The refugees are the most vulnerable people within our society. The ongoing pandemic and wars in the middle east have further exacerbated the situation. According to the United Nations, the world has 80 million refugees or internally displaced people, with 10 million refugees within the last year alone. Every minute 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution, or terror. It is startling that 90 percent of the world’s refugees live in low- and middle-income countries. World Refugee Day is celebrated every year on 20 June to highlight the plight of refugees, help mobilize resources through multiple actors within the society, generate political will and increase civil society participation for social good.
United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention: A refugee is someone who fled his or her home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”.
Over the years, different subgroups have developed within the refugees.
From asylum seekers to stateless people, returnees, and internally displaced persons, people become refugees due to many reasons, including natural disasters, climate upheavals, and wars. Over the years, refugees have done remarkably well in life working in front-line professions as healthcare workers, scientists, engineers, artists etc. Ivorian Graphic designer O’Plérou emoji (inset left) was chosen this year to represent the spirit of World Refugee Day. As the world celebrates World Refugee’s Day today through events worldwide, a lot needs to be done to make the world a safe place for everyone. Are you doing your part?
Ivorian Graphic designer O’Plérou emoji
World Refugee Day 2020 #WorldRefugeeDay2020 #themiddleroad.org pic.twitter.com/xMAgBZ0CUt
— The middle Road (@TheMiddleRoad_) June 20, 2020