The Ukrainian Crisis is Inescapable

The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is unfolding every day, and has now forced more than 10 million people from their home in the last few weeks- 4.7 million refugees and 7.1 million internally displaced people (IDPs). The world watches in horror as millions of innocent lives, most of them women and children, are affected by the Russian invasion.

There are also an additional 13 million people who remain stranded in hard to reach areas, directly affected by the conflict and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. As the conflict continues, USA for UNHCR is on the ground, day and night, providing aid to those who have been forced to flee their homes due to this conflict.

Please, if you are able to, consider making a compassionate donation today.

(information via USA for UNHCR)

5 Things You Should Know About the Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is continuing on day after day, leaving millions forcibly displaced and with little to no options. Today I wanted to share some basic information about the crisis from USA for UNHCR, because I believe, at the very least, we should all be as informed as we can in order to properly help those who need it.

1. When did the Ukraine crisis begin?

   While there has been conflict in Ukraine for almost eight years (with UNHCR identifying 2.9 million people who already needed humanitarian assistance before this year), the most recent act of violence began on February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, and from there, the crisis escalated at an alarmingly rapid rate.

2. Who is impacted by the ongoing crisis in Ukraine?

   Over 12 million people have been affected by this war, with a projected 18 million people expected to be affected. There are 41.4 million people in the country, so almost half the population will feel the effects of this war. USA for UNHCR points out that, “Elderly and disabled people are particularly at risk as they may be unable to flee or may choose to stay in the impacted areas. Women and girls are at greatest risk for gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse.”

3. Who is fleeing Ukraine and where are they going?

   More than 10 million people have been forced to flee from their homes in the last several weeks — 4.7M refugees and 7.1 internally displaced people (IDPs). Millions have found refuge in Poland, followed by Romania and Moldova, with the rest finding safety in other European countries.

   USA for UNHCR shares that, “The majority of the people fleeing Ukraine are women and children who account for 90 percent of refugees. Women face significant challenges and are at the greatest risk for sexual exploitation and abuse, human trafficking and forced prostitution. Given the high protection risks, UNHCR staff are in neighboring countries carrying out regular protection monitoring at border crossing points and transit centers to assess protection risks.”

4. What is UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, doing to help?

   In short, an enormous amount:

   “UNHCR and its partners are on the ground providing crucial humanitarian assistance and protection and deploying more staff and relief items in the region. In Ukraine, UNHCR is distributing emergency supply kits with items like thermal blankets and water cans and strengthening nationwide hotlines. UNHCR is helping to set up transit centers in neighboring countries to assess the needs of newly displaced people and provide temporary shelter. 

   UNHCR is working with national authorities and child welfare and protection specialists to support vulnerable groups fleeing from Ukraine. As women and children constitute the majority of people fleeing Ukraine, UNHCR has initiated a ‘Stay Safe campaign’ across neighboring countries to raise awareness among refugees fleeing Ukraine about the increased risks of trafficking and exploitation. UNHCR and UNICEF are also jointly rolling out Blue Dots, safe spaces for children, families and others with specific needs, across the region.”

5. What can you do to help?

   The people of Ukraine, along with all forcibly displaced persons around the world, need our help. No matter the amount, no matter if it’s even just talking about the crisis and spreading awareness, every little bit counts.

   If you are able to, please consider making a compassionate donation today.

(All information provided by USA for UNHCR)

It Feels Good To Be Home, But What About Those Who Don't Have a Home to Return To?

We’re home from the beach!

What is it that feels so good about coming home from a long trip (and a long car ride) and walking through your front door? Even if your house is messy? Even if it smells kind of funny after sitting still for a week? 

I ask myself this question every time we travel, no matter if we’ve been gone for a few days or longer. I think it all goes back to our overwhelming love for home; what it means, who it is, what it feels like. Right now, home feels like laundry on the couches, little dogs scurrying across the hardwood floors, kids laughing (and crying) in the background, PJ talking about one of the renovation projects he’s working on. Little things. Details that mean so much to me.

