Refuge in Humanity: A Global Appeal on World Refugee Day
Every June 20, the world celebrates World Refugee Day, an event that reminds the world of the vulnerability of people who are forced to flee their country for reasons such as armed conflict, political or religious persecution, as well as sexual crimes or simply for situations such as the lack of labor supply, which prevents the development of a dignified and full life.
World Refugee Day was born in 2001 on the occasion of the 50th commemoration of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, an event that brought to the table the concern for refugees in the international community, which not only worked to make the cause visible, but also to articulate strategies through cooperation in order to protect the rights of refugees.
The vulnerability of refugees is not only manifested by the abandonment of their homes; in fact, after migrating, they start a new life that is full of political, social and health obstacles, which causes difficulty in accessing health services, exclusion from the labor market due to xenophobia or racism, or difficulties in entering an educational program. In addition, refugees may suffer from psychological trauma, non-communicable and infectious diseases, as well as sexual and reproductive health problems.
According to UNHCR data, it is estimated that there are currently 122.6 million people in the world who have been forcibly displaced, of which 43.7 million are refugees under the mandate of this agency, there are also 8 million people who are seeking asylum, of which 71% have been taken in by middle or low income countries, while 29% are in high income countries, due to migration policies that try to contain the entry of displaced persons to their territory.
It is important to emphasize that this vulnerability has led to the construction of international regulations that seek to protect all people in a state of refuge, which is composed through legal instruments such as treaties or agreements in favor of rights such as access to gainful employment, decent living conditions, freedom of movement, among others.
World Refugee Day is not only a celebration to commemorate the initiative of the United Nations and humanitarian organizations such as the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, which work to contain the effects of human vulnerability to forced migration, but also calls for civil participation in the process of refugee protection, since the democratization of this will ensure that the strategies implemented have a long-term scope.
The greater the participation generated, the greater the benefit that refugees will have, because when they arrive in a new country, they find themselves in a social environment that can determine how they will be treated or how they can start a new life. Contrary to the conception of aid to refugees, which is normally humanitarian, today society can help from anywhere in the world thanks to social networks, which can be achieved by sharing accurate information to make the work for this population visible, donating funds to protection projects, among other possible actions.
June 20 is a day to invite the world to welcome refugees, as they need human solidarity to reduce the obstacles or conflicts that prevent the integration of these people, such as homes that lack security, employment opportunities, or simply facts that prevent the safe return to their country of origin.
All people who are considered refugees such as asylum seekers, internally displaced people within each country, stateless people and returnees need international protection and civilian will. Today, the world needs to show its humanity in reaching out to victims of conflicts such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has left thousands of dead, and waves of refugees living without dignified conditions, or who have been forced to leave their country because of war. These refugees deserve greater inclusion, with equity and justice that guarantees their rights to achieve equal social conditions.
Sophia Castro
FIBGAR Collaborator
