Help Refugees
In mid-2021, there were more than 26.6 million refugees.
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The term “refugee” was not officially defined until 1951.
A refugee is a person who has involuntarily left his homeland or the country where he has been living. He attempts to flee war, violence, conflict or persecution and crosses the border in search of safety in another country. Refugees are protected by International Law.
Refugees from Merville. Source: Wikimedia
History The English word refugee comes from the Old French word refuge which means "hiding place".
The Ancient Greeks and Egyptians were already aware of the principle that a man seeking refuge in a holy place should not be harmed. However, only King Æthelberht of Kent proclaimed the first Anglo-Saxon Laws on Sanctuary in about 600 AD. A similar right to asylum on holy ground (for example in a church) was gradually introduced throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, many events occurred to force people to flee their homelands. For example, after the Edict of Fontainebleau in 1685 outlawed Protestantism in France, hundreds of thousands of Huguenots fled to England, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, Germany and Prussia. The Balkan Wars of 1912 - 1913 caused 800 000 people to leave their homes. Between 1881 and 1920, more than 2 million Russian Jews emigrated as a result of repeated pogroms.
Did you know that… until the beginning of the First World War, there were no rules in International Law to deal with the refugee situation?
The first coordinated group was the High Commission for Refugees, formed by the League of Nations (1920 - 1946) in 1921. Fridtjof Nansen was appointed to head it. This mainly concerned people who had fled the Russian Revolution (1917) and the Russian Civil War (1917 - 1923). In 1923, assistance was added for about 1 million Armenians who had fled the Armenian genocide.
The United States Congress passed the Emergency Quota Act in 1921 and then the Immigration Act in 1924, which prevented immigration from Asia and set quotas for the number of immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere.
In 1930, a successor organization, the Nansen International Office for Refugees, was formed. Among its greatest contributions is the Nansen Passport, for which Nansen received the 1938 Nobel Peace Prize.
There was also a huge increase in refugees after the rise of Nazism in Europe. The mandate of the High Commission for Refugees gradually extended to refugees from Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia annexed by Germany). On December 31, 1938, the Nansen Office and the High Commission were dissolved and replaced by the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees.
In 1943, there was the need to assist already liberated countries, and so the Allies created the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) to assist in Europe and China. It operated until September 1948.
Did you know that… by the end of World War II, Europe had more than 40 million refugees?
On December 14, 1950, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was formed in Geneva, Switzerland. It protects and supports refugees and works to provide lasting solutions, such as return or resettlement. It was awarded two Nobel Peace Prizes (in 1954 and 1981) and the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation in 1991. The organization is also a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) to address sustainable development issues.
UNHCR - The 1951 Refugee Convention. Source: UN Archives
Refugees and the Law Within the context of the two World Wars, the Refugee Convention was adopted in Geneva in 1951. Together with the 1967 Protocol, it is one of the key conventions to protect and aid refugees around the world.
Regardless of the reason for migration, governments in host countries must protect newcomers from violence, exploitation and forced labor, and safeguard their human rights.
Countries that have ratified the Refugee Convention are obliged to protect the refugees who are in their territory. All obligations of both parties are set out, namely:
- refugees must comply with local laws
- the obligations of contracting countries
- what contracting countries are forbidden to do
- equality of refugees with nationals
- equality of refugees with foreign nationals
Although the Convention is legally binding, there is no body to oversee compliance. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is responsible for oversight, but cannot enforce compliance. According to the Convention, complaints should be referred to the International Court of Justice. An individual can file a complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Committee or the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Did you know that… by mid-2021, 26.6 million people had refugee status?
Sardashte Camp for Ezidi IDPs in Sinjar (Shingal). Source: Unsplash
Migrant or Refugee? Migrants and refugees are defined as people seeking new homes in other countries. Many people do not see the difference, yet the difference is fundamental. A migrant has decided to move voluntarily and can prepare for the move.
Migrants move for many reasons, such as:
- economic migration - moving in order to find a job or specific fulfillment in a profession;
- social migration - relocating for a better quality of life or to be closer to family or friends who have already left their country;
- political migration - effort to escape political persecution or war;
- environmental - efforts to leave areas affected by natural disaster, or areas more frequently exposed to natural disasters (such as floods).
