SOURCE: https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html How many refugees are there around the world? At least 82.4 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes. Among them are nearly 26.4 millionrefugees, around half of whom are under the age of 18. There are also millions of stateless people, who have been denied a nationality and lack access to basic rights such as education, health care, employment and freedom of movement. At a time when 1 in every 95 people on earth has fled their home as a result of conflict or persecution, our work at UNHCR is more important than ever before. UNHCR personnel Our workforce is the backbone of UNHCR. As of 31 December 2020, we employ 17,878 people, of whom around nearly 91 per cent are based in the field. We work in 132 countries and territories, with personnel based in a mixture of regional and branch offices and sub and field offices. Our teams work hard to help the displaced, specializing in a wide range of disciplines, including legal protection, administration, community services, public affairs and health. How is UNHCR funded We are funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions, with 85 per cent from governments and the European Union.Three per cent comes from other inter-governmental organizations and pooled funding mechanisms, while a further 11 per cent is from the private sector, including foundations, corporations and the public. Additionally, we receive a limited subsidy (one per cent) from the UN budget for administrative costs, and accept in-kind contributions, including items such as tents, medicines and trucks. UNHCR was launched on a shoestring annual budget of US$300,000 in 1950. But as our work and size have grown, so too have the costs. Our annual budget rose to more than US$1 billion in the early 1990s and reached a new annual high of US$9.15 billion in 2021. For up to date information about UNHCR’s financial needs visit our Global Focus website. Our yearly budget supports continuing operations and supplementary programmes to cover emergencies, such as the Syria crisis or large-scale repatriation operations. Data on forced displacement and stateless populations We track the number of people forced to flee and use data and statistics to inform and optimize our work and the work of our partners to better protect, assist and provide solutions. So when for example a major displacement crisis erupts, we can predict how many people need help, what kind of help they need and how many staff we must deploy. These figures are released every year in our flagship reports: Global Trends and Global Report. For statistics and operational data that are essential for UNHCR operations, we collect and process data in a number of different systems that are fit for purpose. Our Population Statistics Database, for example, carries information on country of asylum, country of origin and demographics on people of concern to UNHCR – refugees, asylum seekers, returned refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. For more information on how UNHCR collects population figures, including links to our databases, visit our data page.

SOURCE: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/11/1105592 As more people flee violence, insecurity and the effects of climate change, the number forcibly displaced now exceeds 84 million globally, according to new data released on Thursday by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. UNHCR’s Mid-Year Trends report, covering the first six months of this year, revealed a surge from 82.4 million since December – largely due to internal displacement – with more people fleeing multiple active conflicts around the world, especially in Africa. It also noted that COVID-19 border restrictions continue to limit asylum access in many locations. “The international community is failing to prevent violence, persecution and human rights violations, which continue to drive people from their homes”, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. Breaking down figures Flaring conflict and violence around the world during the first half of this year forced nearly 51 million people to flee within their own countries, with most new displacements occurring in Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) witnessed 1.3 million displacements and Ethiopia, 1.2 million, the report detailed. Meanwhile violence in Myanmar and Afghanistan also saw an increase in the number driven to leave home. At the same time, the number of refugees also continued to increase during the first half of the year, reaching nearly 21 million. UNHCR observed that most new refugees came from just five countries: Central African Republic, 71,800; South Sudan, 61,700; Syria, 38,800; Afghanistan, 25,200; and Nigeria, 20,300. “The international community must redouble its efforts to make peace, and at the same time must ensure resources are available to displaced communities and their hosts”, warned the High Commissioner. Toxic blend A lethal mix of conflict, COVID-19, poverty, food insecurity and the climate emergency has compounded the humanitarian plight of the displaced, most of whom are being hosted in developing regions. “The effects of climate change are exacerbating existing vulnerabilities in many areas hosting the forcibly displaced”, said the High Commissioner. And solutions for forcibly displaced populations remain in short supply. During the first half of the year, less than one million internally displaced people and 126,700 refugees were able to return home. “It is the communities and countries with the fewest resources that continue to shoulder the greatest burden in protecting and caring for the forcibly displaced, and they must be better supported by the rest of the international community”, said Mr. Grandi.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54070697 The damage caused by the flooding across the country led the government to declare a three-month state of emergency last Friday. More than 500,000 people have been affected in 17 of the country’s 18 states, the authorities say. The 99 recorded deaths have been caused by drowning, mudslides and buildings collapsing. The level of the Blue Nile, which is the Nile’s main tributary, has risen to 17.57m, AFP quotes the water ministry as saying. This is the highest level since records began more than a century ago. In Khartoum state alone, more than 100,000 people are in need of shelter after having lost their homes. It says that there are heavy rains forecast for neighboring Ethiopia and parts of Sudan which could lead to a rise in the level of the Blue Nile.

