Hafsar joined the online event organised by the International Refugee Integration and Settlement Exchange (IRISE), “Where to find hope in refugee resettlement in challenging times?”. The speakers at the event highlighted the good practices, current challenges, and opportunities for innovative ideas for resettlement. For more information, please watch here.

 

APRRN co-organised a workshop with MMC/DRC on research skills for 20 refugees representing five RLOs from Malaysia and two RLOs from Indonesia, joining online. After the two-day workshop, the six RLOs conducted research on topics affecting their community throughout April and May, planning to publish findings in June with recommendations towards more equitable access to health, education, and livelihood. 

 

On 17 April this year’s first Steering Committee Meeting was held, during which a number of issues were discussed, including the upcoming 10th General Assembly and the Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights Forum (APCRR) - likely to be held in September this year. More information on that to follow shortly.

 

On 21 and 22 April, Klaus Dik Nielsen was in Kuala Lumpur for a series of meetings. He met with members of the four Kuala Lumpur-based Refugee-Led Organisations (RLOs) who are part of the Mixed Migration/APRRN research capacity building and strengthening project. He also met with Hannah Jambunathan from the International Detention Coalition in Malaysia, who has taken over the role of Chair of APRRN’s Working Group on Immigration Detention after Celia Finch stepped down, and discussed the role and nature of working groups and chairs. He also had meetings with  APRRN members, SUKA society, Beyond Borders, and Health Equity Initiatives, and discussed a number of things, including the impact of the US public funding freeze and how to explore new ways of funding for our common cause.

 

On 29 – 30 May, Klaus Dik Nielsen, Co-Secretary General of APRRN, joined and had the opening remarks at the Human Mobility Workshop organized by our long-standing partner, Caritas Asia, and the JRS Asia Pacific. Lars Stenger, Network Coordinator of APRRN, provided an overview of the current challenges for refugees in the region. The workshop reflected on shared challenges, explored collaborative solutions, and strengthened the joint commitment to protecting and promoting the dignity of people on the move. This workshop is a testament to the strong and enduring partnerships between JRS, Caritas Asia, and APRRN in advancing humanitarian action across the region.

 

On 24 April 2025, Ali Reza Yawari from the APRRN Secretariat participated in the International Academic Symposium marking the 70th Anniversary of the Asia-Africa Bandung Conference, held under the theme “Seventy Years of Bandung Spirit: Strengthening Global South Development Amidst Global Challenges.” The event was a significant and well-attended gathering in Indonesia, offering a valuable platform to engage with diverse stakeholders, draw inspiration, and continue raising awareness on refugee and forced migration issues.

 

In the first quarter of 2025, we have continued our journey towards meaningful refugee participation (MRP) with the newly formed MRP Advisory Board, which consists of 8 members with varying lived experience across the Secretariat and membership. In these initial sensemaking sessions together, under the facilitation of our Learning Lead, Emma Goldie, the advisory board have been digging deep into their own personal experiences, to exploring the nuances, complexities, and emotions of when they have felt safe, included or valued, and when they have felt resistance, constrained or excluded in the human rights and humanitarian sector spaces. Through delving deeper, we have aimed to find out emerging themes, nuances, complexities, and emotions of these experiences and the multiple perspectives everyone brings. These emerging themes on areas such as building equitable partnerships, addressing power dynamics in decision making, skill-building, mentorship, and support for refugee leaders, will guide further discussions and the development of internal guidelines on Meaningful Refugee Participation within APRRN over the coming months, which we will share widely with our membership and partners. 

 

Members Spotlight!

