Ludmila arrived in Wroclaw from Ukraine shortly after the outbreak of the war, and now works in an NGO supporting Ukranian refugess in Poland. highlights that accepting refugees is not only the right thing to do, but it also provides significant economic benefits to the host country. The countries that welcome refugees from conflict-affected areas, recognizing their right to reach safety and access opportunity, find that many have valuable skills and make important contributions to their new homes.
Contributing to host-country economies
Amal Abu Snan from Gaza, received a loan from and was able to purchase a sewing machine and some materials to start work as a seamstress. Twenty years later, she has made a name for herself creating quality dresses and embroidered gowns, and is well-respected for her craftsmanship. Today, she is keen to pass on her skills to the next generation.
"There are certain images that will stay with me for a very long time. Because those are the images that cannot be forgotten overnight." Sajjad Malik witnessed terrible suffering during the Syrian crisis. As UNHCR’s former representative in the country, he oversaw one of the UN Refugee Agency’s toughest and most dangerous operations.
Since the war in Syria started in 2011 more than 5.7 million people have fled the country. Another 6.9 million are internally displaced. In this special bitesize episode, Sajjad Malik reflected on the catastrophic conditions he witnessed there and the lasting impact of those memories.
"You have to maintain your mental strength and courage. It’s fine to say it and reflect and cry if need be."
A hidden crisis is enveloping neighbouring Ituri Province, in North Kivu, where civilians face extreme daily violence that has forced 1.5 million to flee their homes. and its partners in Ituri are providing emergency shelters, distributions of household items, and vital services including psychosocial and legal support to survivors of violence.
brings us the story of the many migrants caught between uncertainty and hope, who continue to risk their lives in the Darien Gap, an infamously perilous trek, seeking to reach North America.
With the onset of the cold weather, people in Ukraine would not leave their land and started preparing for the worst – teams supported 109 families in the Kyiv Region with renovation works.
Ghazzal - a ninth-grade student from the Beit Surik Girls School in the West Bank – invented a device that opens windows automatically as soon as it senses gas, with the potential to save countless lives across the West Bank and beyond.
brings us the story of Yash, 17, who writes to his refugee grandfather, now deceased. His grandad fled as a teenager in 1947 during the partition of India, leaving everything behind.
Living in legal limbo during wartime
Due to his complicated upbringing, Ievhen has never been able to get a passport or access many of his rights: to have an education, get a decent job, officially marry his partner Marharyta, open a bank account, or receive state benefits – which he should now be entitled to as an internally displaced person. He reached out to ’s partner NGO Caritas who referred the family to IOM’s tailored protection services. Legal identity is central to enabling regular migration and to protecting the rights of migrants throughout their migration journeys.
As the war in Ukraine continues, psychotherapists are concerned for the mental health and well-being of refugees. A partner provides stress relief from therapists and a support dog named Noir.
Most people are familiar with the phenomenon of refugees, those forced to flee their country of origin, because of fear of persecution or because of armed conflict or natural disaster. Internally displaced persons don’t cross international boundaries but find it necessary to relocate to a different region of their country. On , Conor Lennon met with Cecilia Jimenez-Damary – the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons – on the link between conflict and the climate crisis, which is increasingly causing people to search for safety.
brings us the story of Ana Marvez, who found a home in Chile, after finding the Music Foundation for Integration, a group composed mostly of musician refugees and migrants from Venezuela.
Ornella Banam escaped the civil war in Central African Republic in 2014, fleeing to Burkina Faso. She managed to continue her studies there but dropped out after her father died when she could no longer afford the fees. Last year, Banam was selected for the DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) scholarship programme, allowing her to return to higher education. The programme – funded by the and partners is crucial to achieving the 15by30 goal, achieving 15 per cent higher education enrolment of refugees by 2030.
Dr. Angela Merkel, the former Federal Chancellor of Germany, accepted the 2022 at a special ceremony in Geneva, saying the prize was in honour of “the countless people who lent a hand” when large numbers of refugees arrived in Europe in 2015 and 2016. “In reality, people’s lives happen locally, in cities and communities,” she told the audience. “And that is why I would like to thank the local politicians and employees in the municipalities in particular, as well as the many volunteers in organisations or those who provide individual assistance.”
The Mbera Fire Brigade in Mauritania, is one of the winners of the 2022 Nansen Refugee Award, for their courage and tenacity in safeguarding lives, livelihoods and a local environment.