It’s a sunny morning in the city of Nairobi. I am greeted on a busy street by my friend, Fatima. Fatima tells me about the difficulty she has had since I was last in Nairobi a year ago. She is a refugee from Somalia. She and her mother fled Somalia in 2009 after an attack…
The Last Injustice
It’s one of those things you don’t think about until someone specifically brings it up. You don’t think about it partly because it doesn’t seem to be the most urgent need, and partly because you just don’t want to have such an image in your head. It’s a mental picture that’s not easy to get…
Assistance Denied: Aid and LGBTI Rights in the Congo
One day on the shores of Lake Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Micheline went to jail. The arrest probably did not come as a surprise to her. Working as a sex worker, run-ins with the police may have been a common occurrence for Micheline. But when she reached the prison on that particular…
Life for Syrian Refugees Outside of Turkey’s Camps
The southeast provinces of Turkey, on the Syrian border, are home to hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. Some of the refugees have been there for up to four years. Most are struggling to get by and trying to avoid having to go into a camp. The Turkish government is in the process of registering…
A Glimpse of Life for IDPs on a UN Base in South Sudan
In December 2013, conflict ignited in Juba, South Sudan, and soon spread throughout the country. Tens of thousands of civilians fled to United Nations bases for protection. Today, fighting continues, and more than 100,000 South Sudanese are sheltering under the protection of UN peacekeeping forces.
Skeletal Response Puts Philippine IDPs at Risk
In September 2013, in the city of Zamboanga on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, fighting broke out between the Moro National Liberation Front, a Muslim separatist group, and the Philippine Army. One hundred and twenty thousand people were displaced. The confrontation was the latest in a 40-year struggle by minority Muslim groups – comprised…
Rohingya Face Segregated, Dire Conditions in Myanmar
In September 2014, Refugees International went to Rakhine State to meet with displaced Rohingya, document the humanitarian situation, and advocate for their rights. Around 900 stateless Rohingya are fleeing Myanmar’s Rakhine State every day on unseaworthy boats that are supposed to take them to Malaysia or Thailand but often put them in the hands of…
Congolese Dying to Feed Their Families as Food Cuts Bite
In parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, many displaced people are so hungry that they are risking their very lives – and fates worse than death – for a few cups of corn or beans.
Syrian Refugees in Northern Iraq: Desperate & on the Streets
Since the war in Syria began four years ago, more than 200,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. The Kurdistan Regional Government, the United Nations, and international and local humanitarian agencies have all done what they can to help people survive. But as their time in Iraq grows longer, many of the Syrians are running out of money, no longer have personal belongings to sell, and are continuing to incur debt. Although some refugee camps do exist in the region, many families prefer not to stay in them. As a result, many are becoming so desperate that they end up living on the streets.
Yazidi Families Survive ISIS Attack But Face Uncertain Future
Last month’s advance by the militant Islamic State group (also known as ISIS or ISIL) in northern Iraq forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes – including the Yazidi minority of Sinjar. Many of those newly displaced made their way to Erbil, Iraq, where they joined tens of thousands of Syrian refugees already…