Migrants and Refugees

OCHA/Vincent Tremeau

Real Life Heroes: Building a safe space for Rohingya women refugees

18 August 2020
Asia Pacific

Bangladeshi architect Rizvi Hassan is the driving force behind the construction of a safe space for Rohingya women and girls, in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, site of the world’s largest camp for displaced people, and home to around a million Rohingya refugees who fled from Myanmar. The community centre caters to a marginalized, vulnerable group, at risk of gender-based violence. 

© Hassan Akkad

Real Life Heroes: The Syrian film-maker cleaning COVID wards in the UK

15 August 2020

Hassan Akkad, an award-winning Syrian film-maker, fled the war in his country four years ago and now lives as a refugee in the United Kingdom. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, he decided to help those affected by the pandemic, by becoming a cleaner at a London hospital.

UNICEF/Geai

Interception no solution to address migrants crossing English Channel

14 August 2020
Europe

Intercepting boats full of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel, is not the solution to deter them from attempting to reach the United Kingdom, UN agencies have stressed, warning that deployment of large naval vessels to block small, flimsy dinghies could lead to fatal incidents.

IRC

Real Life Heroes: ‘A simple word can mean a lot to a refugee’

14 August 2020
Middle East

After leaving Gaza as a refugee, Shadi Mohammedali decided to dedicate himself to helping others in a similar situation. Today, he is working for an NGO in a Greek camp for asylum seekers, explaining how they can protect themselves from COVID-19.

© UNHCR/Aristophane Ngargoune

Violence in Sudan’s Western Darfur forces 2,500 into Chad: UN refugee agency

11 August 2020
Africa

Recent clashes in Sudan’s Western Darfur region has driven more than 2,500 people across the border into neighbouring Chad, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has reported.

ILO/Hisham Ashraf

Pandemic poses fresh challenges for vulnerable migrant workers in Middle East

10 August 2020
Middle East

Amidst reports that many migrant workers in the Middle East are being made destitute, due to an economic crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN is calling on governments and employers to respect their rights, and show solidarity with their plight.

UN Women/Pornvit Visitoran

New guidance for protecting migrant workers during the coronavirus pandemic

10 August 2020
Global

As migrant workers continue to be on the front lines of the collective response to COVID-19, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) are releasing new employer guidance for measures to protect them.

© UNHCR/Komi Mensah

Countries urged to target smugglers after 27 migrants die at sea

7 August 2020
Africa

Two UN agencies are calling for greater action to dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks following the deaths of 27 migrants off the coast of Mauritania, northwest Africa.

© UNOCHA

‘Heed the calls’ for ceasefire in north-western Syria – UN

4 August 2020

The United Nations expressed concern on Tuesday for the safety and protection of more than four million civilians in north-western Syria, which has been hit with aerial bombardments over the past few days.

© UNHCR/Tobin Jones

South Sudan refugee, athlete, Olympian is newest UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

4 August 2020
Global

A track and field athlete from South Sudan who was forced to flee conflict as a child was on Tuesday named a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.