The 1951 Refugee Convention: 70 years of life-saving protection
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, a key international treaty establishing the rights of people forced to flee. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, says that recommitting to its spirit and fundamental principles is more urgent today than ever....
UNHCR: World leaders must act to reverse the trend of soaring displacement
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is today urging world leaders to step up their efforts to foster peace, stability and cooperation in order to halt and begin reversing nearly a decade-long trend of surging displacement driven by violence and persecution. Despite the...
UNHCR rushing support and aid to Rohingya refugees affected by last week’s massive fire
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.
IPC announces six athletes to compete for the Refugee Paralympic Team at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
International stars Chris Martin, Alphonso Davies, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Barbara Hendricks, Khaled Hosseini and Asmir Begovic champion the refugee cause and welcome the “world’s most courageous sports team” in a heart-warming reveal...
UNHCR congratulates the Tokyo 2020 Refugee Olympic Team
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, celebrates the announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of the Tokyo 2020 Refugee Olympic Team on 8 June 2021. After years of training, 29 refugee athletes will head to Tokyo in July to participate at this summer’s games....
Alphonso Davies becomes the first footballer to take UNHCR’s Goodwill Ambassador title
Born in a refugee camp in Ghana, to Liberian parents who fled the civil war in their home country, Davies knows first-hand what it means to be a refugee and he takes actions to support UNHCR’s work in helping refugees.
COVID-19 pandemic worsening gender inequalities for refugee women and girls
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening the lives and rights of refugee, displaced and stateless women and girls, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. “The unprecedented socio-economic impacts of the pandemic are leaving many lives in peril. We are seeing...
News comment: UNHCR calls on Myanmar’s neighbours to protect people fleeing violence
This news comment is attributable to Gillian Triggs, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection
Bangladeshi authorities, aid agencies and refugee volunteers rush to respond as massive fire leaves some 45,000 Rohingya refugees without shelter
This is a summary of what was said by Johannes van der Klaauw, UNHCR Representative in Dhaka, Bangladesh – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.