. The UN is providing psychological support for many of those displaced, who are coping with the fact that a return home is an uncertain prospect.

Dozens of people are said to be missing after a boat of migrants and refugees sank in the Aegean Sea on Wednesday off the Greek island of Karpathos, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

UN agencies appealed on Tuesday for $73 million over the next six months to provide food rations to more than 750,000 people seeking refuge in Ethiopia.