  Source: https://www.edseed.me/campaigns/the-journey-of-a-thousand-miles-begins-with-a-step/   From Syria; seeking a Undergraduate degree in Renewable Energy and is enrolled at Zarqa University. My name is Ahmed Yasser Masri. I am an 18 years old refugee from Daraa, Syria. My family arrived in Zaatari camp in 2012. My father was an army officer and my mother was a social worker.  I have two sisters and a brother. We had a decent life.   I had I a rare bone disease. I had surgery before coming to Zaatari. Without it, I would not be able to walk. During my recovery from surgery, I made a small electric generator from a broken fan. I also made an eggbeater from the engine of a remote control car. I was able to repair a solar power charger. I installed solar panels for family members and friends for free.   I have the talents and skills to excel in my work. Our region was polluted enough during the war. We can use clean solar and wind energy to rebuild it while protecting the environment. I dream of becoming an engineer and specialize in renewable energy. Like all other refugees, we had a hard time adjusting to living in tents without power and sanitation.   I am aware that displacement will continue whether because of conflict or environmental disasters. I continuously thought of how to make this trauma easier to endure for displaced refugees. Our region can harness solar, wind and hydraulic energy to cover its needs. They are cleaner sources of energy that would not harm the environment. I hope that you will finance my studies in order to realize my dream.   Help dreams come true. DONATE

The explosion that occurred in Beirut recently was a serious catastrophe that led to colossal damage. 300,000 people have lost their homes, 135 people died, 5000 were wounded and 500 people are currently missing. Donate now to help the people in Beirut. If you’re looking to donate to Lebanon, here are some reliable sources that aid the people affected. Please try your best to visit the websites and try to donate. Every dollar makes a difference. https://supportlrc.app/donate/donate.html https://seal-usa.org/BeirutEmergencyFund https://justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lebanon-relief https://mercycorps.org/donate/send-emergency-aid-families-need?akid=11219.1201972.YQDMx_&hpc=0&rd=1&source=EE1WUMSTNMEZZ0805202&status=n&t=3&utm_campaign=beirut%2Blebanon%2Bexplosion&utm_content=beirut%2Blebanon%2Bexplosion%2Bemergency%2Bappeal%2Baug%2B5%2B2020&utm_medium=email&utm_source=appeal

