Hurricane Melissa leaves thousands displaced across the Caribbean

The hurricane caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and crops, leaving thousands displaced. However, extensive storm preparation by governments, assisted by UN agencies and other NGOs, appears to have helped lessen the impact and saved lives in many areas.  In Cuba, the hurricane struck the province of Santiago de Cuba with winds exceeding 200 km/h […]

Desks become beds as Haitian school shelters people displaced by violence

Desks become beds as Haitian school shelters people displaced by violence

The classrooms at Anténor Firmin school in Hinche in central Haiti are no longer studiously quiet. Once a place of learning, it now echoes with the sounds of babies crying, water containers clanking, and voices murmuring through the night. Over 700 people displaced by violence are crammed into the crumbling compound, sleeping on floors where […]

Number of internally displaced breaks new record with no let-up in conflicts, disasters

Number of internally displaced breaks new record with no let-up in conflicts, disasters

“These figures are a clear warning: without bold and coordinated action, the number of people displaced within their own countries will continue to grow rapidly,” said Amy Pope, Director General of International Organization for Migration. The recent rise in conflicts worldwide – particularly in Sudan, the Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Ukraine and Palestine has pushed […]

Haiti: Displaced families grapple with death ‘from the inside’ and out

Haiti: Displaced families grapple with death ‘from the inside’ and out

In March, the family fled the gangs again – this time to Boucan-Carré where Leineda’s treatments were put on hold: “Sometimes, we suffer from silent illnesses that destroy us from the inside,” Christiana said. Gangs on the march In the past few months, armed gangs in Haiti have been expanding their reach beyond Port-au-Prince towards […]

UN rights body rules Guatemala failed displaced Mayan Peoples

UN rights body rules Guatemala failed displaced Mayan Peoples

The landmark decision, announced on Thursday, also considered the harm caused to succeeding generations. “Forced displacement is permanent in nature until the victims benefit from a safe and dignified return to their place of habitual residence or are voluntarily resettled elsewhere,” said Committee member Hélène Tigroudja. Conflict, displacement and violations The Committee found that the […]

Hundreds killed in Sudan’s camps for displaced people

Hundreds killed in Sudan’s camps for displaced people

Violent clashes between armed militias and forces of the military Government have escalated dramatically across North Darfur in recent weeks as Sudan marked two years of civil war. The El Fasher and Zamzam camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) who were forced to flee their homes because of the conflict, were disproportionately affected. “The bombs were […]