The number of refugees around the world has increased over the years.
According to the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for the UN, in 1950, two million people moved around the world. In 2015, there were 53 million.
Currently, according to the same body, 65.6 million people are considered refugees, which has an impact on the entire planet.
Who are Refugees?
Refugees are those who leave their country of origin and are afraid to return there because of their political or religious opinions or because they belong to a persecuted social group.
In this sense, the refugee is different from the immigrant who generally leaves their home country for economic reasons or natural disasters. Therefore, we say that every refugee is an immigrant, but not every immigrant is a refugee.
In 1951, a United Nations convention on the subject determined that refugees could not be returned to their place of origin.
So, in order to guarantee this right, the States that receive refugees, should ensure the possibility of the refugee to request the right of asylum. Therefore, it must provide food, medical assistance and school conditions for the children.
However, this same convention did not determine any sanction if the host country did not comply with these norms.
The reality is quite different and refugees are often confined in detention centers that resemble prisons. Some are lucky enough to be assisted by NGOs or religious orders that try to integrate them into the new country.
Origin of Refugees
Refugees mainly come from regions that are at war or in extreme poverty. However, they may belong to a population group that is specifically persecuted as is the case of the Kurds.
In the infographic below, we see highlighted the conflicts that caused the displacement of people between 2013-2018:
We realized that the Syrian War is responsible for the greatest displacement of population contingents.
However, the nations of Sub-Saharan Africa they also inspire care, especially in South Sudan.
Considered the youngest nation in the world, the country is facing a civil war that has left thousands of people homeless.
Destination of Refugees
Contrary to popular belief, most refugees are displaced within their own country or to neighboring nations.
Although developed countries are the great attraction for those who want to change their lives, most end up staying in countries close to their continent.
Thus, according to UNHCR, the countries that most welcome refugees are:
| Turkey | 3.5 million |
|---|---|
| Uganda | 1.4 million |
| Libya | 1 million |
| Will | 979 000 |
Refugees in Europe
The European Union has shown itself to be less and less generous when it comes to taking in refugees. In 2017, 538 000 asylum requests were granted, 25% less compared to 2016.
The most welcoming countries are Germany, France, Sweden and Italy. However, due to changes in the Italian government, the country has been rejecting an increasing number of asylum applications.
The European bloc proposed that the countries divide the refugees among themselves, according to the population and capacity of each one.
However, the suggestion was harshly criticized by Poland and the Czech Republic who simply do not accept more than 15 refugees per million inhabitants.
Refugees in Brazil
Brazil is a country traditionally open to refugees and projects an image of a tolerant country in the world.
Therefore, it has become a destination for many refugees who are forced to leave their country. Despite this, these new inhabitants only represent 0.05% of the population.
According to data from Ipea (Institute for Applied Economic Research), published in 2017, the largest contingents of asylum seekers in Brazil are:
| Syrians | 22,7% |
|---|---|
| Angolans | 14% |
| Colombians | 10,9% |
| Congolese | 10,4% |
| Lebanese | 5,1% |
The country has hosted around 2,500 Syrians since the start of the war in that country in 2010.
Venezuelans in Brazil
THE economic and social crisis in Venezuela it made the population of that country seek life in neighboring countries.
Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) - United Nations Agency for Migration - reveal that Brazil received about 30,000 Venezuelans in the years 2015 to 2018.
Most Venezuelans, however, are not considered refugees but immigrants. Approximately 8,231 Venezuelans requested asylum in 2017, according to the Ministry of Justice.
As Brazil is going through its own political and economic crisis, it is feared that the xenophobia grow up in the country.
read more:
- Human rights
- UN
- famine in africa
- FARC
- afghan war
- Brexit
- Enem geography: subjects that fall the most
- Geography Issues in Enem
