June 20th has been observed as the World Refugee Day every year by the United Nations. The theme of World Refugee Day 2024 is ‘For a World Where Refugees Are Welcomed.’ The theme talks about actively including and supporting refugees worldwide—a world where they are offered assistance in a safe and dignified manner.
The first ever World Refugee Day was celebrated on 20 June 2001 marking the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Earlier known as Africa Refugee Day, the United Nations General Assembly in December 2000 officially declared it as an International Day for Refugees.
Conflicts around the world and catastrophes due to climate change have forced innumerable people to be displaced from their homes. According to United Nations Refugee Agency in 2024, around 138 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced. This includes 32 million refugees.
Here is what António GuterresSecretary-General of the United Nations, had to say about today, “World Refugee Day is about honouring their strength and courage – and stepping up efforts to protect and support refugees. They need global solidarity and the ability to rebuild their lives in dignity. Let’s reaffirm the world’s collective responsibility in assisting and welcoming refugees, in upholding their human rights – including the right to seek – and ultimately, in resolving conflicts so that those forced from their communities can return home.”
Here are some satellite images showcasing the plight of refugees from around the globe.
South Sudan
The total number of South Sudanese refugees is nearly 2.4 million, making it the largest refugee crisis in Africa and the fifth largest refugee crisis in the world. 65 per cent of South Sudanese refugees are under the age of 18. The majority of those fleeing South Sudan are women and children.
Ukraine
The full-scale war in Ukraine that began on February 24, 2022, following the Russian Federation’s invasion has left an estimated 3.7 million people driven from their homes and are internally displaced due to heavy shelling and fighting. Nearly 6.5 million people have crossed into neighbouring countries in the region including Poland, Hungary, Moldova and other countries globally.
Syrian Arab Republic
Following the violent crackdown government in 2011 to the civil war that escalated quickly to its thirteenth year, the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic remained the world’s largest in terms of displacement, with over 12 million people forcibly displaced across the region. The Earthquakes in February 2023 and their aftermath claimed the lives of 5,900 people and caused further displacement intensifying further humanitarian needs. Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Türkiye continue hosting nearly 6 million Syrians.
Afghanistan
Afghan refugees are the third-largest displaced population in the world after Syrian and Ukrainian refugees. In 2023, at least 8.2 million Afghans were hosted across 103 different countries. 40 years of conflict, natural disasters, chronic poverty, food insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic and most recently a changeover in government authorities have led to instability and displacement. A vast majority of refugees are living in Pakistan and Iran out of which 70 percent of those in need of support are women and children.
