Refugee Success Story: Fighting for Resettlement
The UNHCR urgently calls for an increase in refugee resettlement programs, highlighting a concerning decline in available quotas, even as millions face displacement. This article sheds light on the critical role of resettlement, especially as the agency projects 2.5 million refugees needing resettlement in 2026. Learn how this process offers vital protection, dignity, and inclusion via a powerful personal account from a refugee and human rights lawyer who is now contributing to her host society. Discover more on why resettlement is a strategic investment in our shared future; at News Directory 3, we believe it can drive innovation and rebuild communities. Discover what’s next …
UNHCR Urges Increased Refugee Resettlement amid Worrisome Decline
Updated June 24, 2025
The UNHCR is calling on countries to expand their refugee resettlement programs, citing a concerning drop in available quotas. This comes as the agency projects that 2.5 million refugees will require resettlement in 2026. While this figure is down from 2.9 million in 2025 due to changing conditions in Syria, it remains high historically.
the largest populations in need of resettlement include refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan, Sudan, Myanmar (Rohingya), and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Countries like Iran,Turkey,Pakistan,Ethiopia,and Uganda,which host large refugee populations,face challenges in meeting the urgent needs of these individuals.
Shabia Mantoo, a UNHCR spokesperson, emphasized the importance of resettlement. “Resettlement offers not only protection,but also a pathway to dignity and inclusion,” Mantoo said. “It is a demonstration of meaningful international solidarity.”
However, the UNHCR expressed concern over declining resettlement quotas, which are expected to reach a 20-year low in 2025, even lower than during the COVID-19 pandemic.This decline threatens progress and puts vulnerable refugees at greater risk.
Ms. Changezi, a refugee and human rights lawyer now living in New Zealand, shared her personal story. Displaced at 14, she described the years that followed as a harrowing limbo. “I grew up invisible to the world,” she said. “Without rights, opportunities, or safety.”
Her family’s resettlement in New Zealand in 2018 provided a turning point.Now, she advocates for others and advises the Core Group on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP). Changezi’s experience underscores the transformative power of refugee resettlement.
Changezi stressed that refugees contribute substantially to their host societies. “We offer solutions. We drive innovation,” she said, highlighting how resettled refugees rebuild communities, start businesses, and strengthen social and economic systems.
Despite challenges, UNHCR-supported programs resettled over 116,000 refugees last year. The international target for 2026 is 120,000 resettled individuals, a goal the UNHCR believes is achievable with decisive action from states.
Resettlement is more than a humanitarian act. It is a strategic investment in our shared future.
what’s next
The UNHCR is urging countries to not only maintain but also expand their resettlement programs to meet the needs of refugees worldwide. They also advocate for more flexible and responsive systems.