Islamabad June 20, 2021 (TDI): World refugee day is observed globally today, Every year the day is observed to honor those people who are forced to leave their homes and have to travel and live in other countries. In 2001 on 20th June UN world refugee day was observed for the first time on the 50th anniversary of the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees.
According to UNHCR’s most recent estimate, there are approximately 80 million displaced people including 26 million refugees. In simple terms, a refugee is a person who is forced to flee his/her country and take a refugee in another country. A refugee is the one who is a resident in another country and is unable to return due to the well-founded fright of being persecuted based on his or her race, religion, nationality, political views, or for being a member of a social group. From lacking basic human rights to facing issues like statelessness, refugees go through a lot, thus this day is observed to honor the sacrifices and hardships of these people.
UN secretary-general António Guterres in a message urged the world governments to provide the refugees with essential health care, education, and sport. Further, he praised the governments who have taken up the responsibilities of refugees and highlighted the importance of cooperation from the private sector and states, communities, and individuals for a better inclusive future free from any discrimination.
This year the day is celebrated under the idea of ‘power of inclusion’, ‘Together we rebuild, learn and shine’. The recent COVID 19 circumstances have taught us that we can only succeed if we work together. The UN Refugee Agency’s World Refugee Day campaign this year calls for increased refugee engagement in health care, education, and sport and supports the idea that we can only recover from the epidemic if we work together.
According to data revealed by UNHCR the UN refugee agency, Pakistan with a booming 1.4 million refugees stands at number 3 in hosting the most refugees from the world. Pakistan has been home to millions of Afghan refugees for many years. The refugees living in Pakistan have access to public services including education and health care.
