In the past five years, three countries in the Central Sahel—Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—have undergone transformative political changes. All three countries are now led by military juntas. In January 2025, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso formally withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional economic bloc. ECOWAS also has a […]
Category: Headquarters
Sexual Violence: A Weapon of War in Sudan
On April 15, 2025, Sudan entered its third year of war. The following snapshot uses information from USCRI’s April 2025 Sudan Situation Update, as well as information as of April 28, 2025. * The following snapshot contains descriptions of sexual violence. Read with care. In under two years, the number of people at risk of […]
For Lesbians, No Refuge in the Refugee Camp
In many places, love is persecuted: 65 countries criminalize same-sex relationships. Lesbians are particularly the target of cruelty: they are often hated both for being women and for being gay. Fearing torture, internment, and even death, many seek freedom elsewhere, leaving their lives and communities behind in hopes of finding safety. Refugee camps are meant […]
Children in Sudan
On April 15, 2025, Sudan entered its third year of war. The following snapshot uses information from USCRI’s April 2025 Sudan Situation Update, as well as information as of April 24, 2025. Children in Sudan are bearing some of war’s deepest scars. Over 6.5 million children are displaced, and they have suffered two years of […]
Backgrounder: Sahrawi Refugees and Western Sahara
Who are the Sahrawi People? The Sahrawi people are a primarily nomadic cultural and ethnic group of Arab and Amazigh (also known as Berber) descent. Many Sahrawi people trace their lineage to Beni Hassan Arabs, who settled in North Africa between the 11th and 14th centuries. They share cultural ties with other ethnolinguistic groups in […]
Humanitarian Needs in Sudan
On April 15, 2025, Sudan entered its third year of war. The following snapshot uses information from USCRI’s April 2025 Sudan Situation Update, as well as information as of April 21, 2025. Humanitarian Needs 30.4 million people need humanitarian assistance in Sudan—over 15 million are children. Communities have been destroyed, health services have collapsed, famine […]
Climate Solutions in Refugee Camps
Last year was the hottest year on record on our planet. This unprecedented warming and extreme climate events, like high floods, extreme drought, and raging wildfires, forced people out of their homes and displaced communities. Some of these extreme climate events affected people who were already forcibly displaced. Climate events in displacement settings have acute […]
USCRI Honors Pope Francis
Today, USCRI reflects on the life and papacy that Pope Francis dedicated to the world’s most marginalized people, including refugees and migrants. Pope Francis was elected in 2013 and became the first pope from the Americas. His first trip as Pope was to the Sicilian Island of Lampedusa, where he met with newly arrived migrants […]
Displacement in Sudan
On April 15, 2025, Sudan entered its third year of war. The following snapshot uses information from USCRI’s April 2025 Sudan Situation Update, as well as information as of April 16, 2025. The Largest Displacement Crisis in the World There are over 11.3 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Sudan. Over 8 million of these […]
50 Years After the Fall of Saigon: Refugee Stories From Vietnam
Photo credit: Les Bird, Along the Southern Boundary On April 30, 1975, Saigon fell. In the years that followed, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fled the country. Families were separated in the chaos. At least 800,000 took to the seas in search of safety. Many would spend weeks at sea, denied rescue by passing ships. […]
