Global refugee crisis should prompt NZ quota increase, says charity
Ahead of World Refugee Day on Friday, World Vision CEO Grant Bayldon speaks to Herald NOW's Ryan Bridge about the escalating global refugee crisis. Video / Herald NOW
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
World Refugee Day: Telling Their Stories
19 June 2025 While hotspots include Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Palestine, displacement affects every region of the world. In the lead-up to World Refugee Day, Friday, the UN is spotlighting the importance of solidarity with refugees through support, solutions, and the power of storytelling. Zahra Nader: Reporting from exile Ahead of World Refugee Day, UN News spoke with Zahra Nader, a refugee, journalist and women's rights activist from Afghanistan. At age six, Nader and her family fled to Iran after the Taliban first took power, where she was denied access to education and faced racism. Returning to Afghanistan years later, the stark contrast between life in exile and the opportunity to attend school ignited her passion for journalism and advocacy. In August 2021, while she was pursuing a PhD in Canada, the Taliban regained control, shattering her dreams of returning home to teach and conduct fieldwork. ' I felt as a journalist who grew up in Kabul, who became a journalist there, I have a right and responsibility to tell these stories of women in Afghanistan,' she said. 'This is really inhuman, for half of the population of a country to be stripped of their basic human rights because they were born female.' Channeling that pain into action, she founded Zan Times, an Afghan women-led newsroom in exile documenting human rights abuses in Afghanistan, particularly those affecting women. Despite limited funding and growing risks to her reporters, Nader continues her work to ensure that Afghan women are seen and heard. She described the situation in Afghanistan as ' the most severe women's rights crisis of our time ', calling international action insufficient and warning that inaction emboldens the Taliban and its misogynistic ideologies. Despite her trauma and current inability to return, Nader remains optimistic and urges young Afghan women to resist through learning and preparing for a better future. 'I am hopeful, and I want to be also part of that change, to envision a better future for Afghanistan, and do my part to make that future happen.' Barthelemy Mwanza: From survival to leadership On Thursday, UN Video featured the story of Barthelemy Mwanza, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who is now a youth leader and advocate. At 18, Mwanza was caught between pressure to join an armed tribal group involved in nationwide conflict and his father's plea to stay out of the fight, a decision that could have cost him his life. To survive, he fled to the Tongogara refugee camp in Zimbabwe. Emotionally overwhelmed from being displaced from his home country, 'It really made me cry to say 'Where am I?'' Mwanza said. 'Later on, I was like, 'Till when will I continue to cry? Shouldn't I look at the future?'' He began volunteering with UNHCR, leading more than 5,000 young refugees through initiatives tackling gender-based violence, youth protection, and climate action. Now resettled in Ohio, United States, Mwanza continues to collaborate with UNHCR to elevate refugee voices, inspire climate action and share his story. Empowering and advocating for refugees on a global stage 'was one of my dreams, and now I can really see that it's coming to life,' he concluded.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Global refugee crisis should prompt NZ quota increase, says charity
Ahead of World Refugee Day on Friday, World Vision CEO Grant Bayldon speaks to Herald NOW's Ryan Bridge about the escalating global refugee crisis. Video / Herald NOW
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Commemorating World Refugee Day
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) commemorates World Refugee Day—an opportunity to recognise the courage, resilience, and contributions of refugees to New Zealand. Established by the United Nations in 2001, this year's theme, 'solidarity with refugees,' calls on us to honour refugees not just with words, but with meaningful action. This year, INZ proudly marks a significant milestone: New Zealand has reached its 2024/25 Refugee Quota Programme target, reaffirming our commitment to providing protection and opportunity to some of the world's most vulnerable people. Qemajl Murati, Head of Refugee Quota Programme, says the milestone is a testament to the strength of New Zealand's resettlement system and the collective effort behind it. 'New Zealand's refugee resettlement programme is globally unique,' says Qemajl Murati. 'At our Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre,Te Āhuru Mōwai o Aotearoa, we provide newly arrived refugees with essential services during their first five weeks—English language classes, health and mental health support, community orientation, and tailored resettlement plans to help them thrive in their new communities.' INZ works closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to offer safe pathways through the Refugee Quota Programme. Additional support is provided through the Refugee Family Support Category and the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship pilot. This work is guided by New Zealand's Refugee Resettlement Strategy, which envisions former refugees and their families settling successfully, achieving their goals, and thriving in New Zealand. 'Achieving this vision wouldn't be possible without the dedication of our partners—non-government organisations, community groups, volunteers, and other government agencies,' says Qemajl Murati. 'We also acknowledge our staff, many of whom come from refugee backgrounds themselves, who work tirelessly to create a safe and welcoming environment for those starting a new life here.' Echoing this message, Karen Gulick, Acting Representative of the UNHCR Multi-Country Office for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, adds: 'At a time of global uncertainty, with record numbers of forcibly displaced people and critical funding gaps, it's more important than ever to show solidarity with refugees. New Zealand's warm welcome and continued support for global humanitarian efforts are powerful examples of solidarity in action.' For more information on Immigration New Zealand's work to support refugees:
