Global Refugee Forum opens amid ‘crisis of humanity’

The world’s largest gathering dedicated to refugee issues, the Forum is co-hosted by UNHCR and Switzerland and convened by Colombia, France, Japan, Jordan and Uganda. It brings together Member States, civil society, financial institutions, private companies and more than 300 refugee advocates. Shattered dreams, disrupted lives Setting the tone for the discussion, Mr. Grandi said […]

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Justa Libertad: A Movement to Decriminalize Abortion in Ecuador

Justa Libertad, an Ecuadorian coalition of eight civil society organizations, recently filed a lawsuit before the Constitutional Court of Ecuador seeking to decriminalize abortion. This crucial initiative seeks to ensure that women, girls, and other pregnant people can access safe abortion care. It follows similar coalitions that achieved progress in other Latin American countries like […]

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Migration is a fact of life and a ‘force for good’

In a message marking International Migrants Day, the UN chief emphasized that migration promotes the exchange of knowledge and contributes to economic growth, but at the same time, “poorly governed migration is a cause of great suffering.” “It forces people into the cruel realm of traffickers, where they face exploitation, abuse, and even death. It […]

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United States Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice Cormier Smith Visits Switzerland and New York

U.S. Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice Desirée Cormier Smith will travel to Geneva and New York City April 15-23. In Geneva, the Special Representative and Ambassador Michèle Taylor will represent the United States as heads of delegation at the third meeting of the UN Permanent Forum for People on African Descent. There the Special Representative will deliver […]

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UN’s Grandi welcomes EU deal overhauling regional migration system

Agreement in Brussels on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum reportedly followed three years of intense negotiations, and it should start taking effect in 2024. The deal will attempt to distribute migrants more evenly across the bloc, providing enhanced support and coordination for processing claims away from frontier states such as Italy and Greece, […]

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Indonesia urged to protect refugees following mob attack

Hundreds of young people stormed a building basement where scores of Rohingya refugees were sheltered, according to media reports. The Rohingya are a mainly Muslim community who have fled waves of persecution in Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist country.  Nearly one million are living in camps in Bangladesh and more than 1,000 have arrived in Indonesia […]

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World News in Brief: Strikes in Ukraine condemned, surge in Rohingya deaths at sea, boost investment in decent jobs

“I was having coffee at home this morning in Kyiv, my neighbours were getting ready for work, children preparing to go to school, when our homes started to shake because of a wave of airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital,” Denise Brown said in a statement. The attacks damaged civilian buildings just next to the UN […]

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Stories from the UN Archive: All-star 1950s cast visits European refugee camps

The Russian-born actor, filmmaker and photographer was appointed a special consultant to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in connection with World Refugee Year. Ahead of the International Human Fraternity Day, marked annually on 4 February, this week’s #ThrowbackThursday edition focuses on the Hollywood stars who focused on the plight of […]

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