The global refugee crisis in 2021

Hyderabad: Violence and persecution continued to force people from their homes in 2021, according to the UNHCR. Read the state of global crisis in the year gone by… The trend in rising forced displacement continued into 2021 – with global numbers now exceeding 84 million – as more people fled violence, insecurity and the effects […]

Hyderabad: Violence and persecution continued to force people from their homes in 2021, according to the UNHCR. Read the state of global crisis in the year gone by…

The trend in rising forced displacement continued into 2021 – with global numbers now exceeding 84 million – as more people fled violence, insecurity and the effects of climate change, according to the Mid-Year Trends report released today by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

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The report, for January-June 2021, showed an increase from 82.4 million at end 2020. This resulted largely from internal displacement, with more people fleeing multiple active conflicts around the world, especially in Africa.

The report also noted that Covid-19 border restrictions continued to limit access to asylum in many locations. Nearly 51 million people are now internally displaced, as conflict and violence flared around the world during the first half of 2021.

Covid and climate impact

The lethal mix of conflict, Covid-19, poverty, food insecurity and the climate emergency has compounded the humanitarian plight of the displaced, most of whom are hosted in developing regions.

Solutions for forcibly displaced populations remain in short supply. Under 1 million internally displaced people and 126,700 refugees were able to return home in the first half of 2021.

Who is a refugee?

Refugees are people who are forced to leave or flee their own countries because of a threat of persecution or threat to life or freedom. Migrants are however those individuals who leave their countries voluntarily for the purpose of education, employment, etc. and not because of persecution.

United Nations Refugee Convention 1951

• UNHRC is a United Nations multilateral treaty that defines who is a refugee, and sets out the rights of individuals who are granted asylum and the responsibilities of nations that grant asylum.
• It also set out which people do not qualify as refugees, such as war criminals.
• It grants certain rights to people fleeing persecution because of race, religion, nationality, affiliation to a particular social group, or political opinion.
• It builds on Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, which recognizes the right of persons to seek asylum from persecution in other countries.
• The 1967 Protocol included refugees from all countries as opposed to the 1951 Convention that only included refugees from Europe.
• India is not a party to this convention.
• 84 million people displaced by violence and conflict worldwide (mid- 2021)
• Nearly 51 million people are internally displaced
• 26.6 million are refugees under UN mandates
• 4.4 million people are seeking asylum, with applications pending
• 85% of refugees and displaced are hosted in developing countries
• 73% of refugees and displaced are hosted in neighboring Countries
• 42% — around 35 million – of displaced persons are children

Where they come from?

Country of origin
Syria- 6.7 mn
Venezuela – 4.1 mn
Afghanistan- 2.6 mn
South Sudan- 2.3 mn
Myanmar – 1.1mn

Who hosts the most?

Refugees by total numbers
Turkey 3.7 mn
Colobia 1.7 mn
Uganda 1.5 mn
Pakistan 1.4 mn
Germany 1.2 mn

Quote:

The international community is failing to prevent violence, persecution and human rights violations, which continue to drive people from their homes..
-Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

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