Caritas is highlighting the plight of three million women in long-term refugee crises on World Refugee Day, 20 June. Women refugees are particularly vulnerable to human rights abuses in cases where they’ve been forced to leave their homes for long-standing periods. Caritas says the international community can do better in protecting them from violence. “The international community must show the political will to ensure protection as guaranteed in international treaties,” said Martina Liebsch, Director of Policy for Caritas Internationalis.

(ZUNIA.ORG) UNFPA's Annual Report 2009 provides an overview of achievements last year in saving mothers’ lives, planning families, preventing HIV infections and promoting the rights of women and girls. The report also highlights initiatives to address gender-based violence, to assist pregnant women in humanitarian emergencies and to bolster efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. UNFPA, from its headquarters in New York and a global network of 129 offices, supported the development priorities of 155 countries, territories and areas in 2009. Income totaled $783.1 million, including $469.4 million in voluntary contributions from governments and private donors. 

(Vafrol News) - While internal displacements continue to rise in the world at large, Africa has seen a slow but marked decrease in the number of internal "refugees" during the last decade. Africa has become more peaceful. This is one of the conclusions in a 2001-09 overview of internally displaced persons due to conflict and violence, made available to afrol News today by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The numbers reflect an impression of an African continent that has become more peaceful during the last decade, with many of its principal wars and civil wars ending or being scaled down.

The experience of Sowda Hussen Mohamud, a refugee in South Africa

Women News Network Video collection 22-year-old sports reporter Sowda is a refugee from the war in Somalia, and lives in Mayfair, Johannesburg, having fled her country after threats from extremists who believe women should not be journalists. Women journalists face numerous dangers in Somalia and countries in many other regions after they release investigative reports. “I don’t have any choice, to choose this country or that country, I came here to get the peace and to walk…(…) sometimes I told myself “today you will die” but now I’m feeling better, now I can’t hear the sound of guns. I believe God will save us” , says Sowda. This 3:45 minvideo has been produced by Mail & Guardian news with Oxfam.