The IRC partners with select foundations in the United States and around the world to support the world’s most vulnerable people. Together, we deliver immediate relief in emergencies and develop lasting change in complex crises to realize a safer, healthier and more prosperous world.      

Almost one year since the Stockholm agreement, the war in Yemen continues unabated. New IRC report highlights the devastating impact of continued conflict on ordinary Yemenis. The international community must push the warring parties to build on a rare window of opportunity for peace to secure a nationwide ceasefire.

This report evaluates the “Opportunities for Equitable Access to Quality Basic Education” (OPEQ) program aimed at enhancing learning opportunities, academic attainment and social-emotional wellbeing for more than 480,000 girls and boys in three eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Each year the International Rescue Committee (IRC) works closely with state elected leaders to ensure that the communities in which we resettle are welcoming places for refugees and other new Americans. In addition to working directly on policy, we assess introduced legislation through our state tracker and identify new model policies and the trends in legislation—all informing the policies included in this guide. Year to year it has reflected emerging themes such as: resources for refugee-serving programs; reduced barriers for re-credentialing and licensure processes in states; and access to in-state tuition, to name a few. These measures not only help ensure refugees and other newcomers can access pathways to economic self-sufficiency and integrate more smoothly, but they positively impact the broader community as well. States and localities across the country can only benefit from the personal and professional success that a recently arrived individual achieves as they rebuild their lives. This year’s state policy and advocacy guide includes new policy themes and some familiar ones—but with nuanced examples as the policy efforts take shape in different states and political contexts. Recommendations provided are informed by stakeholder engagement and landscaping impacted communities to understand service provision needs, and strategic assessments of the political realities on the ground.

Join us as we celebrate World Refugee Day today! For every refugee, from every walk of life, we thank you today for making our North Texas community a better place through your stories and journeys. Read this impactful story about our own, Eh Kaw Thaw, and her journey as a refugee in America.