Sin Sar Bar (SSB) is a Myanmar-based creative strategic communications and social change organisation. Sin Sar Bar (SSB) has an extensive grassroots network of key stakeholders and unique, in-depth contextual knowledge of the situation on the ground. At Sin Sar Bar (SSB), they are deeply committed to leveraging creative communications, multimedia campaigns, and advocacy to drive meaningful social change. One of their key initiatives is the I Am Me campaign—developed in collaboration with UNDP—actively promotes diversity, non-discrimination, and gender equality through engaging visuals and messaging. This campaign challenges stereotypes and advocates for equal rights, fostering a more inclusive society. They also deliver messages and resources in Ethnic Languages. Other relevant information and some significant projects of the organisation are:

• I am Me (2024) 

• It’s OK to Not Be OK (2021) – A nationwide campaign increasing public awareness and access to mental health services. 
• Monthly Visitor (2025) Social Media Campaign – A social media awareness initiative aimed at addressing menstrual health challenges among ethnic women in Myanmar.  

 

ACTIONS AND NEWS FROM MEMBERS

When someone trips and falls, you give them a hand. If you see a lost child, you help them find their way, and if someone is running for a lift, I’m sure you hold the door for them. This sense of kindness is at the heart of the Refugee Council of Australia’s community of supporter​​s – and today, it’s needed more than ever. The number of forcibly displaced people is at global record levels, with millions of people around the world being forced from their homes by war, persecution and violence. Yet as nations like the United States and many across Europe close their doors, Australia has a chance to choose differently - to choose kindness. That choice starts with people like you. At the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA), we advocate for long-term, systemic change because refugees and people seeking asylum need certainty and security. They need justice. With Labor having been returned to government earlier this month, we see an opportunity to go further. With your support, we can urge the new Parliament of Australia to:

• Expand our refugee and humanitarian intake 
• Reunite families torn apart by conflict 
• Ensure access to work, education and healthcare while protection claims are assessed 
• Deliver fair and compassionate pathways to permanent safety. 

Will you be that kind stranger today?

Please make a tax-deductible donation before 30 June to help create a fairer future for refugees and people seeking asylum. Your tax-deductible gift helps turn compassion into action, allowing us to advocate for fairer policies and real hope for refugees and people seeking asylum. Please show kindness to people seeking safety and security in Australia by donating $50 before 30 June. Your tax-time gift will help us advocate for expanding Australia’s policies and programs to better support refugees here and overseas. Donate Here

 

Radio story of the perilous journey of deported (from the US) and subsequently expelled (by Bhutan) resettled Bhutanese refugees.

 

Here's the media coverage link: Deportation and Expulsion of Resettled Bhutanese Refugees

 

International Refugee Integration and Settlement Exchange held the first of 3 exchange meetings planned for 2025. IRISE is a civil society initiative launched in 2025 to foster connections and collaboration across international borders between organisations, groups and individuals involved in supporting refugee settlement and integration.

 

 

The IASFM20 Conference Participation Certificate is available here. Check here for recorded sessions.

 

2025 Election Policy Comparison on Refugee and Asylum Issues provides an overview of the public positions on refugee issues of the three parties with the largest representation in the Australian Parliament, on the 17th of April 2025. Please see here the Refugee Council of Australia's Vision for the 48th Parliament of Australia, and read their further contribution to these: Achieving the goal of 27,000 places in the Humanitarian Program, and Ending arbitrary and indefinite offshore detention.RCoA also raised their concerns on Australia’s inhumane floating prisons, two vessels used by the Australian Defence Force to detain asylum seekers, have been declared by the Commonwealth Ombudsman to be in violation of Australia’s human rights commitments. See here: Refugee Council troubled by findings on offshore detention at sea.

 

News from the region

Afghanistan:

Trump ends protected status for thousands of Afghans, Cameroonians: An estimated 14,600 Afghans eligible for Temporary Protected Status will now lose it on May 20th. The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program is available to people whose home countries experience a natural disaster, armed conflict, or other extraordinary event. The status lasts 6-18 months, can be renewed by the Homeland Security secretary, and offers deportation protection and access to work permits. The U.S. evacuated more than 82,000 Afghans from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021, including more than 70,000 who entered the U.S. with temporary "parole," which allowed legal entry for a period of two years.

