HCR: World leaders must act to reverse the trend of soaring displacement

Despite the pandemic, the number of people fleeing wars, violence, persecution, and human rights violations in 2020 rose to nearly 82.4 million people, according to UNHCR’s latest annual Global Trends report released today in Geneva. This is a further four per cent increase on top of the already record-high 79.5 million at the end of 2019.

The report shows that by the end of 2020 there were 20.7 million refugees under UNHCR mandate, 5.7 million Palestine refugees and 3.9 million Venezuelans displaced abroad. Another 48 million people were internally displaced (IDPs) within their own countries. A further 4.1 million were asylum-seekers. These numbers indicate that despite the pandemic and calls for a global ceasefire, conflict continued to chase people from their homes.

“Behind each number is a person forced from their home and a story of displacement, dispossession and suffering. They merit our attention and support not just with humanitarian aid, but in finding solutions to their plight.”

“While the 1951 Refugee Convention and the Global Compact on Refugees provide the legal framework and tools to respond to displacement, we need much greater political will to address conflicts and persecution that force people to flee in the first place,” said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.

Girls and boys under the age of 18 account for 42 per cent of all forcibly displaced people. They are particularly vulnerable, especially when crises continue for years. New UNHCR estimates show that almost one million children were born as refugees between 2018 and 2020. Many of them may remain refugees for years to come.

“The tragedy of so many children being born into exile should be reason enough to make far greater efforts to prevent and end conflict and violence,” said Grandi.

The report also notes that at the peak of the pandemic in 2020, over 160 countries had closed their borders, with 99 States making no exception for people seeking protection. Yet with improved measures - such as medical screenings at borders, health certification or temporary quarantine upon arrival, simplified registration procedures and remote interviewing, more and more countries found ways to ensure access to asylum while trying to stem the spread of the pandemic.

While people continued to flee across borders, millions more were displaced within their own countries. Driven mostly by crises in Ethiopia, Sudan, Sahel countries, Mozambique, Yemen, Afghanistan and Colombia the number of internally displaced people rose by more than 2.3 million.

Over the course of 2020, some 3.2 million IDPs and just 251,000 refugees returned to their homes –a 40 and 21 per cent drop, respectively, compared to 2019. Another 33,800 refugees were naturalized by their countries of asylum. Refugee resettlement registered a drastic plunge - just 34,400 refugees were resettled last year, the lowest level in 20 years – a consequence of reduced number of resettlement places and Covid-19.

The Middle East and North Africa region hosted a quarter of the world’s forcibly displaced (some 20.3 million persons). Syrians remained the biggest refugee population worldwide, with some 6.7 million Syrian refugees outside their home country. Five out of six Syrian refugees were hosted in neighbouring countries.  In addition, 6.7 million Syrians remained displaced within the country. In Yemen, displaced families faced an acute risk of famine amid violence, collapsing services and protracted displacement. More families were driven from their homes last year bringing the total number of IDPs to 4 million.  Displacement also was at high levels in Iraq (1.2 million persons) and Libya (278,000 persons).

This year, we mark World Refugee Day amid a continuing pandemic, which has abated in some parts of the world but continues to rage in others. COVID-19 has put a strain on health care, schools and our communities. It has exposed social and economic inequalities and devastated economies.

“COVID-19 interrupted education for children around the world. Many refugees couldn’t afford to pay for internet or for a phone for their children to study remotely.  We must support refugees who left school during the pandemic and who are at risk of never returning. An approximate of 48% of refugee children are out of school due to the pandemic. When we support the enrolment of refugee children in schools, we contribute to a raise of 23% of income raise per capita in the society.” Said Secretary General Representative and the UN Resident Coordinator in the State of Kuwait, Dr. Tarek ElSheikh.

Amidst all these global challenges, the State of Kuwait continues to show its solidarity and support to refugees all over the world, through its generous contributions to UNHCR’s humanitarian activities and programs.  Over the past 10 years, the State of Kuwait is amongst top donor countries to UNHCR with total contributions exceeding USD 430 million. Besides its generous financial aid, the State of Kuwait has always played a pivotal role in creating international humanitarian mechanisms and strategies that showcased its leadership in international diplomacy and resource mobilization during humanitarian emergencies. The state of Kuwait continues to join efforts with UNHCR through advocating for the refugee cause and raising awareness on refugee needs and plight. This support was exerted in many forms including the open-door policy with the government counterparts and encouraging local foundations, NGOs, private sector, media, and the local public to support UNHCR and collaborate in many humanitarian initiatives.

“We often refer to Kuwait as an international role model for other countries to follow. The State of Kuwait is, and will remain, a strategic partner to UNHCR. On this day, we express our gratitude to the State of Kuwait for all the support it has given throughout the years which contributed to the enhancement of the dire situations of millions of refugees worldwide” said UNHCR Representative to the State of Kuwait, Dr. Samer Haddadin

Additionally, UNHCR values its strategic partnership with the prominent government development arm the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which was formalised through the signature of MoU in 2016, followed by signing a grant agreement worth USD 10 million in 2017 and another USD 2.6 million in 2020 to aid Syrian Refugees and Iraqi Internally Displaces in Northern Iraq. The 2 Infrastructure based projects has contributed generously to improving the situation in the refugee camps in Northern Iraq and provide them with clean water and electricity. The Acting Director General of Kuwait Fund H.E Ghanem AlGhunaiman noted that “The role of the Kuwait Fund for Development in aid and relief for refugees and distressed people in the world is inseparable from the role of the State of Kuwait. Since its establishment, the Fund has played a prominent role in providing support and assistance to the displaced in Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Myanmar in the host countries, such as Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt and Bangladesh”.

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