Celebrating World Refugee Day – Who is a refugee?
Author: Emily Frazier
On June 20th, we at the Refugee Story Project join millions around the globe in celebrating World Refugee Day, an international day of awareness designated by the United Nations to “shine a light on the rights, needs, and dreams of refugees.”
The first World Refugee Day was celebrated in 2001 to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention – a landmark international agreement that established protections for displaced people after World War II. Today, there are now more forcibly displaced people in the world than at any point in recorded history – and raising awareness about the rights, needs, and dreams of refugees is more important than ever before.
Here at the Refugee Story Project, we are committed to raising awareness, sharing stories, and building support for refugees in the United States and around the world. In honor of World Refugee Day, take a minute to learn more about who is – and who isn’t – a refugee.
Where does the term “refugee” come from?
The UN recently announced that the number of people who have been forced from their homes by violence, persecution, or other hardship has reached an all-time high of 110 million. Yet not all of these people are officially considered to be “refugees.” In fact, the term “refugee” has a specific history and narrow legal definition which dates back to international protections established after World War II.
As World War II came to an end, many people in Europe found themselves outside of their home countries after fleeing the brutal violence that covered the region during the conflict. In the wake of this destruction and displacement, the newly formed United Nations formed new solutions to protect these “refugees.”
Soon after, the UN passed the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees. To prevent discrimination against displaced people, this document defined who could qualify as a refugee and guaranteed that “refugees” are entitled to receive certain rights and protections from countries where they seek safety.
Who is a “refugee” – and who isn’t?
To be considered a “refugee,” a person must (i) have crossed an international border and left their country of origin, and must (ii) be able to demonstrate a “well-founded fear” of persecution based on either their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Put another way, you can only be considered a “refugee” if you fled your home country because you have good reason to believe that you are in danger based on who you are or what you believe.
While the UN definition identifies many important causes of displacement, the official refugee definition also leaves out many people who are fleeing based on other pressures, such as gang violence, terrorism, environmental factors, or natural disasters. Instead of receiving refugee protections from the UN and other countries, most people are classified as “forced migrants,” “internally displaced people” (for those who haven’t left their country’s borders) or “environmental migrants.”
Today, only around one third of people who have been forced from their homes are considered “refugees” – excluding the majority of the world’s forced migrants from the protections and status promised in UN refugee law. Many of these people pass their lives in limbo, living in camps or other precarious situations while waiting for opportunities to receive permanent safety. Experts agree that new solutions are needed to address modern displacement issues, yet there is little agreement among countries on how to make this happen.
Understanding refugees today
Despite the limits of the refugee definition, there are currently around 35.3 million people with refugee status worldwide. More than half of these refugees come from only three countries – Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan. Other countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia are also experiencing growing displacement crises.
While most refugees remain near their home countries, 76 percent of the world’s refugees are currently being hosted in low- and middle-income countries, placing strain on host economies and reducing opportunities for refugees to attain economic mobility. Likewise, most of the world’s refugees are children, and opportunities for education are not always readily available. And while many refugees wait to return home or be resettled in another country, their lives are permanently on hold.
What can you do?
At the Refugee Story Project, we are committed to education and advocacy about displaced people around the world. Understanding who refugees are is the first step toward helpful communication and advocacy with friends, families, and neighbors about the realities of displacement around the world.
On World Refugee Day, join advocates around the world by sharing what it means to be a refugee and the challenges faced by refugees and displaced people worldwide. Check out our resources @refugeestoryproject on Instagram, and join our work by spreading the word.