 

It remained unclear where these Afghans would be sent in case of deportation, as the US does not recognise the Taliban-led government in Kabul and has no direct flights to Afghanistan. In such a scenario, deportees are often returned to the country from where they last departed. For many Afghans, that would be Pakistan, which is itself currently deporting undocumented Afghans.

 

At the same time the United States announced it was cutting emergency food aid for 14 countries, including Afghanistan, amounting to “a death sentence for millions of people”.

 

Afghans Deported From Pakistan Struggle To Find Schools, Jobs, And Shelter.

 

WHO: Afghanistan: Returnees Response Health Situation Report No. 2

 

UNAMA: UNAMA Update on the human rights situation in Afghanistan: January - March 2025 Update [EN/Dari/PS]

 

IFRC: Afghanistan malnutrition crisis 2024 - DREF Operational Update

 

IRAN:

UNHCR: On 23 February 2025, the Government of Iran announced that headcount slips will not be extended beyond 20 March 2025. After this date, the headcount slip holders are treated as individuals holding the same documentation status as undocumented foreigners and with no access to healthcare, medical services, real estate transactions, and other public services, marking a significant shift from previous policies toward Afghans.

However, exemptions apply to certain groups, including mixed-status families (e.g., Amayesh/headcount holders), family members of Amayesh card holders, passport holders with expired visas who can re-enter with a new visa, individuals with work permits or job IDs. If they obtain legal residency within the deadline, former Afghan government employees and military personnel are referred to international organisations for protection assessment, and individuals who leave Iran and return with a valid passport. Since 20 March 2025, over 67,800 have returned.

- Iran is said to have agreed to exempt certain groups (e.g., families with holders of the Amayesh cards, school-age children, former Afghan government affiliates/military personnel) - approximately 30% of 2.6M headcount slip holders may qualify for exemptions.

 

Pakistan:

More than 19,500 Afghans have been expelled from Pakistan so far this month, with Afghan authorities reporting more than 6,500 Afghans were deported in a single day last week. In total, about 80,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in advance of the Pakistani government’s 30 April deadline, according to UN data. Afghanistan’s Prime Minister Hasan Akhund condemned the Pakistani government for taking ‘unilateral measures’ to deport thousands of Afghan nationals, rather than collaborating with the Afghan government to implement a gradual repatriation process.

 

UNHCR: Since 1 April, 44,900 have returned, out of which 14,100 were deported. During the first ten days of April 2025, the deportation rate was higher (31%) than the first ten days of November 2023 (6%) during IFRP phase 1. In the first five days of April, more arrests and detentions took place (1,655) than in any other month. 

 

See also

• UNHCR-IOM Pakistan Flash update # 38 on Arrest and Detention/Flow Monitoring, 15 Sep 2023 to 12 April 2025
• 4 April: Amnesty International: Pakistan: ‘Treat us like human beings’: Afghans in Pakistan at risk of unlawful deportation
• Pakistan: Opaque ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’ targeting Afghan refugees must be withdrawn (Amnesty International, March 2025) [text]
  • See also related UNHCR message, OHCHR press release.
• 11 April: Malala Fund urges Pakistan to halt deportations of Afghan women and girls
• 10 April, InfoMigrants: Nowhere to call home: Afghans in Pakistan forced to return, including a short statement from UNHCR spokesperson Qaiser Afridi  “We are urging the government of Pakistan to see the situation of Afghan refugees through a humanitarian lens”.
• The US Government is maintaining its cuts to food aid in Afghanistan (and Yemen), despite its reversal of cuts to food aid in other contexts.
• Islamabad may deport Afghan woman journalist, 16 April 2025
• Joint Advocacy Letter to the Attorney General and Prime Minister of Pakistan on the Situation of Afghan Refugees, 31 March 2025
• Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) originally instructed undocumented and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country before March 31, a deadline which was first extended to April 10 and then to April 30, with the interior ministry declaring no more extensions afterwards. 26 April 2025

 

Indonesia:

UNHCR's latest Factsheets and Protection documents online.

