After Paul Cabo lost his mother to Ebola in 2014, he dropped out of school and worked odd jobs to earn enough money for food. With the support of the International Rescue Committee, the 16 year old is back in the classroom, where he sees hope for a better life.

Actor and activist Mandy Patinkin (Homeland) is travelling in Europe with the International Rescue Committee this week to see the refugee crisis firsthand, and meet brave and resilient people at various stages of their own journeys from harm to home. Follow Mandy's path - and theirs - from Greece to Serbia and Berlin.

It’s another dusty day in Zaatari refugee camp when I meet 46-year-old Abu Raed at the International Rescue Committee’s health clinic. He seems to be well-known, everyone greeting him while we make our way to an empty caravan where we can talk. We sit facing one another. His skin has been scalded by the hot desert sun, and his eyes express deep sadness.

You have listened to me, more than my own sisters ever have,” says Duaa while sharing her moving story. She is one of some 70 Syrian refugees who took part in a series of art therapy workshops in three Jordanian cities and Zaatari camp. The workshops were organized by the International Rescue Committee, with support from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO), to create an opportunity for war-stricken Syrians to deal with their trauma, express their feelings, and reconnect with their hopes and wishes for the future.

This study draws on three case countries – Nepal, Sierra Leone and South Sudan – to address gaps in evidence and understanding on violence against women and girls (VAWG) during post-conflict transition. It highlights the potential for state-building and peacebuilding processes to address VAWG, and the effect this has in advancing sustainable peace. This is the first time that a systematic approach has been taken to bridge the gap between VAWG and post-conflict state-building / peace-building policies and processes. The study was led by the George Washington Institute (GWI), CARE International UK and International Rescue Committee (IRC), and was conducted as part of the What Works to Prevent VAWG in Conflict and Humanitarian Crises programme, funded by UK aid.