As good as it feels to be home, I can’t stop thinking of those in Ukraine who don’t have a home to go to. Who have been forced to flee from their belongings, their houses, their loved ones, in order to escape the ongoing war. I think about how there might be someone there who is maybe my age, my same height and build, who loves the same things as I do. Maybe they love home as much as my family does, too. I think about how there might not be such a difference between us, except geographically. I think about how badly they must be hurting, knowing they won’t be going home tonight, because maybe their home isn’t even there anymore and if it is, who knows when they’ll be able to return to it?

Keeping the people of Ukraine in my heart tonight, and may we all continue to advocate for them. Here is a list of 27 meaningful ways to help, (you can also purchase Airbnb’s), and as always, please consider donating whatever amount you can to USA for UNHCR, who are on the ground helping those who need it more than ever.

How to Help Ukraine Right Now

Ukraine is officially under attack after Putin declared war this morning (to understand the whole story, click here), with Russia invading and attacking Ukraine after weeks of rising tensions between the neighboring countries.

The attacks have already killed dozens of Ukrainians and left many families and children displaced and fearing for their lives. The future of the Ukrainian people is in jeopardy and so much is up in the air right now. If you’re like me, you’re looking for ways to help those who are in this tragic situation; those whose entire lives have changed over the course of a single day.

USA for UNHCR is accepting emergency donations to help the people of Ukraine right now. If you can, please consider donating by clicking here. Any amount (truly, anything) will help provide emergency assistance to those who need it most, and who never wanted this conflict in the first place.

USA for UNHCR explains that:

“Even before the most recent crisis, years of conflict in Ukraine have forced more than two million children, women and men from their homes and left them struggling to survive. Nearly three million people in Ukraine will require humanitarian assistance this year. Those fleeing for their lives need immediate shelter, protection and safety.”

This crisis is happening in real time, with lives hanging in the balance as the brink of World War III looms over the two countries and, quite frankly, over the rest of us as well (even if Biden has said US troops will not invade Russia). Your support to help those who need it most goes a long way, no matter how you show it.

Thank you for reading, and please stay safe.

(photo via Shutterstock)

Afghanistan is Facing the Worst Humanitarian Crisis in the World

There are currently 24.4 million people (about 55 percent of the total population) who are in need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, which is up a whopping 30 percent from last year.

USA for UNHCR shared some facts on their blog recently that are hard to swallow. How can we, as a global community, allow this to happen? How can we allow families to be torn apart and children to suffer? Even though they’re halfway around the world and we may never meet any of them, Afghan citizens need our help, because the situation is only getting worse and they’re running out of options.

After 40 years of war, rising poverty, and economic decline, Afghans in 2021 faced even worse conflict when the Taliban took over the country in August, not to mention battling the worst drought in decades. The Afghans current crisis, however, is the hard winter they’re in, many without food or proper shelter.

Per USA for UNHCR, here are five startling facts about what’s happening in Afghanistan right now:

1. FACT: Afghanistan is one of the biggest displacement crises in the world.

Conflict forcibly displaced nearly 700,000 people across all provinces in 2021. The UN estimates that there are more than 9 million displaced people in the country. 

“Afghanistan’s displacement crisis is one of the largest and most protracted in UNHCR’s seven-decade history,” says UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. “We’re now seeing a third generation of Afghan children born in exile.”

Beyond Afghanistan’s borders, there are at least 6 million Afghans in neighboring countries, with the majority in Iran and Pakistan. Approximately 2.5 million are registered as refugees.

2. FACT: Half of the population of Afghanistan faces acute hunger.

Over half the population, 23 million people, are in acute food insecurity; 8.4 million people are facing emergency level food insecurity – the highest number in the world and the last step before famine. One million children are at risk from severe malnourishment.

“Sometimes we get vegetables, but mostly we are living on bread and tea,” says Mohammad, who recently returned to his home after six years of displacement. “All the children are hungry.” 

Furthermore, rising temperatures and droughts have exacerbated the effects of 40 years of war, resulting in poor harvests and worsening food shortages.

3. FACT: Displaced Afghans are struggling through the harsh winter.

Though the summers are hot and dry, winters in Afghanistan are frigid with frequent winter storms. In the heart of winter, temperatures can plummet to the single digits. Current conditions have forced road closures in many provinces, as well as disrupted flights to and from the Kabul airport, including those carrying emergency assistance and supplies.  