 

2 Rohingya Refugees Die in Indonesia Amid Global Funding Crunch. The deaths of two men in their 20s highlight the deepening crisis facing Rohingya refugees in Indonesia: inadequate housing, little or no access to healthcare, and a dearth of humanitarian assistance.

 

Thailand: 

Myanmar Refugees in Southeast Asia Struggle After US Aid Cuts. The Trump administration’s gutting of USAID and suspension of global refugee resettlement programs have exacerbated the livelihood concerns of refugees in the region. 

 

Khun Nai from Asylum Access Thailand, Video introducing the Myanmar Response Network (MRN).

 

Malaysia:

APHR Alarmed by ASEAN Chair’s Meeting with Myanmar Junta Chief.

 

IDEAS calls for a legal framework on refugee employment in Malaysia.

 

U.S. funding cuts forced ICMC to cease its operations in Malaysia in March, eliminating crucial shelter and mental health support for refugee women experiencing gender-based violence. Local groups now struggle to assist vulnerable women who urgently need protection and resources.

 

India:

ICG, Fragmentation of Myanmar’s state has prompted India to adjust its foreign policy stance toward its neighbour, balancing engagement with Naypyitaw with outreach to regime opponents, who now control much of the Indian border. But New Delhi has introduced restrictive border controls that threaten to undermine its wider policy goals. 

 

Myanmar: 

Legal Case in the Philippines Against Burma’s Dictator Goes to Appeal

 

War Crimes Victims from Chin State launch an appeal in their case in the Philippines.

 

Thousands of survivors of Myanmar’s deadly earthquake in March have been forced to flee their homes in recent weeks as the military steps up attacks in resistance-held areas, according to media reports.

 

On 28 March, two consecutive earthquakes – measuring 7.7 and 6.4 in magnitude – struck central Myanmar, with epicentres near Mandalay and Sagaing cities at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres. The tremors were felt nationwide and beyond. Mandalay Region, Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory, Sagaing Region, and southern Shan State were severely affected, and to a lesser extent, Bago Region, Magway Region and eastern Shan State. It is estimated that over 17.2 million people across 58 of the country’s 330 townships have been affected, with over 9.1 million exposed to the strongest tremors. See recent assessments and updates from COAR, OCHA (12 April) , UNICEF (16 April), Myanmar Red Cross (14 April), AHA-Center (14 April). Meanwhile, refugees from Myanmar in Thailand are facing deep food aid cuts due to a foreign aid shortfall, soaring demand and inflation.

 

ICG published:

• Hold Your Fire Podcast Episode with Richard Horsey: Will Myanmar’s Devastating Earthquake Impact Its Civil War?, 4 April 202
• Q&A: Support Vital for Myanmar’s Quake Victims, Despite Military Obstacles, 01 April 2025
• Briefing: Disquiet on the Western Front: A Divided Resistance in Myanmar’s Chin State, 19 March 2025

 

A Clearer policy on Myanmar is needed.

 

ALTSEAN Burma - Coup Watch, includes info on earthquake and conflict.

 

Bangladesh: 

In November 2024, Dr. Khalilur Rahman was appointed as the High Representative for Rohingya, advocating for humanitarian corridors and engagement with the Arakan Army to facilitate cross-border assistance. While the interim government has approved temporary shelters and biometric identification for 65,000 new arrivals, registration remains paused. In Cox’s Bazar, a temporary truce has reduced major incidents, but growing calls for refugees to return to Myanmar and concerns about forced recruitment raise alarms over the camps’ security and humanitarian integrity. Political tensions in Bangladesh are rising, with anti-Rohingya rhetoric and the upcoming 2025 elections heightening instability. 

UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi visited Bangladesh to emphasize the importance of creating conditions for the safe, voluntary return of refugees and discussed preparations for an international conference in 2025. The 2024 Joint Response Plan (JRP) was 55% funded by the U.S, and it remains unclear to what extent the 2025 JRP will be funded. UN Special Envoy Engagement visited Bangladesh in February 2025 to address the ongoing Rohingya crisis. During her visit, she discussed her efforts with the UN and other partners to foster sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugees and her bid to renew international attention on the crisis. Bangladesh interim government’s chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus said that the prolonged stay of Rohingyas, if not addressed, might affect regional security and stability. Also see Why Myanmar’s Rohingya repatriation plan rings hollow?

 

NEPAL:

U.S. Deported Bhutanese Who Were Here Legally. They Are Now Stateless. U.S. deportations since March 2025 have left Bhutanese refugees stateless and rejected by all countries. The community faces arrest, uncertainty, and increased advocacy efforts. Legal challenges and humanitarian concerns are rising as resettled refugees lose their protections and futures, highlighting urgent need for fair immigration solutions and policy reform. 

GCRPPB calls for urgent action as US-deported Bhutanese refugees expelled again, face statelessness.

 

Nepal’s Supreme Court Halts Deportation of Bhutanese Refugee Arrested in Nepal After U.S. Deportation.

 

SC orders four Bhutanese refugees deported from US not to be held in prison.

 

Deported From the US, Former Bhutanese Refugees Face Uncertain Future in Nepal.

 

Buthan:

United States of America deported 12 Bhutanese refugees. Bhutan refused to accept these refugees, gave them 30,000 Indian rupees each, packed them into hired vehicles with Indian license plates and sent them toward Nepal. Among them, four individuals—three who reached the Beldangi refugee camp in Jhapa and one arrested at the Kakarbhitta border—have been in police custody for the past 10 days. The whereabouts of the remaining eight are unknown. 8th April 2025

 

See also INHURED International's statement attached and coverage in The Wire and IndiaCurrents, as well as a Statement by Asian Refugees United, or coverage in the Guardian.

 

More than 30 Bhutanese refugees in the state of Pennsylvania are in ICE custody, based on old records related to criminal activities after 2012. 

 

Bhutan confiscated all documents before sending US-deported Bhutanese refugees to Nepal. 

 

The father of one of the Bhutanese refugee youths detained by Nepal Police for the past 19 days has approached the Supreme Court with a habeas corpus writ petition demanding their release from custody. 

 

Two more former refugees deported to Bhutan to be made stateless, bringing the total to 20 Bhutanese refugees from the USA being deported back to Bhutan, according to leaders from those communities who have been tracking cases.  

 

Australia:

‘VIDEO: How population growth and immigration could affect the election’

 

Election 2025: RACS’s roadmap for refugee policy reform.

 

‘‘Too hot to deport’: detainee fights Labor’s Nauru removal plan’. The Federal Court heard arguments in a case challenging the government’s powers to remove an Iranian man to Nauru.

 

A systematic review of research by University of Sydney academics has found that no form of immigration detention is safe for children, including onshore and non-custodial detention, which are also harmful. ‘Immigration detention: no safe form for children’, University of Sydney.

 

Reporting on European plans to establish refugee ‘return hubs’ in third countries outside their jurisdiction, Politico published a piece by Benham Satah, a Kurdish Iranian refugee currently living in France who spent seven years detained by Australia in Papua New Guinea. ‘Offshore detention is inhumane — I know because I lived it’, Politico Europe.

 

Nauru President David Adeang has announced the conclusion of negotiations with Australia on long-term funding for the Regional Processing Centre. The new agreement, which offers multi-year funding, is expected to reach final approval stages next month. ‘Nauru and Australia finalise long-term funding for refugee processing’.

 

Money from Nauru's ‘golden passport’ program will benefit the country's Higher Ground Initiative, to relocate people and infrastructure to safer, higher elevations on the island as sea levels rise. ‘Here's How Much One Country Plans to Spend to Relocate Everyone to Combat Rising Sea Levels’, Investopedia.

 

Australia’s new climate migration visa for Tuvalu residents. The visa will enable up to 280 people from Tuvalu to move to Australia each year.

