Written by: Artur Karkusati & Isa van Rooy
World Refugee Day, June 20th each year, is a day chosen to illuminate the struggles of refugees worldwide. Amnesty International's latest statistics show that 26 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced due to conflict, violence, and persecution.. In total, an estimated 89,3 million people are seeking refuge; compared to 10 years ago, that number has doubled. It is a stark reminder of millions' harsh circumstances and a rallying cry to governments, institutions, and individuals worldwide.
What do refugees flee from?
One stark example of such a crisis was the alarming surge of refugees provoked by the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which resulted in an unprecedented exodus of people not seen since the Second World War. Escaping the unbearable brunt of war, these displaced individuals were not just mere figures but human stories of survival and courage amidst the chaos. However, conflict-driven refugees represent just one fragment of this global issue. Rising in tandem are economic refugees, those compelled by the dire grip of poverty and an absence of opportunities to undertake perilous treks in pursuit of more promising futures. There has also been a rise in those fleeing from environmental disasters, lack of resources or the results of inflation, during the past years. Other reasons to flee are because of unsafety concerning their nationality, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, political opinions, etc. During their travels, they can become victims of human trafficking or other forms of exploitation. When these millions of refugees have arrived in countries, hoping for safety, many of them have to deal with daily racism, xenophobia and discrimination or even risk the chance of being locked away in detention centers. The refugee crisis is widespread over numerous continents and continues to be the reason of suffering for millions of individuals every day.
This article aims to plead for our collective responsibility to provide aid, foster acceptance, and create sustainable solutions for all refugee crises. These fundamental human rights are and should be realisable for all.
A Story of Hope
Luckily, there are lots of stories of hope to be found; people are standing up and welcoming refugees in the smallest and biggest ways possible. For example, more than thousands students in Norway protested for their classmate 18-year-old Taibeh Abbasi and her family to be deported back to Afghanistan; she fled to Norway in 2012 with her two brothers and their mother. She was born in Iran, but is Afghan. Taibeh has never been to Afghanistan and all of her classmates, as well as the 17-year-old Parnian Amirahmadi, 17, who leads the Amnesty group at Trondheim Cathedral school, all agree that deportation will be too unsafe. To showcase this, all of them marched in a procession, chanting “Let Abbasi stay!” and singing “We are the world” in solidarity with the family, The protest ended with a speech from Taibeh, where she recalled her life in Iran and emphasised the importance of her education; she intends to be a doctor. There is a crowdfunding happening, if you want to donate, you can click this link.
This story shows that with hopefulness and standing in solidarity with one another, we can help keep refugees safe. It is our duty, in collaboration with government-organisations, to demand the protection and safety of the human rights of refugee people.
