State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration to Launch an International Fund for Refugee Women and Children

Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) Ellen Sauerbrey will mark World Refugee Day on June 20, 2007 by launching a new public-private partnership on behalf of the Department of State.The International Fund for Refugee Women and Children provides a mechanism for private sector donations to enhance existing PRM programs with a focus on protection, basic education, and vocational training for refugee women and children. It will direct the contributions to carefully chosen and monitored projects designed to help refugee women and children craft a better future and more secure life.

The U.S. is a global leader in protecting and assisting refugees and victims of conflicts, numbering more than 10 million people. Private donations comprise 85% of resource flows from the United States to the world and to countries beset by violence and strife.

A new web site, www.state.gov/refugeewomenandchildren has been created to enable individuals to give. Assistant Secretary Sauerbrey will speak about the Fund at various events on June 20. For more information about these events see www.state.gov/g/prm.

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