Refugees Day
The world marked the International Day of Refugees on June 20. On that particular day, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reminds the world, especially leaders and decision makers, of two main things. The first is that there are millions of innocent people who were forced due to compelling circumstances to search for an alternative homeland and better future. This hope sometimes collapses because of unexpected difficulties and challenges. The second point is the need to provide support to refugees until the adoption of a global charter for refugees, which is due to be issued by this year.
The United Nations said that the number of refugees and displaced people in the world jumped to 68.5 million last year, marking a new rise for the fifth consecutive year. The number rose by 4.6 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year.
According to UNHCR, about 70 percent of the world’s 68.5 million refugees have fled from only five countries: Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar and Somalia. The commission’s annual report says that the conflict in Syria had led to the displacement of more than 6.3 million people from their country by the end of 2017. Afghanistan ranked second in terms of the number of refugees last year. The report also highlighted large-scale displacements in Iraq, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and others. There is a need to analyze the report in a way that will provide solutions to the refugees and the host countries.
For example, Turkey ranks first among recipient countries of refugees with an absolute refugee population of 3.5 million refugees, mostly from Syria, while Lebanon receives the largest number of refugees when its small population, capacity and resources are put into consideration. The UNHCR believes that the time has come to bring the world’s leaders to face the fact that the international community stands with the refugees.
I believe that the issue of refugees is a humanitarian subject that has turned to become an issue involving political considerations and sometimes extremism.
I think it is natural for every refugee family to dream about having a safe place to live, and that every refugee should receive decent work and be ensured that his children will receive adequate education and health care. The issue of integration into society is also important because it depends on the nature of the person and his ability and readiness to accept the new society, not just on paper; otherwise, he would feel alienation, loneliness and isolation which I think is harmful especially for children and young people. I think one of the key challenges that refugees face is learning a new foreign language for adults or those with limited culture and education back home, especially for those who do not know any language other than their mother tongue. This could present a problem in finding jobs, especially if the refugee is not sure that he or she will be allowed to stay in the new country where refugees might feel that they are outsiders or perhaps unwanted people at any time. I do not think the issue of refugees has been handled as one component that requires solutions.
Whether the agreement mentioned above is passed or not, I think the issue of refugees will remain one of the world’s main concerns as long as wars, especially civil and sectarian conflicts, exist. If bloody conflicts end, it is natural that the numbers of war refugees will diminish.
There are many demands to discuss the issue of refugees from a realistic perspective, away from the considerations of security and politics. This is a humanitarian crisis that cannot afford the long wait and speculations, especially with regards to providing food and basic needs of families, as well as employment opportunities to ensure refugees’ right to a decent and safe life.