The Refugee Crisis – The World at a Crossroads

More than 1 in 74 people on Earth have been forced to flee their homes because of violence, conflict, poverty or natural disaster. The total number of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) is at a twenty-year high, and the world is at a crossroads.

Refugees need help from their host countries, especially those with the capacity to protect them and give them a chance at a better future. But they often face deprivation, exploitation and lack of options for legal income-generation. And in many cases, they are targeted for sexual abuse and are unable to access education for their children.

Many of them have also experienced trauma and witnessed human rights violations during their flight. Some are trapped in refugee camps that are overcrowded and underfunded, and others have been subjected to discrimination. They are also at risk of retaliation from their home country, or from the armed conflict and the protracted instability in the region that forced them to flee.

The international community must put refugees at the heart of its agenda, and refocus resources on local integration and resettlement to ensure that all those in need have access to safety, dignity and a fresh start. World leaders must also end the race to the bottom on refugee protection, and commit to increasing the number of refugees that wealthier countries take in, as well as boosting support for the host states that are struggling. Finally, all nations must investigate and prosecute the gangs that traffic refugees and migrants and put people’s lives at risk.