UNHCR’s winterization assistance is focused on helping families survive in these harsh conditions, often in makeshift temporary shelters. Critical needs for core assistance items during winter include blankets, solar lanterns, tent insulation kits and cash for heating and clothing.

4. FACT: The fundamental rights of women and girls are under attack.

While appealing to the international community to support the Afghan people last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was making an equally urgent appeal to Taliban leaders “to recognize and protect the fundamental human rights, and in particular the rights of women and girls,” and to build government institutions in which all Afghans feel represented.

“Across Afghanistan, women and girls are missing from offices and classrooms,” Guterres said. “No country can thrive while denying the rights of half of its population.”

5. FACT: The UN Refugee Agency will stay and deliver.

UNHCR’s emergency response in Afghanistan continues, including the scaling up of winter support and cash assistance to the most vulnerable displaced families. In 2021, UNHCR assisted 1.1 million displaced and vulnerable people and helped 3 million people with improved access to infrastructure and services.

A UN-wide $4.4 billion plan for responding to humanitarian needs in Afghanistan in 2022 was launched on January 11. If funded, the plan will scale up delivery of lifesaving food and agriculture support, health services, treatment for malnutrition, emergency shelter, access to water and sanitation, protection and emergency education.

Grandi said: “The international community must do everything it can to prevent a catastrophe in Afghanistan, which would not only compound suffering but would drive further displacement both within the country and throughout the region.”

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If you’re like me, you’re probably reading this wondering what you can do to help. If you’re able to, please consider donating to USA for UNHCR to help those suffering in Afghanistan make it through the cold, bitter winter. You can click here to donate (any amount helps) and provide emergency shelter, lifesaving aid, food, medicine, and clean water to the most vulnerable people who are living through a conflict they had no hand in creating.

Thank you so much for your time.

(photo via USA for UNHCR)

Today is Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday directly following Thanksgiving, marks the beginning of the winter season and is an opportunity to bring attention to the global refugee crisis and how you can help out those in need this season.

This time of the year is always a time when the most vulnerable are left even more vulnerable as temperatures drop and they’re left exposed to the harsh realities of winter. I’m thinking of refugee families who have been forced to flee with little more than the clothes on their backs. Now is the time, more than ever, that they need our help in order to survive and hopefully get to a place where they can resettle and start a new life.

This Giving Tuesday, I’m joining USA for UNHCR in helping support displaced families through the harsh winter ahead. As families brace for freezing cold temperatures and heavy snow, winter survival kits can provide the warmth, safety and hope that they need. If you are able to help in even the slightest, your compassionate gift will be matched $1-for-$1 to provide comfort, warmth and peace during a displaced family’s greatest time of need.

If you can, please click here to donate and help give the gift of hope and warmth by raising enough to provide 3,200 winter survival kits. Together we can help those who are battling a crisis they didn’t have a hand in starting; who are left defenseless and fighting for their lives and the lives of their family in order to make it through the winter months; who have the same rights as we all do and deserve the chance to make a better life for themselves.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for doing what you can. And as always, thank you to USA for UNHCR for constantly fighting for those who need it most.

(above photo courtesy of USA for UNHCR)

Explaining the U.S. Asylum and Border Policies

Each year, and increasingly, more and more refugees from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala are seeking asylum in the United States.

The number has soared in recent years because of climate change, increased violence due to gangs and drug cartels, and severe inequalities. Every day, thousands of families are forced to flee their homes and the lives they once knew because of persecution and fear of violence. They do what they have to do to survive and take refuge in a safe place in order to rebuild their lives.

Today, with information provided by USA for UNHCR, let’s take a look at what the policies at the border are and how U.S. asylum actually works.

Why are people seeking asylum at the U.S. border?

“People from Central America, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Haiti and beyond – including Asia and Africa – are escaping situations where they fear for their lives. In Central America, hundreds of thousands of families have been victims of violence, extortion and persecution at the hands of local gangs, with no recourse from government institutions. The high levels of violence in the region are only comparable to those experienced in war zones. In Venezuela, 5.9 million people have left the country, many escaping generalized violence and lack of food and medicine.”

Is it legal to seek asylum at the U.S. border?

