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Arts festival eases tension between Colombian refugees and local communities in northern Ecuador
9 Mar 2006 A UNHCR-backed arts festival that draws on the traditions and cultures of different ethnic groups is helping build bridges between local people and Colombian refugees in northern Ecuador. -
Forced displacement in Colombia: A woman's story
8 Mar 2006 More than half of the two million people forced out of their homes in Colombia by violence and fear are women and girls. Many display great courage in standing up for the rights of the internally displaced, often facing threats, discrimination and violence. On this International Women's Day, the story of Olga Lucia Rodriguez, who has continued to lead her community despite death threats, is a tribute to the determination and bravery of these women. -
First Afghan families leave Pakistan as repatriation season resumes
3 Mar 2006 The UN refugee agency's fifth season of assisted returns to Afghanistan from Pakistan started this week after the winter break. Some 400,000 Afghans are expected to repatriate to Afghanistan this year, the last year of UNHCR-assisted returns under the current tripartite agreement with the two governments. -
Colombian IDPs' medical woes treated with new "Path to Health" scheme
22 Feb 2006 Internally displaced people in Colombia living in the sprawling and violent neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the capital Bogota face a life of poverty, malnutrition, high unemployment and difficult access to public services such as health care. But, that's beginning to change with a new joint initiative between UNHCR, WHO and municipal authorities called "Path to Health." -
For Pakistani quake children, classes under canvas offer room with a view
20 Feb 2006 For the first time in their lives, girls are getting the chance to go to school in the relief camps of quake-hit northern Pakistan. The facilities are basic, often no more than a note pad and a spot on a groundsheet, but the classrooms are full and the students grateful as they take advantage of a learning opportunity that emerged from the rubble of catastrophe. -
Colombian refugees gather threads of their lives in weaving workshops
15 Feb 2006 A workshop combining practical skills with psychological support is helping Colombian refugee women in Venezuela's border communities rebuild the fabric of their lives. Joining the local economy is one of the biggest challenges facing the 200,000 Colombians of concern to UNHCR in Venezuela where the refugee agency is supporting similar initiatives throughout the country. -
Restoring the "high way" home to the Allai Valley, northern Pakistan
15 Feb 2006 The "high way" home is now open for residents of the largest relief camp in northern Pakistan after the UN refugee agency helped to repair a vital cable way linking Meira camp to the Allai Valley across the Indus River. -
Regular check-ups safeguard conditions in Pakistan's quake camps
7 Feb 2006 UNHCR in Pakistan is monitoring the medical condition of survivors of last October's earthquake, including those reluctant to discuss their injuries, knowing that early treatment can prevent more serious problems. -
UNHCR's new protection chief visits Colombian IDPs
3 Feb 2006 UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection started her newly created role by visiting Colombia, where over two million people have been displaced internally by fighting, and Ecuador, where another quarter of a million Colombians are of concern to the UN refugee agency