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Refugees
Global support for protecting refugees remains resilient, with most people backing asylum despite ongoing concerns about border management, integration, and the fairness of refugee systems.
"Refugees do bring so much to the community, they bring a whole different culture, a whole different lens on life, and that is powerful and important."
War is Mary Maker’s earliest memory. Born in South Sudan and named Nyiriak — meaning "war" — she spent her youth living and working in one of the world’s largest refugee camps. Now a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, she is raising her voice on behalf of those she left behind, helping refugee students land scholarships to top universities.
“I want to be seen. I want to be heard. I want to be acknowledged. I want to be at the table, making decisions and feeling like a part of something. Are you able to see us? Are you? Are you able to go beyond the news and really understand that this is someone like you?”
After her family fled to safety, Mary built a new life of opportunity through education and hard work – finding her feet, and her voice, on stage. In this episode, she shares how she overcame a childhood marred by death and conflict, and how theater became both her refuge and her path forward.
Photo: ©UNHCR
UNHCR has launched the “Gamechanging Team,” a symbolic football squad captained by Canadian star Alphonso Davies, to spotlight the resilience and talent of refugees worldwide ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Featuring players and coaches with displacement backgrounds, the initiative highlights how sport can create opportunity, inclusion, and hope. UNHCR says the campaign aims to challenge stereotypes around refugees while drawing attention to the record number of people forcibly displaced by conflict, persecution, and climate crises around the world.
Inside the Hagadera Refugee Camp in Dadaab, Kenya, Mariam has cultivated a thriving kitchen garden over the past 19 years, following her arrival from Somalia due to political unrest. Supported by the EU-funded Refugee Settlement Project and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), her garden produces nutritious crops like spinach, kale, and jute mallow, surpassing others in quantity and quality. Fellow community members frequently visit to admire her garden and learn from her. The project aims to expand support to another 2,000 households, promoting vegetable gardening and backyard chicken rearing to improve nutrition and dietary diversity for families in the camp.
This episode from ILO's PROSPECTS podcast explores how the private sector can drive economic inclusion of young refugees by expanding access to decent work and protecting their rights at work. Roman Bojko, Human Rights and Social Impact Leader at Ingka Group shares more about the company’s global Skills for Employment initiative and lessons learned from integrating refugee talent across 26 countries. The conversation highlights how hiring refugees is not just the right thing to do - it’s also good for business, fostering innovation, resilience, and inclusion in the workplace.
A journey from fleeing conflict to playing at the highest levels of basketball shows what’s possible when refugees are given the opportunity to thrive.
Life in refugee camps is harsh for girls, marked by overcrowding, lack of privacy, and limited access to food and basic necessities. They face heightened risks such as sexual violence and child marriage, alongside disrupted health services and education. Despite these challenges, girls are advocating for change, using their experiences to combat harmful practices and promote a future filled with peace and dignity. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) empowers these girls and helps them build a more hopeful future.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have launched a "train-to-hire" program for refugees in the Asia-Pacific region, funded by the Australian Government for an initial 22-month period. This initiative aims to enhance refugee skills and connect them with international job opportunities, addressing labor market gaps and promoting self-reliance. It seeks to strengthen collaboration among UN agencies and facilitate safe migration, leveraging refugees' skills to reduce reliance on irregular routes. Despite significant numbers of skilled refugees, barriers to employment remain, making this targeted training vital for aligning talent with labor needs.
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Maya Ghazal has become the world’s first female Syrian commercial pilot from a refugee background, having officially received her “wings” to fly Boeing 737 jets as a second officer. Flight training is a demanding and competitive process, and only 5 per cent of the world’s pilots are women. Having arrived in the UK ten years ago, Ghazal taught herself English and graduated with a degree in aviation engineering, then completed a 19-month intensive cadet training programme. She advocates for safe legal routes and education for refugees.
Each year on June 20th, the world honors the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. With the number of forcibly displaced people at a record high and brutal aid funding cuts putting millions of lives at risk, it's crucial to raise our voices and show solidarity. This World Refugee Day, solidarity means not just words but actions —standing up for refugees' right to seek safety and finding solutions to their plight. Above all, it means clearly stating that refugees are not alone and we will not turn our backs.
Jassim, a 103-year-old Syrian, witnessed significant changes and suffered immense loss during the conflict in Syria, including the deaths of three of his children in 2013. He fled to Lebanon with his surviving family, living in harsh conditions as refugees. After nearly 14 years, the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024 allowed Jassim and his family to return to their village, Al-Nahryieh, in April. By May, over half a million Syrians had returned home, though they faced substantial challenges. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is providing support to assist returnees with housing, legal documents, and livelihood initiatives.
In the heart of Ma’rib’s displacement camps, a football tournament organized by International Organization for Migration offers youth like Basheer a rare sense of connection, purpose, and hope amid hardship.
Today, over 60 million women and girls worldwide are either forcibly displaced or stateless. Many have fled from conflict, violence, and human rights abuses, yet they continue to live on the frontlines of crises, often separated from loved ones and exposed to greater risks of poverty, exploitation, and further violence. These women face significant obstacles as they strive to continue their education, secure employment, and access healthcare and other essential services. However, it’s important to recognize that they are more than just refugees or survivors of displacement; they are mothers, students, business owners, leaders, and skilled professionals. Given the opportunity, their knowledge and lived experiences can contribute valuable solutions to their communities. The UN Refugy Agency (UNHCR) is committed to ensuring that the voices of displaced women are included in decision-making processes that affect their lives.
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