On Nov. 7, 2017, Kathy Tran, a refugee from Vietnam, was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Her experience as a refugee fleeing violence and persecution inspired her to run for office and build a more welcoming culture for immigrants in America.

 Since 2012, clashes between Buddhists and minority Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine state have forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. Three Rohingya health workers, who work with the IRC and continue to live in desperate conditions in Rakhine’s camps, tell their stories.

On Nov. 7, 2017 Wilmot Collins, a refugee from Liberia, was elected mayor of Helena, Mont., becoming the first black mayor of the capital city. But he wants people to know he’s not the only refugee success story.

Since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, 2017 his administration has repeatedly implemented policies that pull the welcome mat from under the feet of refugees and immigrants seeking safety in the United States.

Thirteen-year-old Helena was abducted by her uncle at gunpoint in impoverished South Sudan. He sold her to another man so he could pay for his own wife, following a practice known as the “bride price.”  

The IRC has created a unique tool -- an interactive comic book -- to help Syrian women in Lebanon navigate the challenges of life as a refugee and stay safe.

Each year, the U.S. offices of the IRC host special programs and events to help refugees during the holiday season. Find out how you can spread holiday cheer -- and help all year.

From major cities to remote villages, women and girls worldwide face harassment, violence, discrimination and a lack of equal opportunities. These are the toughest places to be a woman today, according to IRC experts.

Despite all of the Trump administration's efforts to slam the doors on refugees, ordinary citizens across the country have continued to welcome these courageous newcomers with open arms and help them rebuild their lives. 

Sixty-five million people are uprooted from home by crisis in 2017 -- more than at any time since the Second World War. The ten most popular articles we shared this year are about the global refugee crisis and ways to help.