“The right to seek asylum is grounded in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Art. 14) and the 1951 Refugee Convention (including its 1967 Protocol). Anyone who fears violence and persecution has the right to seek asylum and should not be returned to a territory where they fear threats to their lives or freedom (principle of non-refoulement, Art. 33, 1951 Refugee Convention). The U.S. Congress incorporated this definition into U.S. immigration law in the Refugee Act of 1980.

According to the 1967 Protocol, adopting countries including the United States should consider the individual claims of people requesting asylum in their territory or at a port of entry and have the obligation to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to those who need it. The U.S. Refugee Act establishes two paths to obtain refugee status -- either from abroad as a resettled refugee or in the United States as an asylum-seeker.”

What is Title 42?

“The United States has long had a legal framework to guarantee the right to seek asylum to individuals who arrive at our borders and ask for protection. But since March 20, 2020, that fundamental right has been largely suspended at U.S. land borders. Since that date, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of people seeking to apply for asylum have been turned away and “expelled” back to Mexico or their home countries under a provision of U.S. health law, section 265 of Title 42, without any consideration of the dangers they might be returned to.

UNHCR has maintained since the start of the pandemic that protecting public health and protecting access to asylum, a fundamental human right, are fully compatible. At the height of the public health emergency, many countries put in place protocols such as health screening, testing and quarantine measures for asylum-seeking populations, to simultaneously protect both public health and the right to seek asylum.

In September 2021, High Commissioner Filippo Grandi stated, ‘I reiterate UNHCR’s call for the U.S. government immediately and fully to lift its Title 42 restrictions in effect since March of 2020 which continue to deny most people arriving at the southwest U.S. land border any opportunity to request asylum.’”

What is UNHCR doing at the U.S.-Mexico border?

“Along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, UNHCR partners with civil society, governments, faith-based organizations, legal service providers and others to strengthen the humanitarian response to better protect asylum-seekers, especially the most vulnerable among them. 

UNHCR’s response has focused on supporting non-governmental shelters providing immediate housing and humanitarian assistance to asylum-seekers, expanding access to legal assistance for asylum-seekers, preventing the separation of families, and providing technical advice to government authorities on how to develop fair and efficient asylum systems that respect international refugee law.”

How can I help?

You can donate (any little bit helps!) to support USA for UNHCR’s work in assisting asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as millions of other people in the world fleeing from violence and persecution.

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This information was taken from USA for UNHCR’s blog titled U.S. Asylum and Border Policies Explained. Thank you for reading and doing what you can to help those who need it most.

(photo by Jeoffrey Guillemard via USA for UNHCR)

How Climate Change Impacts Refugees and Displaced Communities

Today we’re going to be sharing some information from USA for UNHCR about how climate change directly impacts the refugee community, and what we as citizens can do to help.

Climate change is affecting all of us in various ways, and seems to be only getting worse. However, the effects it has on refugees and displaced communities around the world is even more concerning. Climate change increases the risk of extreme weather like storms and floods and heatwaves, which can leave communities already in need of basic necessities (food, water, shelter, etc.) completely devastated.

Per USA for UNHCR’s website, they say, “Competition over depleted natural resources can spark conflict between communities or compound pre-existing vulnerabilities. Climate change does not itself lead to conflict, but it can magnify the impact of other factors that can spark conflict.

Imagine having no other option besides literally fighting for your life and the lives of your family. This is a reality for millions of people around the world.

Right now, climate changing is forcing some 23 million people from their homes every year, and without immediate action, by 2050, around 200 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance due to the effects of climate change.

How can we help?

• You can click here to sign USA for UNHCR’s new petition to “demand governments urgently promote measures to combat climate change and prevent the increase in forced displacement and the growing vulnerabilities of those already forced to flee.”

• You can also click here to donate anything you can to help refugees combating climate change, as well as all those who are forcibly displaced.

• Educate yourselves and others. Click here to learn more about the climate crisis and please share whatever you can. Simply talking about it and raising awareness has power, too.

Thank you so much.

(Photo via Amel Dirar/USA for UNHCR)

The Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan is Deteriorating Dramatically. What Can We Do About It?

As citizens of any country, if we’re in the position to help others, I believe we should.

