RCUSA Joins the 2025 Global Refugee Forum Progress Review in Geneva

Washington, D.C. – Earlier this week, Refugee Council USA’s Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, Meredith Owen, participated in the 2025 Global Refugee Forum (GRF) Progress Review convening in Geneva, Switzerland. The Progress Review falls midway between convenings of the Global Refugee Forum, held every four years. These meetings, co-convened by several member States in partnership with UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency –  are all part of the follow-up to the Global Compact on Refugees, a UN framework endorsed in 2018 to create a fair, humane, and effective global response to refugee crises. 

RCUSA deeply values the productive dialogue and collaboration among partners that emerged from the GRF Progress Review. By convening high-level government officials, civil society representatives, private sector organizations, faith leaders, academics, and individuals with lived experiences of displacement and resettlement, this year’s Progress Review reflected the GRF’s principles of collective action, solidarity, and shared responsibility to advance efforts to support refugees and displaced persons. 

RCUSA’s involvement in this year’s Progress Review reasserted U.S. civil society’s commitment to advancing the protections of displaced persons everywhere, building on statements made at the Working Group on Resettlement and the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways earlier this year. At a December 16 plenary session of the GRF Progress Review, RCUSA’s Meredith Owen delivered a powerful statement on behalf of civil society representatives, calling out the current U.S. administration for turning its back on the historic role of the United States as a global leader in refugee protection. RCUSA urges global partners to reaffirm their treaty obligations to respond to the unprecedented scale of displacement. With a projected 2.5 million refugees requiring resettlement in 2026, the need to welcome refugees and asylum seekers with resilience, collaboration, and durable solutions has never been greater. 

“Over 2.5 million refugees are in need of resettlement in the coming year,” said Owen, speaking on behalf of U.S. civil society organizations. “Yet, only a fraction of those are ever resettled. U.S. civil society is here to stay. We are resolute in our commitment to welcome newcomers and fight for policies that reflect meaningful refugee participation and values of compassion, hospitality, and welcome – without discrimination. We urge civil society in other countries to stand firm in resistance to any pressure from States seeking to dismantle permanent refugee or asylum protections. As we approach the upcoming 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, global leaders are called to reaffirm and fulfill our treaty obligations.”

Watch the full statement:

Watch all of the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review sessions on the UNHCR website.

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Media contact: Jen Lee Reeves, jreeves@rcusa.org

RCUSA is a diverse coalition advocating for just and humane laws and policies, and the promotion of dialogue and communication among government, civil society, and those who need protection and welcome. Individual RCUSA members do not all address all refugee-related issues, nor do all individual members approach common refugee-related issues identically.