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Win Hla (name changed), a 58-year-old woman from Myanmar, was forced to flee her home with her family due to escalating conflict between the military and armed groups since 2021. Her journey to safety was perilous, and she now lives in a Buddhist monastery, grappling with fear and uncertainty for the future. Like Win, millions have been displaced, facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, with 18.6 million people in need of aid. Limited resources hinder the response, leaving many without adequate support. Despite their struggles, displaced individuals like Win and others hold onto hope and resilience, calling for urgent international action and funding.

As Abdoulaye collapsed under a desert tree, his priorities shifted when he encountered neighbors fleeing from militia attacks. They had found two small children whose mother was killed, leaving them abandoned. Abdoulaye, determined not to leave the terrified children behind, welcomed them and continued his escape with his wife, Hawaye. After the conflict in Sudan escalated in April 2023, Abdoulaye and Hawaye sent three children to safety in Chad. Upon arriving at Arkoum refugee camp, in eastern Chad, they found their children, who embraced their new siblings. Now, Abdoulaye and Hawaye participate in a foster family program by the Jesuit Refugee Service, supported by the �山����Refugee Agency (), which includes eight other refugee families in Arkoum and 55 in the Hadjer Hadid region.

As Abdoulaye collapsed under a desert tree, his priorities shifted when he encountered neighbors fleeing from militia attacks. They had found two small children whose mother was killed, leaving them abandoned. Abdoulaye, determined not to leave the terrified children behind, welcomed them and continued his escape with his wife, Hawaye. After the conflict in Sudan escalated in April 2023, Abdoulaye and Hawaye sent three children to safety in Chad. Upon arriving at Arkoum refugee camp, in eastern Chad, they found their children, who embraced their new siblings. Now, Abdoulaye and Hawaye participate in a foster family program by the Jesuit Refugee Service, supported by the �山����Refugee Agency (), which includes eight other refugee families in Arkoum and 55 in the Hadjer Hadid region.

Esneda Saavedra is a member of the Yukpa people, who have lived in the Serranía del Perijá mountain range on the Colombia-Venezuela border for centuries. In recent decades, conflicts, forced displacement, resource exploitation, and climate change have threatened their way of life. Born in the Sokorpa reserve, Esneda was influenced by her mother, a traditional authority, and felt compelled to lead from a young age. “I was born to defend our land and people,” she affirms. The Yukpa have faced violence and displacement since colonial times, and when Esneda was eight, her father was murdered by armed groups exploiting their ancestral territory. She has faced threats herself for advocating for her community.

Twishime Ntibenda, a barber from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), found a way to balance working at his barbershop in a displaced persons’ camp and attending school after fleeing his home village due to an armed attack. Despite difficult living conditions in displaced camps, young people like Twishime are finding ways to survive and pursue their dreams. His survival method was to focus on a passion he developed as a teenager: haircutting.

Five trailblazing women – a nun, an activist, a social entrepreneur, a volunteer aid worker, and an advocate for ending statelessness – are being honoured today as winners of the  from UNHCR, the �山����Refugee Agency. Established in 1954, the UNHCR Nansen  Award honours individuals, groups and organizations who have taken extraordinary action to protect refugees, as well as internally displaced and stateless people. The ceremony will be live-streamed on  at 19:30 CEST.

Over the past year, have condemned Hamas's attacks, called for the immediate release of all hostages, and urged ceasefires, as Gaza remains sealed off with no safe areas for civilians; the �山����is committed to delivering aid to the people of .

Since 2016, Burkina Faso has been experiencing political instability and violent conflict, leading to over 2 million internally displaced people and more than 200,000 refugees in neighboring countries. Maimouna Ba's organization, Femmes pour la Dignite du Sahel (), has offered since 2020 school fees for displaced children and skills training for displaced women. She collected donations, rallied support and encouraged volunteers to join her. Since then, her Un Enfant, Un Parrain (One Child, One Sponsor) programme has matched vulnerable children with individual sponsors who contribute towards their school fees.

The ongoing airstrikes in Lebanon have forced tens of thousands of individuals to flee from the southern regions, including the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Bekaa Valley, seeking safety in areas like Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the North. 

As many continue to search for housing and shelter, the , focusing on the needs of both affected Lebanese communities and refugees. Key priorities include providing safe shelter, core relief items, healthcare, cash assistance, and protection services to ensure the well-being of those impacted by the violence.

Despite repeated announcements of ceasefires, the intense fighting between two military factions that erupted in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, on 15 April has quickly spread to other parts of the country. Over 5 million people have had to flee their homes to escape brutal violence, most health facilities are no longer functioning, and hunger and disease are on the rise. The fighting has created a humanitarian emergency both inside Sudan and in the wider region. Take a look at the humanitarian context behind the current crisis, its impact on civilians and what the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees () and its partners are doing to respond to this emergency.

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.

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. 

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.

“For 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.” 

Growing up as a refugee in Burundi, Juliette Murekeyisoni dedicated herself to helping others from an early age. In her recent role as UNHCR’s 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: © UNHCR/Mary Sanyu Osire

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.