The United Nations(UN)’s World Refugee Day is annually observed across the globe on 20th June to honour refugees around the world and to create awareness and sensitivity towards the people who have been displaced due to war, persecution, political turmoil or violence.
The day also celebrates the strength and courage of the people who were forced to flee their home country in order to escape conflict or persecution.
- The theme of World Refugee Day 2022 is “The Right to Seek Safety”.
- Tagline of World Refugee Day 2022 is “Whoever. Wherever. Whenever. Everyone has the right to seek safety”.
Significance: Whoever. Wherever. Whenever:
Whoever they are, people forced to flee should be treated with dignity. Anyone can seek protection, regardless of who they are or what they believe.
Wherever they come from, people forced to flee should be welcomed. Refugees come from all over the globe. To get out of harm’s way, they might take a plane, a boat, or travel on foot.
Whenever people are forced to flee, they have a right to be protected. In the face of threat (war, violence, persecution), everyone deserves protection.
- Everyone has a right to be safe and seeking safety is a human right.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/55/76 in December 2000 and proclaimed the 20th June of every year as World Refugee Day.
ii.The first ever World Refugee Day was observed on 20th June 2001.
Note: The 2001 event also marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
UNHCR Campaign:
To create global movement of solidarity with refugees, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency, launched a special campaign and asked everyone to share their photos with solidarity ribbon to show that they stand #WithRefugees around the world.
Refugees – Global Issue:
i.According to the UNHCR, by the end of 2021 around 89.3 million people were forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order.
ii.Among them are over 26.6 million refugees, the highest population on record. Around 69% of the world’s refugees come from just 5 countries: Syrian Arab Republic; Venezuela; Afghanistan; South Sudan; and Myanmar.