When U.S. troops pulled out of Afghanistan last month, hundreds of thousands of Afghan citizens were left even more vulnerable than they were before. The hard truth is that when the media coverage dies down (and it will), the majority of Afghans will still be in Afghanistan facing violence and persecution, especially for women and girls. This year alone, violence and insecurity in the country has forced more than 570,000 people to flee.

There will still be a humanitarian crisis with people in desperate need for assistance, which is why they need us- governments, humanitarian organizations like USA for UNHCR, and ordinary citizens like you and me- to stay the course and do what we can to help.

USA for UNHCR has shared some facts with us, and there’s no way around it: they’re hard to swallow.

• Around 3.5 million people have already been displaced by violence within the country – more than half a million (600,000) since the start of this year. Most have no regular channels through which to seek safety.

• Some 80 percent of these newly displaced are women and children.

• Evacuation flights from Kabul ended on August 30th, but the needs in Afghanistan remain enormous with half the population requiring humanitarian assistance. Their priority needs remain shelter, non-food items, livelihoods and cash assistance according to the most recent inter-agency assessments.

USA for UNHCR has continued its humanitarian response by providing support for those in need, so far to over 332,000 newly internally displaced persons in 2021, including over 115,000 between August 1st and September 7th, 2021.

They explain that, “In recent months, there has been a striking decline in the security and human rights situation in large parts of Afghanistan. The situation remains uncertain and may change rapidly. The upsurge of violence across the country and the fall of the elected Government may have a serious impact on civilians and cause further displacement.”

Because of the violence and fallout, many Afghans will inevitably need to seek shelter in neighboring countries. As citizens of the world, they must be able to exercise their human right to seek international protection, and for this purpose alone, borders must be kept open for them. It’s imperative that other countries share this humanitarian responsibility in order to bring help to those who need it.

USA for UNHCR goes on to say that, “New arrivals in countries neighboring Afghanistan will join over 2.2 million registered refugees from previous waves of violence and a further 3 million Afghans of varying status including many undocumented persons who have been generously hosted in Iran and Pakistan over the past four decades.” Those numbers are hard for me to take in, and the fact that most of the newly displaced are women and children is heartbreaking.

If you are able to help, please click here to make a donation to USA for UNHCR, who is continuing to help the Afghan people and displaced persons around the world.

Thank you, friends.

PS- further reading on the subject:

• Afghanistan Refugee Crisis Explained

• Where Are Afghan Refugees Going?

• Afghanistan Emergency Page

(images and info via USA for UNHCR)

Ways To Help With The Crisis in Afghanistan

As we speak, the Taliban have taken over Afghanistan after U.S. troops began withdrawing from the country, per the Biden Administration’s orders, after two decades of being stationed there. Now, the country is in crisis as the Taliban, who previously held power in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, overtook the capital city of Kabul on Sunday.

The biggest uncertainty at this time, it seems, is what the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan means for women and girls. Says Josie Fischels for NPR, “For women in Afghanistan, the Taliban takeover of the country puts their rights at stake, as well as their lives. When the Taliban last held power between 1996 and 2001, women were denied education and employment opportunities. Girls couldn't attend school and women could only be seen in public with a male escort and their bodies fully covered. Punishment for disobeying these strict rules was severe, ranging from beating to execution.”

Fischels goes on to explain how women’s rights have increased in Afghanistan since 2001: they’ve been able to attend school and the mortality rates of children have decreased. Now, though, all of the progress made over the last 20 years is in jeopardy.

“80% of the nearly 250,000 people in Afghanistan who have been forced to flee their homes since the end of May have been women and children, according to Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson for the U.N. refugee agency,” explains Fischels. “A report released last month from the U.N. also showed that the number of women and children killed and injured increased in May and June, around the same time U.S. and other international troops moved foreword with withdrawing their remaining troops from Afghanistan.”

Another urgent matter is the current refugee situation in Afghanistan, which is sadly only going to get worse now. According to USA for UNHCR, there are around 2.5 million registered refugees from Afghanistan. “They make up the largest protracted refugee population in Asia, and the second largest refugee population in the world.”

As I was writing this post, I received an email from our contact at USA for UNHCR who provided even more startling and important information about what’s going on. She shared the following:

The situation in Afghanistan has been worsening at a rapid pace over the last few days.