 

OTHER:

Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees in limbo after deportation from the U.S.

 

The Washington Post, "Afghan refugees need to stay in America."

 

Amnesty International, Opaque ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’ targeting Afghan refugees must be withdrawn.

 

Human Rights Watch: Forced Returns Expose Afghans to Persecution, Destitution: End Deportations, including Coercive Police Practices While Taliban Abuses Persist.

The Trump administration sent notices to some Afghan refugees ordering them to leave the US within a week or face deportation, despite the fact that they entered the US legally in 2021 after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. The Department of Homeland Security started issuing ‘seven-day self-deportation notices’ following the Trump administration’s moves to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for a number of nationalities, including Afghans, many of whom had helped US forces during the war in Afghanistan.

 

UNHCR Operations Chief calls for continued solidarity for host communities and refugees during visit to Pakistan. Mazou called for renewed efforts on solutions and responsibility sharing, including an acceleration in third-country departures, as well as fostering new partnerships and developing innovative approaches to address the protracted displacement situation. This includes collaboration to create conditions conducive to a return to Afghanistan.

 

The death of Pope Francis has prompted reflections on his long advocacy, at the highest levels, for welcoming refugees, including using his final Easter blessing to continue his call for kindness toward migrants.

 

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said more than 175,000 Syrian refugees have returned home from Türkiye since the fall of the al-Assad regime. In total, some 400,000 Syrians have returned home from neighbouring countries since December, with the number expected to increase to one million by September, according to UNHCR.

 

Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has initiated legal proceedings against more than 2,100 persons with protection status who stand accused of having travelled to their home countries; under German law, travelling to your country of origin typically results in your protection status being revoked. Under an Interior Ministry proposal, refugees would be allowed to travel home if the visit can prepare them for a later permanent return.

 

After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, Germany established admission programs to protect Afghan nationals deemed at risk of persecution and those who had been employed as local staff in German institutions. Germany's outgoing government has suspended flights for voluntary admissions of Afghan refugees for two weeks and the continuity of these programs is uncertain under the new coalition government.

 

In its latest move aimed at cracking down on irregular migration and ramping up deportations, the EU published a list of seven countries it considers safe for people to stay in or return to. The list includes Bangladesh and India; asylum seekers from these countries could now see their claims rapidly rejected on the presumption that they lack merit. The move has been criticised by human rights groups.

 

Reports & Publications

Displacement of the Hazara People of Afghanistan, illustrates the often complex experiences of forced migrants, using case studies of the Hazara people of Afghanistan.

 

UNHCR on Sustainable Responses:

Since late last year, UNHCR has been advancing the concept of "sustainable programming", maximizing refugee self-reliance—increasing inclusion in national systems like financial services, education, health, and labor markets, so that refugees can become self-sufficient and minimize dependency on aid. On 20 February, 2025 UNHCR hosted an informal briefing for Member States, see background paper and notes from that meeting.

 

Keya from ICVA wrote a reflection on Doing More with Less ... The humanitarian sector is at a crossroads. Funding is shrinking, even as humanitarian needs continue to grow. Donors want more accountability and better value for money. Local actors seek fairer partnerships and stronger leadership roles in the system. Now, more than ever, better partnerships are not just desirable—they are essential. In a time of limited resources and rising demands, how we collaborate is just as important as what we accomplish. Read the WS report.

 

 

Data Confirms Scale of US Aid Cuts: 79 Million Affected, Local NGOs Hit Hardest.

 

UNHCR update on the impact of global aid cuts:

• 20 March, Press Statement: Statement by UNHCR’s Filippo Grandi on the impact of global aid cuts on refugees
• 20 March, Devex: Exclusive: UN Refugee Agency braces for thousands of job cuts
• 20 March, Reuters: Millions of lives at risk from 'brutal' funding cuts, UN refugee chief says

 

Webinar "High-Level Officials Meeting: Lessons Learned from the GRF On Meaningful Refugee Participation" recordings are online and the report is published. 

