The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today announced that – for the first time – Syrians are now the largest refugee population under its mandate. This finding is part of UNHCR’s Mid-Year Trends 2014 report.This report shows that 5.5 million people – due to war and conflict – became newly displaced during the first six months of 2014. Taking into account several factors, UNHCR says the number of people it helps stood at 46.3 million as of mid-2014. This number is 3.4 million more than at the end of 2013 and is a record high.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recently issued a report on the plight of Syrian refugee women. Woman Alone: The Fight for Survival by Syria's Refugee Women shows that more than 145,000 Syrian refugee families in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan – one in four of all households – are headed solely by women. According to UNHCR, the report uncovers that “Many [women] live under the threat of violence or exploitation, and their children face mounting trauma and distress.”

On 26 June 2014, CVT staff, volunteers and board members gathered in the St. Paul Healing Center with survivors of torture to commemorate the anniversary of the Convention Against Torture. Rosa Garcia-Peltoniemi, Ph.D., L.P., Senior Consulting Clinician, offered these remarks to honor all survivors.

We are honored to observe the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture at our St. Paul Healing Center, where a community of providers, interpreters, and volunteers help heal and support survivors in rebuilding their lives.