Violence and insecurity have forced more 550,000 Afghan people to flee their homes this year, and a recent increase in conflict is resulting in growing displacement. As the fighting spreads, thousands more families are fleeing for their lives each day.

Many highly vulnerable families flee with only the clothes on their back and are now without shelter, without drinkable water, without food, without medical care or protection. UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch has described the situation as one of “Utter devastation which is unfolding in front of our eyes.”

UNHCR has been on the ground from the first moment the crisis began. With nearly 200 team members in Afghanistan, and through a global network of suppliers, specialist agencies and partners, UNHCR is working to provide urgently needed services to displaced Afghan families, including:

• Emergency shelter

• Hygiene and sanitation kits

• Core relief items like blankets, sleeping mats, kitchen sets, buckets and jerry cans

• Personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19

• Emergency cash support

What can we do? How can we help? Below, a list of ways we can all pitch in and do what we can for our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan who are in need:

• Help USA for UNHCR raise money for displaced Afghan families by clicking here.

• Share information about the crisis with your friends and family by clicking here.

• Women for Women International is collecting donations to help women find safe places to meet and ways to stay connected. Click here to help.

• Afghanaid is a London-based group providing emergency aid to Afghanistan. Click here to see how you can help.

• Save the Children helps families who have been displaced, and estimates over 800,000 children have been displaced in the last two months. Click here to learn more.

• The International Rescue Committee “works with thousands of Afghan villages across nine provinces, raising money to deliver aid and resources to Afghan families.” Click here to learn more.

If you are able to help out in any way, even just a little, it could go such a long way. Thanks for reading, friends, and for doing what you can to help those in need.

(photo by Edris Lutfi via USA for UNHCR)

Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

Together with USA for UNHCR, we’re observing International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, or IDAHOTB.

Created in 2004, IDAHOTB was formed to observe the violence, persecution, and discrimination that many members of the LGBTQ+ community face every day for simply being themselves. It is currently observed in over 130 countries around the world, which, truly, is a high number that signifies great progress for LGBTQ+ rights, but sadly there are still more than 68 countries that have laws criminalizing same-sex relationships and different gender expressions.

“By celebrating those with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and sex characteristics, the observance hopes to bring these issues to the attention of leaders and decision makers who can help protect the rights of the LGBTI community,” per USA for UNHCR’s website.

The heartbreaking truth is that many in the LGBTQ+ community are forced to become refugees and flee their homes in fear of persecution. It is quite literally a matter of life or death and leaving their home, their family, their friends, and their country, is sometimes the only way to survive. And this happens every day in countries where being gay is still illegal, so they have a choice of either living in secrecy or feeling for their lives.

USA for UNHCR shared a story about Estefanía (whose name was changed for protection), who lived in Honduras:

“As a transwoman living in Honduras, Estefanía never felt safe. Every day, she faced harassment and discrimination that affected her daily life. In many Central American countries, discrimination against LGBTI individuals is so entrenched in the culture that people like Estefanía are forced to live without access to basic services or work.

One day, Estefanía decided she could no longer take the abuse and fled the country with a group of other LGBTI Hondurans. During their journey, they were violently attacked and Estefanía needed to be transported to a hospital and received seven stitches in her head.

Despite the attack, Estefanía is glad she made the journey to Mexico as she now feels safer to be herself in a more open-minded community.”

The pandemic has lifted the lid and exposed everything that was already wrong with the refugee crisis. Refugees are some of the most vulnerable people on earth, and many LGBTQ+ refugees are now even more at risk because of the pandemic, which has left them without access to sanitation supplies and facilities, and has forced them to live in conditions that make social distancing virtually impossible.

If you’re looking for ways to help, USA for UNHCR explains the easiest thing you can do is to speak up for those who simply cannot. What does that look like? It could be as simple as reaching out to someone you know who is struggling or post messages of solidarity online letting the millions of people around the world who live in secret know that they’re not alone. Simply posting your support online may not feel like concrete action, but it does let others know where you stand on a subject, and for those being persecuted, sometimes, it means more than you’ll ever know.

You can also become a monthly donor to USA for UNHCR (or a one-time donor!). By donating, you are helping UNHCR build programs that are inclusive of LGBTQ+ refugees and that will help them settle in new homes and communities for a better life.

