WHO IS A REFUGEE?
A refugee is a person who leaves their country because they are feeling threatened or because they are undergoing some type of persecution. Currently, the war in Syria is causing the most number of refugees in the world. According to the UNHCR, there are more than 50 million displaced people worldwide if you count internally displaced persons, asylum seekers, and refugees. According to the UNHCR at the end of 2014, there were 19.5 million refugees in the world.
Who is a Refugee?
What are some issues involving refugees?
Refugees have a hard life and they are homeless. They are usually sad as they may have left behind their family. Their homes may have been destroyed, and they have had to leave their work and their money in the banks. Refugees may be treated poorly by guards.
Many camps are surrounded by wire and fences and therefore, people may feel very cut off from the outside world and sad, because they are not free. It is almost like they are prisoners without having done any crime. It is a possibility that there is not enough food at the camps, and sleeping conditions can be very difficult.
Refugees may be unable to get any jobs in the new place or possible jobs may be at a much lower pay and level than previously experienced. Language could be an issue. Many become beggars and lose the will to find an actual trade.
WHAT?
WHERE?
Where are Refugees from?
Refugees can be found in many places in the world. The highest number of refugees in the world are found in Turkey. Currently Turkey hosts refugees from the following countries: Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. Lebanon and Jordan have the most refugees per capita. Pakistan follows Turkey in total number of refugees, hosting 1.6 million Afgahn refugees. There are also a large number of refugees in Bangladesh.
Refugees may have to live in camps, on the streets, in empty or vacated buildings (which may be in terrible war-like conditions).
WHY?
Why do people become refugees?
People can be forced into refugee status because of war, due to their religious beliefs, opposed to the current government and by sharing their oposition they've been forced to seek freedom elsewhere. People from different races may not get along and may cause people to become refugees. Some people are part of certain tribes or groups may feel threatened and may seek refugee status elsewhere.
* Average time someone stays in a refugee camp: 5 years
*When did the Syrian war begin and refugees start coming to Turkey? The Syrian war began in March 2011; refugees started to come to Turkey - over one million; today the total is 1.9 million (1.7 million Syrian) refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey in 2015.
* First international coordination of refugee affairs came with the creation by the League of Nations in 1921.
*Refugees found in history all over the world since 600 AD. Greek and Turkish exchange, Nazi occupation, and the Russian revolution are examples of big world events that caused people to have to become refugees.
*1951: United Nations High Commission Refugees for 1 million refugees following World War II.
*13 million refugees in 2014 total in world. Furthermore, 5.1 million registered in Middle East camps.
*World Refugee Day occurs on June 20th each year.
WHEN?