International Rescue Committee

It’s been one year since President Biden issued an asylum ban at the border. But restricting asylum isn’t the answer. Watch to learn more. Barring people from seeking asylum doesn’t stop them from searching for safety—it only pushes them into more dangerous routes. The U.S. needs an asylum system that welcomes and protects vulnerable people. Remember: seeking asylum is a human right. No one should be punished for trying to save their lives.

These doctors all traveled to Gaza as part of the IRC’s Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) in partnership with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). This is what they saw. The humanitarian suffering in Gaza is catastrophic. Over 2 million Palestinians—half of them children—are living without food, clean water, and critical medical care. Working with partners, the IRC has stepped up to deliver humanitarian aid where possible. But more help is needed. Gaza’s conditions have created a situation of utter desperation. This will not change until the blockade, the bombardment and the fighting ends. Only an immediate ceasefire can protect Palestinians from further harm, enable the release of all hostages, and allow for a major change in the amount of assistance provided to people across the whole of Gaza.

We cannot forget about Sudan.  April 2024 marked one year since fighting broke out between rival factions of Sudan’s security force, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), engulfing the country in conflict.  The war has had a catastrophic impact on almost every aspect of day-to-day life, creating the world's worst displacement crisis. Go to Rescue.org/Sudan to learn more and see how you can help. #TalkAboutSudan

No more violence. No more deaths. No more arms transfers. We’re joining 250 humanitarian and human rights organizations in a call to stop arms transfers to Israeli and Palestinian armed groups that could be used to commit violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Gaza. Israel’s bombardment and siege has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with over 34,000 Palestinians killed and over 70% of Gaza’s population displaced. Attacks by Palestinian armed groups killed around 1,200 people and took hundreds of Israeli and international hostages. Gaza has experienced the most intense use of explosive weapons in a densely populated area this century, with an estimated 45,000 bombs dropped during the first 89 days of conflict alone. These conditions have created a situation of utter desperation. This will not change until the siege, the bombardment and the fighting ends. End arms transfers. Ceasefire now. https://lnkd.in/dBifbCPY

Imagine spending most of your childhood in a refugee camp. This is Nisreen’s reality, who's lived in Azraq camp in Jordan for the last 10 years. Nisreen arrived here in 2014, after she and her family escaped the conflict in Syria. “I remember arriving at the camp," she says. "There was no electricity, just caravans instead of houses. It felt so wrong, so unsettling. It's something I wouldn't wish on anyone." Now 19, Nisreen shares the profound impact living here has had on her formative years. Azraq camp was opened 10 years ago today. A decade later, more than 40,000 Syrians remain here in limbo, without long-term solutions, trapped in a cycle of hopelessness. “Sometimes, I fear I'll forget the world beyond the camp—the sight of houses, the cars, the crowded markets,” Nisreen shares.

“I've done this work for 25 years. And I've never seen such destruction, displacement with such intense hunger developed so quickly.” The level of destruction and suffering in Gaza right now is unprecedented. Listen as the IRC’s Vice President of Emergency Programs Bob Kitchen describes what he saw on a visit to the area. The IRC is working around the clock with Palestinian partners to alleviate suffering and save lives. Learn more about our work at rescue.org

The power of community shines bright in one family's journey from Colombia to Bend, Ore., thanks to the efforts of the Antioch Welcome Corps Sponsor Group. After enduring persecution following the violent loss of a family member, Jhon, Maria, and their two children sought refuge in Ecuador, only to face more uncertainty in refugee camps. Members of Antioch Church heard of the program and formed a Welcome Corps sponsor group to provide the family a safe pathway to the United States. The diverse skills of each sponsor, guidance from the International Rescue Committee as the group’s private sponsor organization, and an outpouring of community and business support enabled the family to quickly settle in their new home. Read more of their inspiring story ⤵️

This #WorldImmunizationWeek reminds us of these children and, specifically, how the global public health community must continue working to deliver lifesaving vaccines to these hard-to-reach places. Worldwide an estimated 1 in 7 children is zero-dose, meaning they have never received a single vaccine dose. This leaves these children at risk of preventable disease and even death. These children are concentrated in impoverished, hard-to-reach, and fragile contexts where local communities have often been excluded from the massive global public health strides of recent decades. That need was at the core of REACH, the IRC and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance partnership to reach zero-dose and under-immunized children across East Africa. Working with local partners, this initiative has now delivered more than one million doses of lifesaving vaccines in fragile and conflict-affected areas across Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan. This work continues and is a testament to the power and impact of innovative and locally tailored solutions. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eWieuFpJ

Major flooding across Afghanistan has affected over 1,500 families. Many have lost their homes and livelihoods are threatened. IRC is working to assess the humanitarian needs in areas we operate, including Herat, Abdghis and Helmand provinces. Our teams are deeply concerned that additional flooding, predicted to reach the central, south, southeast and southwest of Afghanistan over the next week, will have a detrimental impact on large swathes of the population.

How can communities build resilience to flooding in northeast Nigeria? With support from Google.org, the IRC has worked together with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to pilot the use of early warning systems and anticipatory cash for communities in Adamawa state, Nigeria, who are impacted by increased risks of severe flooding. Empowered with vital information and financial support, families can better withstand the challenges posed by climate change-driven floods. This #EarthDay, from the farmers themselves who are utilizing cash assistance for food, early warnings to safeguard their farms, and are extending help to their neighbors ⬇️