From surviving to thriving: UN country teams stand with refugees around the world, every step of the way

Every minute 20 people around the world are forced to flee their homes and leave everything behind to escape war, persecution and disaster. 

By the end of May 2023, approximately 110 million people worldwide made a precarious journey to become refugees, hitting a record high. 

World Refugee Day on 20 June provides an opportunity to recognize the perils asylum seekers, stateless and displaced people around the globe face; celebrating their strength and resilience in extraordinary circumstances. 

This year’s theme of ‘hope away from home’, focuses on the power of social and economic inclusion. It offers a platform to highlight solutions for refugees and explores effective ways of cultivating empathy and supporting displaced people to rebuild their lives and contribute to their host countries.  

Every day,  UN country teams on the ground, many in low- and middle-income countries hosting nearly 76% of refugees, play critical, front-line roles in protecting and improving the lives of displaced people. 

Here’s a snapshot of our collective efforts to support refugee communities around the world and help carve out a path towards a more dignified and hopeful future. 

Moldova 

Since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 800,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed the border to seek safety in Moldova. Agencies across the UN country team in Moldova, led by the Resident Coordinator, Simon Springett, and with the technical coordination role of UNHCR, have supported the Government’s efforts to house, protect and integrate both refugees and support vulnerable Moldovan families. 

To strengthen the child protection system and help children overcome some of the deep-rooted traumas of war, UNICEF and UNHCR have worked with local authorities to establish the ‘Blue Dot Initiative’. These mobile hubs provide safe spaces to Ukrainian children across the country, including psycho-social support and educational services. Read more about these how these specialist services are supporting refugee families and follow the stories of children like 10-year-old Ariana in Talmaza village, who found ‘the freedom to play and enjoy life’ through the Blue Dot’s educational and counselling programmes. 

The IOM Moldova team have also been supporting young Ukrainian refugees overcome obstacles to find jobs and integrate into host communities across Moldova. Follow the story of a 16-year-old Daniil from Odessa, who fled the war in Ukraine and is now, thanks to support from IOM’s Livelihood Initiative is pursuing his dream of becoming a chef and making plans for the future. 

Malaysia 

In Malaysia, the Resident Coordinator’s Office worked with partners to launch a ‘toolkit’ for parliamentarians which aims to promote positive narratives and combat hate speech towards the approximated three and a half million international migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless and undocumented people currently living in the country. 

The toolkit is designed as a simple instrument to help members of parliament navigate misconceptions, misunderstandings and promote dialogue, respect, and solidarity among different communities.  In recent times, these values have been put to the test. The rise of hate speech and hostile narratives across Malaysia is exacerbating division, stoking fear and stigmatizing already vulnerable populations. 

Read more about how this toolkit is adopting a ‘whole of society’ approach to target this hate head on. 
 

Ethiopia 

In Ethiopia, ILO, UNICEF and UNHCR have joined forces to mentor young people from refugee and host communities and support their path to becoming future leaders. 

By working with national authorities to launch a Youth Leadership Academy, the UN country team helped train and empower young people in eastern city of Dire Dawa, to become organizers, advocates and leaders in their communities, as well as acquiring new skills to boost their employability. The Academy also brought together representatives from relevant ministries and trade unions, to help raise awareness about the rights of youth to work in displaced contexts. Learn more about how the Academy is helping to expand prospects and foster a collaborative spirit among young host and refugee communities in the region. 

Peru

In Lima, Peru, young refugees and migrants arriving from Venezuela are finding social support and overcoming feelings of homesickness through the power of baseball. 

The “Los Astros’ baseball club, which receives uniforms, equipment and support from UNHCR, brings together nearly 50 children from Venezuela and Peru to play and train together every week. 8-year-old Javier from Venezuela, is one of the players on the team. When his family moved to Peru several years ago, he didn’t only leave behind many of his friends, but was also left without a baseball team to train with.  Joining “Los Astros” changed that and is bringing comfort to children like Javier and income for coaches, some of whom are also refugees. Learn more about Javier’s story and how other young Venezuelan refugees found friendship and solidarity on the pitch. 
 

Jordan

In Jordan, the multi-purpose cash assistance programmes run by UNHCR and partners is providing refugee families across the country with a vital lifeline. 

UNHCR runs one of its largest cash assistance programmes in Jordan to support vulnerable refugee households cover their basic needs and give them choice and dignity over their lives. In recent months, the programme has been transitioning to distributing cash assistance through mobile wallets, providing refugees with more independence in managing their finances and enhancing their financial inclusion.

51-year-old Hanan, who fled war and persecution in Syria in 2013, uses this cash assistance to help feed her three children and keep their apartment in Amman warm through the winter. Learn more about Hanan’s story and how the support from the UN’s cash assistance programme is helping her plan ahead to a more hopeful future. 

This story was prepared by UN DCO. Learn more about the work of the UN on the ground in Moldova, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Peru and Jordan.