Thank you dear friends, and as always, any little bit helps!!

(above photo and info via USA for UNHCR’s website)

Can You Sign This Petition to Help Raise the U.S. Refugee Admissions Cap?

The Biden Administration recently raised the refugee admissions cap in the United States to 62,500, which, even though that number seems low, it’s a significant increase from the previous administration’s admissions allowance of just 15,000 (which seems unsettling compared to the highest number in 1980 of 200,000).

The refugee resettlement program will help save tens of thousands of lives and Biden’s decisions sends a message to the rest of the world that the US is supportive and here to help the global refugee crisis. There are more than 80 million refugees and displaced people worldwide, and nearly 90 percent reside in low to mid-income countries, so hopefully the decision to raise the cap in the US will allow other countries to see that we’re taking the refugee crisis seriously and that we stand behind them in solidarity.

While we know what raising the admissions cap means for so many people, and are extremely grateful for Biden’s pledge, we believe that number could be even higher annually. USA for UNHCR has started a petition to support drastically increasing refugee admissions in the US. Sadl,y we as a country have not adapted to the growing need to help refugees in the last few decades, having steadily lowered our admissions amount every year.

We need to act and take action now. Please, if you can, click here to sign the petition and add your name to show your support in renewing the United States’ commitment to refugees by greatly increasing its annual refugee admissions.

Every little bit helps and together, we can all make a difference in the lives of many.

Thank you so much, friends!!!

(photo by Arielle Moncure and info via USA for UNHCR)

How Refugees Celebrate Ramadan

April 12th was the beginning of Ramadan, and over on USA for UNHCR’s blog, they’re spotlighting a few refugees and how they’re celebrating the Islamic holiday.

Abdelwahed (above), has been a refugee in Jordan for the past nine years. He talks about how different Ramadan is for him in Jordan than it was at his home in Homs, Syria: “Ramadan in Homs was beautiful. I used to go to work before dawn, have Suhoor at the shop and stay up all night. I used to pray in the afternoon then take my children for a ride in the car, as a treat to smell the fresh air,” he says.

They also share a bit about Abdallah, a 13 year old boy who cares for his visually impaired mother. When he gets home from school every day, he organizes their laundry and takes her to the local market to buy fruit. They’ve been living in a small apartment for the past nine years, also in Jordan, and will be fasting and praying for Ramadan at home this year.

His mother, who lost her sight as a result of the psychological effects of the Syrian conflict, gushes about Abdallah: “The best moment of the day is when Abdallah is next to me. Even if he leaves me just for an hour, I feel sad and worried. He is the only thing left for me in this life.”

To read more about how refugees are celebrating Ramadan this year, click here, and thank you so much USA for UNHCR for sharing these stories!!!

(above images & information via USA for UNHCR’s website)

Can You Sign This Petition to Help Refugees Get COVID-19 Vaccines?

Often, refugees are some of the most vulnerable people on earth, and the COVID-19 pandemic has left them even more at risk.

As vaccines start to roll out all over the world, refugees have every right to have equal access to them as much as everyone else does. USA for UNHCR has started a petition to help get more refugees vaccinated so they can continue to protect themselves and their family.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi says, “Global and equitable access is what will ultimately protect lives and stem the pandemic.” USA for UNHCR goes on to explain that, “as caring Americans, it is our moral obligation — as well as a public health and economic imperative — to ensure that refugees and forcibly displaced people have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and other preventative measures.”

If you can, please click here to sign the petition to stand with refugees and their human right to have access to the COVID-19 vaccines.

Thank you so much, friends!!!

(image via USA for UNHCR’s website)

What is a Refugee Camp?

It’s a valid question for anyone unfamiliar with the everyday struggles refugees face all around the world, so today, with help from USA for UNHCR, let’s go in depth on what exactly a refugee camp is.

Per their website, USA for UNHCR explains that refugee camps are “temporary facilities built to provide immediate protection and assistance to people who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, persecution or violence.” Quite simply, they are places to for people to go when they have nowhere else to go. They can be what separates one from living and dying. They are very, very important, so it only makes sense we should know more about them.

