We are in the midst of the worst refugee crisis the world has seen since World War II. Worldwide displacement has reached a staggering all-time high as war and persecution relentlessly rage on in too many places around the world. The ongoing wars in Syria, and also conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and parts of Africa, to name a few, are the main reasons behind this crisis. Among these refugees, half are children. Half are the most vulnerable people in our society that are being robbed of their development and education. By losing these human rights, these millions of children could become a lost generation.
Fast Facts
- More than 68.5 million people are displaced around the world, a staggering all-time high. (UNHCR, 2017)
- If the more than 60 million forcibly uprooted were a country, it would be the world’s 24th largest nation. (UNHCR, 2015)
- 1 in 110 humans is either a refugee, internally displaced or seeking asylum. (UNHCR, 2017)
- 52% of refugees are children, under the age of 18. (UNHCR, 2017)
- More than 1 in 3 refugees entering the European Union are children. (UNICEF, 2015)
- In 2017, 3,139 people died or went missing attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea. (UNHCR 2018)
- The migrant crisis, by the numbers. (NPR)
- For the most current updates go to HRW’s Refugee Program: recent news, dispatches and reports!
Take Action
- Host a screening of “Salam Neighbor”
(Click to watch, 2:23)
Background Materials
- New! Testimonies from Refugees
- Children in the World Refugee Crisis Fact Sheet
- Why Learn About Refugees
- 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
- Refugee Glossary
- The Choices Program – Refugee Stories: Mapping a Crisis
Recent HRW Refugee Reports:
- “I Just Wanted to be Treated like a Person”: How Lebanon’s Residency Rules Facilitate Abuse of Syrian Refugees
- “When I Picture My Future, I See Nothing”: Barriers to Education for Syrian Refugee Children in Turkey
- The Mediterranean Migration Crisis: Why People Flee, What the EU Should Do
- “You Don’t Have Rights Here”: US Border Screening and Returns of Central Americans to Risk of Serious Harm
Multimedia
US Asylum Process Explained (4:00)
(Click to watch, 4:00)
Seeking Asylum (TK)
Introducing the World Refugee Crisis script to go along with the “War and Hunger” video.
What Would You Bring? (1:50)
News
- Stay up to date on the global refugee crisis with the STF Weekly Updates
- New York Times – At a Refugee Camp in Jordan, Lives are in Limbo
- UNHCR – Worldwide Displacement Hits All-Time High
- Huffington Post – Chasing Refugee Crises, Then Forgetting