Unlike migrants, refugees are forced by circumstances to leave their homes. This is often done in haste, with only the necessary clothing in a backpack, and leaving home and property behind.
To be recognized as refugees and receive legal protection and material and psychological support, people who seek safety abroad must demonstrate that their fear of persecution in their home country is well-founded. The reasons are usually indisputable and such refugees obtain the status of asylum seekers.
Did you know that… 68 % of refugees come from only five countries: Syrian Arab Republic, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Myanmar? (statistics dated mid-2021)
Internally Displaced Persons Even without crossing an international border, many people have been forced to leave their homes, to seek safety somewhere else within the same country. Recent internal displacements, caused by conflicts, natural disasters and other external factors, have taken place in countries such as Colombia, Syria, Yemen and Ukraine, among others.
About 35 million refugees are children under the age of 18 years.
Refugees flee from an extreme situation in their homeland. They relocate to a new country, with the hope of a safer and better life. But the path is not easy.
Language Barrier Most refugees arrive in countries where their mother tongue is not spoken. Living in a foreign country on a daily basis, shopping, filling out forms and getting a job require knowledge of the language of the country to which they have relocated.
Housing Safe housing is expensive and inaccessible to refugees, who have barely managed to escape with their lives. They are an easy target for greedy landlords who increase rental prices.
Raising Children Raising children is never an easy task, let alone if you are a refugee! Difficulties arise due to the exclusion of children from the cultural environment into which they were born, the educational system and psychological problems that integration into a new society brings.
Did you know that... it is estimated that 35 million (42 %) out of the 82.4 million forcibly displaced persons are children under the age of 18 years?
Access to Medical Care Refugees, like everyone else, suffer from the same illnesses – they may have cardiac, dental, digestive or mental problems. However, due to the language barrier, it is difficult for them to seek professional help.
Seeking Employment No one can function without a source of income – especially not refugees! It does not matter if they are qualified or not, obtaining employment is hampered by the language barrier and/or the prejudices of potential employers.
Did you know that... by mid-2021, 84 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide.
Cultural Barriers The proverb “So many countries, so many customs” applies. Refugees often come from different cultures and have different customs, celebrate different holidays, dress differently and eat different food. This is the source of the differences that set them apart from the work or school team, and other integration efforts.
Human Trafficking and Abuse Refugees are often only women with or without children. They are more at risk of violence and at increased risk of being found by human traffickers. Then, under threat of violence or death, they are forced to work under degrading conditions.
Everyone deserves a safe place to call “home”.
Maybe you are asking why we should help refugees? At that moment, it is good to realize that refugees are not voluntarily in the situation in which they find themselves, and that somewhere, far away, they have left behind a home similar to the one you yourself live in. Maybe not as luxurious, but it was their home. Think about what assistance you would be grateful for under such circumstances.
Accommodate Refugees Maybe you have a big house, maybe just an apartment you don’t use – you simply have extra space. Provide accommodation for refugees, at least for a while, until they can find suitable housing or employment for themselves.
Donate Money All you have to do is choose a non-profit organization that aids refugees and donate some money to it. With those funds, it is possible for organizations to buy anything that people in distress need, even on the other side of the globe. Money is easily transferred from a bank account and no complicated logistics are required.
Donate Clothing or Goods You can donate clothes that you no longer wear, or items of personal hygiene. Remember that most refugees leave their home country with only the essentials that they are able to carry.
Become a Volunteer If you don’t have extra money to donate, it doesn’t matter. You can dedicate your time and skills. You can help as a counselor, medic or chef – maybe just for a few hours a week.
Hire Refugees If refugees can work for you, employ them. Involve them in society and let them apply their skills. Being a refugee is only a temporary status. Back in their homelands, they worked in restaurants, as hairdressers, teachers, etc.
Help Refugees with Counseling Many refugees need legal advice. Try to pay for any immigration counseling required by a refugee. Many law firms actually offer pro bono services, supplemented by community donations.
Organize a Collection Maybe you have organizational skills and can inspire people around you. Try to organize a collection to aid refugees. You will meet new people, have fun and raise money for a good cause.
Choose Carefully who you Vote for Whether it is local or national politics, choose your representatives carefully. Not everyone has open access to assisting people in need. Choose a representative who will strengthen and support your views.
Be Informed Take an interest in refugee issues. Watch the shift in negotiations, what their status is and in what way issues can be improved.