 

IOM, Since 2014, more than 52,000 people have died while trying to escape crisis-affected* countries. That’s nearly three-quarters (72%) of all migrant deaths recorded globally during this period.

• In Afghanistan, over 5,000 people have died in transit, including thousands who perished while fleeing the country following the 2021 political upheaval.  
• Among the Rohingya people from Myanmar, more than 3,100 people have died – many in shipwrecks or while crossing into Bangladesh.  
• The Central Mediterranean remains the deadliest single migration route worldwide, with nearly 25,000 people lost at sea.

Click here to access the Missing Migrants Project 2024 annual report.  The analysis in this press release is based on data available as of 1 March 2025. For the latest figures, click here.   

 

IDMC will be publishing the Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID) 2025, the authoritative source for annual data and analysis on the state of internal displacement.

 

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released a report on the impact, implementation and enforcement of the “law on the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice”, or “PVPV law”, by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities. 

 

From 25 to 27 June 2025 the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) will take place in Geneva, Switzerland. Co-chaired by the Government of Spain and Accem, state representatives, NGOs, refugees, academia, intergovernmental and (inter)national organizations and UNHCR will meet under the Theme: “30 years of securing solutions together”, linking to the GRF pledges and the RoadMap 2030. Refugee Advisory group members from our region include Dor Akech Achiek (SSI), Madiha Ali Changezi (New Zealand National Refugee Youth Council), Nadine Umutoni Wa Shema (GLAPD), Suzan Husseini (Pathways Japan / EmPATHy) - see more here. Background reading: 2024 CRCP snapshot report by the Refugee Council of Australia > like last year APRRN will convene a series of meetings in preparation of messaging to be taken to Geneva soon.

 

September 2025, Queer Displacements Conference program is now available online

 

UNHCR High-Level Officials Meeting (HLOM):

• Please see the summary note, PowerPoint presentation and recording of the first quarterly preparatory meeting for the HLOM 2025, which took place on 10 March 2025. These materials are also available on the following webpage: HLOM 2025: Preparatory meetings and briefings. For more information on external, regional and thematic stocktaking opportunities and other preparatory meetings, please consult the calendar on the High-Level Officials Meeting 2025 webpage on the GCR Digital Platform. The next meeting is 24 June, 2025 at 15:00h-17:00h CET. In person and online details to be shared in due course by UNHCR.

 

UNHCR - Standing Committee

• The 93rd UNHCR Standing Committee meeting will take place in Geneva on 17-19 June 2025. The June Standing Committee focuses on international protection. The full work programme can be seen here. Registration can be done via Indico here as of 19 May 2025. More information on attending the meeting can be found on our guidance document here. RLOs interested in understanding the structure of SCom and engaging in its meetings see R-SEAT ‘explainer’ .
   
• Reports from the last UNHCR 92nd Standing Committee in March cover UNHCR’s deepening financial crisis ( UNHCR’s income is down by a third compared to last year ), leading to cutting costs, freezing programs, and prioritizing life-saving interventions. Regional updates revealed cancelled humanitarian programs and a decrease in resettlement and complementary pathways increasing risks of irregular onward movement. The Asia regional update focused on Rohingya and Afghan refugees and funding shortfalls. The US statement, questioning its support for the UN system and emphasizing reform and migration control.

 

Call for Proposals: Events to bring the Afghan Diaspora Together

DEMAC is now accepting proposals for events that bring the Afghan diaspora together. With funding available for up to €17,000 per event, we’re looking for creative and collaborative ideas that promote unity, learning, and support for humanitarian relief and resilience in Afghanistan.

 

Eligible events include conferences, workshops, cultural festivals, and summits, taking place between 1st August and 30th November 2025.

 

Download the full call for proposal here:

Funding is primarily reimbursement-based, but DEMAC may cover large costs directly (e.g., venue, catering) upon agreement.
 

Apply by 23rd May 2025
The application form can be found here.

