IRC Latest News

IRC Responds to Measles Outbreak Among Somali Refugees in Kenya’s Congested Camps

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:12:29 -0400

The International Rescue Committee is launching an emergency measles vaccination campaign targeting thousands of refugee children in Hagadera camp to contain an outbreak of the disease at the massively overcrowded site.

A Frightening Past, an Uncertain Future: Hajer’s story

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:34:09 -0400

Hajer is a 38-year-old Iraqi refugee and a single mother of three children, ages 16, 12 and 4. Her husband was killed after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Hajer arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 28, 2008 and has tried to find her footing ever since. She does not speak English and could only afford English classes at a local college for one semester. She has no other family in the U.S and her only support system is her International Rescue Committee caseworker and other Iraqi war widows in similar situations.

IRC Assessment in Pakistan Shows "Shocking" Conditions for Many Displaced People Living Outside Camps

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:34:07 -0400

An assessment by the International Rescue Committee of uprooted Pakistanis living outside the camp system in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province shows many are living in “appalling” conditions.

Flawed US Refugee Admissions Program is Failing Iraqi Refugees; Recession Only Makes Matters Worse - IRC Commission Calls for Overhaul of Resettlement System

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:07:19 -0400

The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is outdated and under-funded and is resettling Iraqi refugees into poverty rather than helping rebuild their lives in the country that offered them sanctuary, says the International Rescue Committee.

Survey Commissioned by the IRC Reveals Widespread Child Labor in Uganda

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:02:51 -0400

A new survey commissioned by the IRC and the Association of Volunteers in International Service (AVSI), an Italian-based nongovernmental development organization, shows that an alarming number of children in northern Uganda are working in harsh, dangerous jobs that stint their health and development and prevent them from receiving an education.

Sanitation, Cooking Fuel Projects Aid Women and Girls in Pakistan

Fri, 29 May 2009 15:53:06 -0400

As part of its programs to assist Pakistanis displaced by the current fighting, the IRC has launched a project to address the urgent need for sanitation and cooking fuel on the part of 20,000 people in the Nowshera district's Jalozai camp. Women and girls will especially benefit from the effort.

Pakistan Crisis Deepens; IRC Calls for Increased Funding

Fri, 29 May 2009 15:45:29 -0400

Hundreds of thousands of desperate people are still fleeing violence every day, as fighting continues in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province. Meanwhile, the Pakistani army has expanded its offensive to the southern tribal areas, a move expected to compound the humanitarian emergency. As the crisis deepens, the IRC is racing to meet the basic lifesaving needs of thousands of families. But Mike Young, the IRC’s Pakistan country representative, said that humanitarian needs remain drastically under-funded and that time is running short.

IRC Officially Leaves Darfur, North and East Sudan

Sat, 23 May 2009 15:29:58 -0400

After more than 28 years of providing vital humanitarian assistance in northern Sudan, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has officially closed out its activities in the wake of mass aid agency expulsions and continuing concerns about the welfare of Sudanese civilians.

Numbers of displaced Pakistanis grow as does need for water, food and services

Fri, 22 May 2009 14:52:01 -0400

No description available

New University-NGO Partnership to Create Center of Excellence for Education in Emergencies in East Africa - Media Alert

Thu, 21 May 2009 16:35:03 -0400

Around 40 million children currently out of school worldwide live in countries affected by conflict and instability. Ensuring that such children don’t miss out on a quality education is vital to their development, so the University of Nairobi (UoN) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) are teaming up to launch a new Education in Emergencies initiative in Nairobi, Kenya.