Startling numbers about refugee camps:

• 6 million refugees live in refugee camps- 22% of the world’s overall refugee population.

• 800k Rohingya refugees are hosted in Kutupalong refugee resettlement in Bangladesh- more than the total population of Washington, D.C.

• More than half of refugees living in Za’atari and Azraq refugee camp are children.

Services provided at camps:

• Shelter

• Food

• Emergency relief items

• Water and sanitation

• Healthcare and counseling

• Registration and legal aid

Length of time refugees live in camps:

“The average length of time that refugees spend in camps varies depending on the crisis. In protracted refugee situations - where mass displacement has affected a country for five years or more -, refugees may spend years and even decades living in camps and it is common to have entire generations growing up in the camps.” -USA for UNHCR.

Fact:

The vast majority of refugees (about 78%) do not live in camps, but rather in cities. Unfortunately, urban locations, while they do offer more opportunities to find employment, they also present major challenges for refugees, as they are often forced to share housing or live in “non-functional buildings, collective centers, slums or other types of informal settlements with substandard living conditions.”

The largest refugee camp in the world is:

The Kutupalong refugee resettlement, located in the Cox’s Bazar region of Bangladesh. The settlement hosts more than 800,000 refugees (who fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, and who more than half are children) among its 26 camps.

USA for UNCHCR heartbreakingly explains, “On March 22, a massive fire broke out at Kutupalong refugee camp, destroying 9,500 shelters and leaving more than 45,000 refugees temporarily homeless. Approximately 1,600 important infrastructure facilities - including hospitals, learning centers, aid distribution points and a registration center - were also destroyed. For the thousands of Rohingya refugees who had already suffered trauma when they were forced to flee Myanmar in 2017, this will be the second time they will have to restart their lives.”

COVID-19 impact on refugee camps:

Last year, “many countries temporarily suspended their resettlement programs, leaving millions of refugees stranded and without the possibility to restart their lives. From the 1.44 million refugees in need of resettlement last year, fewer than two percent were resettled - the lowest resettlement numbers recorded in almost two decades and an 80 percent reduction from the previous year.”

How to help:

USA for UNHCR explains how becoming a monthly donor is the best way to help them “ensure families in refugee camps have access to immediate aid, including critical supplies and programs to help them rebuild their lives.”

In a time when so many people are suffering in so many ways all around the world, even a little can go a very long way. Thank you to USA for UNHCR for all the work you to do help the global refugee crisis.

All information in today’s post is from USA for UNHCR’s website. Please click here if you want more info and to see more ways to help.

(images via USA for UNHCR, here and here)

Updated, Startling Numbers Regarding Refugees & Forcibly Displaced People

In honor of World Refugee Day tomorrow, we wanted to share some infographics that break down the numbers on refugees and forcibly displaced people around the world, courtesy of USA for UNHCR. The stats are mind blowing, but hardly surprising. The number of forcibly displaced people throughout the world grows every year, and there are now around 79.5 million people worldwide who are displaced, with an estimated 30-34 million of those being children, or around 40%. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Though these numbers are high, and there’s still an enormous amount of work to do and people to help, there were around 107,800 refugees resettled in 2019, so there is hope. There is always hope.

Click here to see how you can help!!

World Refugee Day

This Saturday, 6/20, is World Refugee Day. Working with USA for UNHCR, we will be posting ways of how you can help the worldwide refugee crisis and other resources in the coming days.

The goal of this day is to celebrate and honor refugees and former refugees around the world and amplify their voices/stories in order to educate others. In celebration of World Refugee Day, USA for UNHCR is releasing a new story of a resettled refugee named Wandaka Musongera, producing some live online events, and promoting a petition to help refugees stay safe during coronavirus.

First up, here’s a little about Wandaka’s story, courtesy of USA for UNHCR:

“Wandaka is a resettled refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Now, living in Texas, Wandaka works as the Assistant Farm Manager at New Leaf Agriculture—a social enterprise delivering fresh vegetables to nearly 100 families every week—where he is using his passion for farming and the skills he learned in the DRC to feed his community during the coronavirus pandemic.”

If you’d like to learn more about Wandaka’s journey, click here.

Together, one by one, we can all make a difference in the lives of many. xx