 

Awards and Prizes

The Portside Review Human Rights Essay Prize is a new international prize funded by Centre for Stories’ Founder’s Circle and Centre for Stories’ esteemed donors Baden Offord, Christopher MacFarlane and John Ryan. Celebrating writing excellence, a selection of ten shortlisted essays will be published in a special edition of Portside Review in 2025. The winner will receive a prize of AUD $10,000 and a round economy trip to Perth, Western Australia, to lecture on the essay’s theme and/or run workshops in September 2025. First Place: AUD $10,000 Second Place: AUD $5,000 Shortlisted essays: AUD $300 

Submissions open 9 April 2025 and close on 6 June 2025, 11.59pm Australian Western Standard Time (GMT +8). The shortlist will be announced in late June 2025. The winner will be announced and published in July 2025. Please read the guidelines carefully before applying. Submit your application using the form below. More information on the Human Rights Essay Prize can be found here.

 

Funding opportunities

The Being Initiative - Request for Proposals (RFP) to support  Youth-led organizations (with 50%+ leadership under age 35) working on evidence-based mental health solutions for young people aged 10–24 in India, Indonesia, Pakistan, or Vietnam. Funding up to $250,000 CAD for early-stage (Proof-of-Concept projects)  or up to $1.5 million CAD for scaling tested approaches with proven impact. Deadlines: Register by 17 June 2025 and submit full proposal by June 24, 2025.

 

AWS Imagine Grant Australia & New Zealand
A public grant opportunity open to registered nonprofit charities who are using cloud technology to accelerate their missions. Up to $75,000 USD

 

AWS Imagine Grant Children’s Health Innovation Award to utilize innovative applications of advanced cloud services to accelerate pediatric research, advance maternal-child total health, and/or empower the pediatric workforce and caregivers. Up to $200,000 USD.

 

Toyota Foundation – International Grant Program 2025

Region: Asia (multiple countries required) 

Amount: JPY 5M (1 year) / 10M (2 years) 

Deadline: May 31, 2025 

Individuals with a contact address in Japan and experience in two or more Asian countries. Must propose cross-sector, cross-border projects addressing shared social issues.

 

The Audacious Project – Open Call for Bold Ideas

Region: Global                  Area: Innovation, Systems Change

Amount: No upper limit (multi-million) 

Deadline: Rolling 

Nonprofits or coalitions with bold, proven, and scalable ideas to solve urgent global problems. Must demonstrate credibility, outcomes, and large-scale potential. Featured annually at TED.

 

Photography 4 Humanity – 2025 Global Prize

Region: Global               Area: Climate Justice & Photography

Deadline: August 5, 2025  

Open to photographers 18+ submitting up to 5 photos documenting the human impact of climate change. Winner receives USD 5,000.

 

Digital Defenders Partnership, Incident Emergency Fund (up to €10,000)- ongoing - rapid response mechanism for human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and organisations facing digital threats and attacks.

 

Finland will award the International Gender Equality Prize, €300 000, to a person or an organisation that has made a significant international contribution to gender equality. Nominate a candidate for the 2025 International Gender Equality Prize , Deadline 1 June 2025

 

The Yayasan Hasanah Foundation is requesting applications for its Special Grant Program to drive large-scale social impact for a more inclusive and progressive Malaysia. Deadline: 15 June 2025

 

United Nations Human Rights - Fellowship Programme for people of African Descent, an intensive human rights training for people of African descent, from the diaspora, who are engaged in promoting the rights of people of African descent. Deadline: 30 June 2025

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In response to the USAID cuts, a number of response funds were launched, including:

• Founders Pledge and The Life You Can Save launched the Rapid Response Fund.
• Unlock Aid announced the Foreign Aid Bridge Fund.
• GlobalGiving launched the GlobalGiving Community Aid Fund.
• The Stop TB Partnership launched Keep the Lights On, and
• GiveDirectly launched a GiveDirectly bridge fund for families impacted by aid cuts.
• Start Network launched a new Solidarity Fund in response to aid cuts.