World Refugee Day 2021: Are we doing enough for refugees? | ticker VIEWS

Today marks World Refugee Day — the international day to support and protect refugees across the globe. It also calls for refugees to be included in healthcare, education and sport.

World Refugee Day was first held globally in 2001, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

According to the UN Refugees Agency, there are 82.4 million people who have been forcibly displaced — a figure that has more than doubled from last decade (41 million in 2010).

The leading causes of this displacement include persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and disaster-related events.

Sixty-eight percent of the world’s refugees come from just five countries: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Myanmar.

Naomi Steer is the Australia for UNHCR National Director, who says the increased frequency of climate change disasters has driven internal displacement.

“The dynamics of conflict, poverty, food insecurity and climate change are increasingly interconnected, and we’re finding more people displaced from a combination of these key drivers in search of safety, security or more hospitable environments,” she said.

Putting faces to the statistics

George Najarian is an Armenian refugee from Syria. Today, he resides in Australia and has raised over $12,000 for refugees. He has also spent countless hours volunteering and educating thousands about refugees.

“I’m proud of being a refugee because that shaped me,” he says.

“But I don’t want to stay just in the past, because the past has gone and I have a chance to shape the future, help others and contribute to Australia.”

Similarly, Sarab Shada was born and raised in Baghdad before she resettled in Sydney in 2019.

“Growing up in Iraq, there were no places for me to use my voice apart from the local church. So, I joined the church choir and sang with them for several years until my travels began.”

“Since arriving in Australia, I’ve completed my international certification as an English language teacher while going through the lengthy process of recognising my international degree,” she said.

The impacts of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed contemporary society as we once knew it. But these impacts are being felt on a much greater scale in refugee communities.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations believes a whole-of-community approach is the key to future success.

Likewise, Ms Steer says 2020 was a devastating year for new internal displacements.

“2020 saw disasters trigger more than 30 million new internal displacements, the highest number in a decade and more than three times the displacements triggered by conflict and violence.”

In fact, 34,400 refugees were resettled to third countries in 2020. This is a 69 per cent drop from the previous year.

“COVID has dramatically magnified the risks in the past year, including many people stuck in desperate situations and finding it difficult to get proper help. It’s clear the impact on displaced people will be with us for years to come,” Ms Steer says.

Who hosts refugees?

In the Sahel region of Africa, which lies between the Sahara and the Sudanian Savanna, nearly 750,000 people were newly displaced last year.

The UNHCR believes it is one of the most complex regional crises worldwide. In Ethiopia, more than 750,000 people were displaced last year. Around 54,000 people fled the Tigray region into Sudan.

But where else do these refugees travel to? Turkey hosted nearly 3.7 million refugees last year. Similarly, Colombia, Pakistan, Uganda and Germany all took over one million refugees.

But Ms Steer says cross-sector collaboration and shared responsibility is the key.

“Governments, the private sector, corporations and individuals all have a part to play in keeping refugees safe,” Ms Steer says.

Are we doing enough?

World Refugee Day 2021 gives us the chance to reflect and think about how we can make the world a better place.

We know that there are people behind the statistics, and the data shows us that the global situation has worsened in recent times.

A 2017 survey from World Vision found that 91 percent of young people want to do more to help refugees. While, 14 percent believe Australia is doing enough.

But there are many small steps that we can make to raise awareness and funds for refugees.

This week, people took part in the 2021 Ration Challenge. It involves people eating the same rations that as Syrian refugees in Jordan for one week. This consists of 1.9 kilograms of rice, 170 grams of lentils, and 85 grams of dried chickpeas.

The Shoe Project, also encourages refugees and immigrants to improve their communication skills and work towards their goals in Canada. The program shows how footwear can make or break a journey, and shape a new future through interactive writing workshops.

The UNHCR also relies on generous donations and support from communities around the world.

Times may be tough for many, but World Refugee Day is a stark reminder of the vast inequality that many face on a daily basis.

Whether you are able to donate, or take part in one of the many grassroots programs, or not; take the time to think about the millions of displaced people, and their families on this World Refugee Day 2021.