Society Embracing Refugees as the Norm
On the 20th of June, the world marked World Refugee Day, a day dedicated to recognising the struggles and resilience of the millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are currently 120 million refugees worldwide, which corresponds to 1.5% of the global population.
The trend of displacement has been growing over the last 12 years, affecting 1 in 69 people today, compared to 1 in 125 a decade ago. This alarming increase was highlighted by UNHCR head, Filippo Grandi, who stated that behind the rising numbers lie countless human tragedies.
One of the most pressing issues affecting displaced populations and refugees is hunger. World Vision, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), has published a report titled "ration cuts", analyzing interruptions in the distribution of humanitarian aid and its impact, particularly among displaced people and refugees. Hunger isn't just causing malnutrition, but also mental illness, according to World Vision's director of global hunger response, Mary Njeri.
Another NGO, World Vision, is concerned about the effect of food insecurity on displaced populations and refugees. They found that 41% of refugees feel that children experience more violence, abuse, and neglect in the home now than before. Up to 68% of people dependent on humanitarian aid, who have suffered these intermittent cuts, report that a family member has gone to bed hungry in the last few weeks due to food shortages.
Alianza Solidaria, another organisation working with refugees, identifies a trend of food insecurity intensifying among displaced people and refugees, reaching levels of severe poverty for 90% of the refugee population. The Spanish Evangelical Alliance, which works with refugees in Lebanon and other countries, is also concerned about stateless children without access to education among the refugees they work with.
The European Union approved a migration agreement in 2023, but it has not convinced NGOs and social entities working with refugees. The agreement, while a step in the right direction, has been criticised for not doing enough to address the root causes of displacement and for not providing enough support to the displaced populations and refugees.
Most of the refugees they work with are Syrians displaced by a fratricidal war that has been going on for over 13 years. The number of refugees has tripled in the last decade, according to UNHCR. Constant exposure to violence affects both adults and children among displaced populations and refugees.
In 2023, only 1.1 million refugees were able to return home. While this is a small step towards resolving the displacement crisis, it is clear that much more needs to be done to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of the millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes. On World Refugee Day, it is important to remember these individuals and to work towards finding solutions to this global crisis.
