Thousands of displaced people and refugees in northern Iraq are being trained in agricultural production through a project operated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Through the project, Iraqis displaced by conflict in their homeland as well as  Syrian refugees will receive support in areas such as greenhouse vegetable cultivation, egg and poultry [...]

Water scarcity is a huge challenge for humanitarian workers in Arua district in northern Uganda whose job is to welcome refugees from South Sudan. That's according to a field officer with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, U Aye Maung, who is based at the Imvepi camp. The number of refugees in Uganda has more than [...]

At least 130 feared dead following new shipwrecks in the Mediterranean At least 130 are dead or missing following three new shipwrecks in the Mediterranean, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported on Tuesday. The first involved a rubber dinghy which left Libya bound for Italy on 15 June which began sinking a few hours into [...]

A teenage refugee from Syria will use her role as Goodwill Ambassador with the UN children's agency, UNICEF, to urge world leaders to stand with children uprooted by war. Muzoon Almellehan, 19, is the youngest person and the first official refugee, ever to be appointed to the position. Global displacement reached a record high last [...]

Experts and policy makers from across the globe are meeting in Rome this Monday to study how they can be more proactive in combatting drought, which the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) describes as "an overlooked phenomenon." This natural hazard affects people living in arid and semi-arid regions of the world and can have an [...]

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the United Nations, with Dianne Penn and Matt Wells. In today's programme: global displacement hits new high in 2016; and experts meet to promote stronger action to address drought.

The number of people fleeing war, violence and persecution around the world hit a new high of 65.6 million in 2016, the UN said on Monday. In its annual report on global displacement, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) blamed escalating conflicts for the increase. The agency's William Spindler told Daniel Johnson that a key priority [...]

First ever official refugee named Ambassador for UNICEF A 19-year-old Syrian has become the first official refugee to be appointed as an Ambassador for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Muzoon Almellehan becomes the newest and youngest Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, on the eve of World Refugee Day. She received support from UNICEF while living in [...]

The amount of money migrants send home to their families in developing countries has increased by 51 per cent over the past decade, "lifting millions out poverty," a new report by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has found. The study, covering the period between 2007 and 2016, was released ahead of the International [...]

  At least 100,000 people trapped in ISIL-held Mosul Old City ISIL fighters have trapped more than 100,000 people in the Old City of Mosul in Iraq for use as human shields, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Friday. The development comes eight months into the Iraqi military's campaign to retake the northern city [...]