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Climate change, conflict, political instability, disease and economic shocks are driving humanitarian needs in the Southern and Eastern Africa region. At least 74 million people in the region need humanitarian assistance - that's the highest number of people in need in the world. This number is expected to increase by the end of the year due to climate change and conflict. Displacement and food crises, a high incidence of cholera and a growing number of violent sexual assaults are among the most serious challenges facing this area of the African continent.
Guillaume Junior Atangana's historic third-place finish in the men鈥檚 400m at the Paris Paralympics, exemplifies the resilience and triumph of the and the power of sport to inspire hope among refugees.
A week before the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Guillaume Junior Atangana and his guide and fellow refugee Donard Nyamjua received a surprise call from the President of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons. Junior, as many call him, was overjoyed and touched when the President informed him that he would be carrying the flag into the Opening Ceremony for the , accompanied by Donard. Sport, and their determination to compete in another Paralympics, has helped them through some of their toughest moments. In Paris, Donard wants to send a message to other refugees and people with disabilities that 鈥渁nything is possible.鈥
On the occasion of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) are hosting a (27- 28 August), focused on leveraging Para sport as a catalyst for advancing disability inclusion. It is estimated that over 15% of the world's population live with a disability, and yet disability inclusion as a social movement is often overlooked, underfunded and misunderstood. UNESCO and the IPC aim to advance collective efforts to remove barriers, fight stigma, and increase access to sports and physical activity for persons with disabilities.
impacts millions of people worldwide, limiting their lives. Millions of individuals across the globe are not recognized as citizens of any country. This lack of nationality has severe implications for their lives, affecting their access to education, societal inclusion and economic opportunities. As of the end of 2023, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees () reported that 4.4 million people were stateless or of undetermined nationality. However, due to the lack of accurate data and the challenges in counting individuals without legal identity, the actual number is believed to be much higher.
Refugee athlete Cindy Ngamba secured the first-ever medal for the Refugee Olympic Team, after she triumphed in her quarterfinal bout and guaranteed herself a bronze medal.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games unite people and celebrate the human spirit, but there's still work to do to ensure inclusiveness in sports. Many people continue to face challenges in exercising their right to participate in sports, including athletes living in poverty, athletes who speak out, athletes with disabilities, refugees, the LGBTIQ+ community, women and indigenous peoples. A young paralympic Iraqi table tennis champion and a member of the Refugee Team, both participating in the Paralympic and Olympic Games in Paris this Summer, share their thoughts about inclusion and belonging in sports.
In Renk, South Sudan, nearly 52,000 refugees face dire conditions in overcrowded transit centres as they escape the ongoing war in Sudan, with limited resources and harsh living conditions.
鈥淔or me, every time I meet them, I tell them: Don't lose hope, you are not going to be a refugee forever. One day you'll go home, and you can use the skills you have learned here. So, any opportunity you have, learn.鈥
Growing up as a refugee in Burundi, Juliette Murekeyisoni dedicated herself to helping others from an early age. In her recent role as UNHCR鈥檚 deputy representative in South Sudan, she continued to keep hope alive by encouraging refugees to focus on their education and long-term perspectives.
South Sudan hosts around 330,000 refugees as well as 2 million others internally displaced due to conflict, insecurity and the impact of climate change. In this episode of Awake at Night, recorded on 20 June 2024, Juliette Murekeyisoni reflects on improving prospects of those forced to flee, on her own traumatic experiences during the Rwandan genocide, and on a life touched by the kindness of strangers.
Photo: 漏 UNHCR/Mary Sanyu Osire
, an 800-meter runner, is among the 37 athletes representing the International Olympic Committee Refugee Olympic Team at the Paris Games. Fleeing conflict at age seven, she found refuge in Kenya鈥檚 Kakuma camp, where she also discovered her passion for sports. Now, Nakang is set to compete with the aim of achieving her personal best, embodying the resilience and determination of athletes overcoming adversity.
Claver Irakoze, who was 11 during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, sought refuge at a school in Kabgayi, only to witness government soldiers and militias targeting people for execution. Despite enduring profound trauma, he now speaks out to keep the memory of the genocide alive, advocating for remembrance and education to prevent such atrocities in the future.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants risk their lives on routes that extend from the East and Horn of Africa and West Africa, towards North Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and Europe. Much attention is focused on the dangers they face attempting the perilous Mediterranean Sea crossing. But before they reach the shore, many endure extreme and repeated violence and abuse on land. A draws on interviews with more than 31,000 refugees and migrants to map those routes and the most common dangers refugees and migrants face on them.
As Sudan's crisis continues, Chad and South Sudan are increasingly affected, hosting over half of Sudan's more than two million war-displaced refugees who face heightened hunger worsened by the rainy season.
UNHCR issues stark warning as reaches alarming levels, urging global action to prevent apathy and inaction.