During conflict and crisis, education protects children and sets them up for a better future. It provides a sense of hope and enables them to recover, learn and thrive. However, over 127 million children in countries affected by war and displacement are out of school, while many others receive only a poor quality education. Despite this great need, education has received less than three percent of all humanitarian aid in recent years.

Each year, millions of people—particularly women and children—are subject to violence and abuse, and struggle to feel safe in their homes and communities. Trapped in countries plagued by crisis, many cannot access the resources they need to protect them, recover from abuse, and ensure their own safety.

Economic wellbeing means people have their most basic survival needs met and have sustainable income and assets so they can prosper. During and after crises, people may be forced to make short-term decisions to survive—such as pulling children out of school to work—that will have long-term negative consequences. The International Rescue Committee helps them meet immediate needs and build a brighter future.

Millions of people across the world don’t have control over important choices that affect their lives, such as where they live, how they live, and how they are governed. Women and girls, in particular, struggle to advocate for their rights and make their voices heard. These issues are worsened by crises, which often uproot families, tear apart communities, and weaken government systems.

With the right support and investment, women and girls can change their own future and uplift entire communities. They can change the world.

The United States has a long tradition of welcoming refugees fleeing persecution and conflict.

The IRC offers high-quality, low-cost immigration legal services and citizenship assistance in 24 cities across the United States. Our comprehensive immigration services are provided by fully qualified IRC staff accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice's Board of Immigration Appeals.

Cash relief is one of the most efficient and effective forms of aid for thousands of uprooted people struggling to survive in times of crisis.

By the time a famine is declared, it’s already too late. The IRC is fighting against the clock to save lives as starvation threatens14 million in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia.

For decades European countries have offered a welcome to people fleeing terrible circumstances of war and persecution. Today the International Rescue Committee is not only speaking out, but also working in Greece, Germany and Serbia —and supporting 15 European countries in all—to ensure that vulnerable refugees can safely rebuild their lives.