How Blockchain Can Help with The Refugee Crisis SOURCE: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerhuang/2019/01/27/how-blockchain-can-help-with-the-refugee-crisis/#44ac86e86562 Worldwide, a new surge in refugees is occurring. From the southern border of the United States to the Middle East, the number of displaced keeps on growing.  One out of every five refugees estimated to have crossed from Libya to Europe has drowned or disappeared. More than 50 million people are estimated to have been forcibly displaced from their homes. There are more people displaced now than at any other time post-World War 2. How could new technologies and innovations like blockchain and cryptocurrencies help? 1- By helping digitize identity and other essential documents Many of the displaced are stateless and have lax documentation. This is a problem for them in transit and for any future destination countries. The Norwegian Refugee Council noted that 70% of Syrian refugees lacked basic IDs. By creating federated layers of identity, and digitizing records, this problem can be helped. Home countries for refugees often have scattered analog records or haphazard digital ones, lost to calamity or abandoned in flight. While creating the ability for a government to identify everybody within its nation to a minute detail will come with many risks (especially a country in open rebellion), creating federated control structures on the data and forcing technical partnerships for those that steward the data might help balance that power. The blockchain may be a better way than a centralized data store to increase this check and balance. Allowing refugees, the ability to export everything from their credit rating to their health data in an accessible manner can help immigration authorities in safe third countries vet applicants better and will allow for a more easily managed and smooth refugee process when crisis strikes. This doesn’t just extend to personal data on refugees and asylum seekers. The lineup to apply for asylum at the American border for Central American migrants is all done on paper in a de facto centralized fashion by asylum seekers. They line up for sports selectively limited by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is admirable that the migrants have self-organized and created an organized system with very few resources. However, a paper ledger can be lost, stolen or worse, manipulated. 2- By dealing with inefficient transactions in countries that are hosting asylum seekers in transit and the economic flow back to home countries Mexico, which hosts many Central American asylum seekers, is a society run on cash. Credit cards are not accepted in small shops, and when they are, exorbitant fees often apply, ranging upwards of 10%. Remittance fees for international transfers range as high as 6% for traditional providers like Western Union, meaning that for every $500 sent, $30 is lost to an intermediary. Blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies that reduce transaction fees for cross-border payments (while being stable to volatility) can be implemented to help. This helps reduce costs for refugees sending remittance payments back, and for people looking to donate money to charities working on the ground. 3- Tracking donations to refugee causes and making sure there is accountability and maximum impact per dollar spent Blockchain can help track where donations are going, and help give donors the transparency needed to make sure they are comfortable donating. Organizations like Give Track are already using bitcoin to help facilitate donations. Built by Bit Give, the first 501(c)(3) nonprofit for bitcoin donations, Give Track aims to use blockchain to make the end uses of their donations more transparent to donors. This ensures that donations are transparent, verifiable, and making the most impact possible.  4- Empowering technologists to see what is happening on the ground for themselves The blockchain and cryptocurrency community started with the vision of a world where borders mattered less. It is a global community that interacts with one another, that hosts conferences around the world, and which hosts companies that collaborate seamlessly with one another across different borders. About half of all cryptocurrency companies on startup portal AngelList are open to remote roles, compared to 30% of all other startups. Technologists that transact in cryptocurrencies and those that create blockchain/cryptocurrency companies are in the unique position of venturing outside tech strongholds. They are able to distribute technical expertise and thinking to an array of problems that must be encountered on-the-ground. They can see for themselves firsthand what refugees are going through. 5- Making integration more efficient The immigration system can be made more efficient by blockchain. Digital cash can help new refugees adjust rapidly to their new home and have the economic security to integrate. Blockchain can be used to track courses new immigrants take, and resources they need. Finland, for example, gives refugees pre-authorized digital cards that are linked to the blockchain, integrating financial resources and identification together. — There is no silver bullet to a complex, multifaceted problem like the refugee crisis. New innovation will not change old mindsets or politics by themselves, and neither can technologists understand long-standing human problems by isolating themselves. It will require significant private-public partnerships and sociocultural change to address the core issues that are propelling the refugee crisis. Yet, there are some tangible areas where blockchain and cryptocurrencies can help make a difference.  

SOURCE: https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/refugees-asylum-seekers-and-migrants/ Why do people leave their countries? There are many reasons why it might be too difficult or dangerous for people to stay in their own countries. For example, children, woman and men flee from violence, war, hunger, extreme poverty, because of their sexual or gender orientation, or from the consequences of climate change or other natural disasters. Often people will face a combination of these difficult circumstances. People who leave their countries are not always fleeing danger. They might believe they have a better chance of finding work in another country because they have the education or capital to seek opportunities elsewhere. Others might want to join relatives or friends who are already living abroad. Or they might seek to start or finish their education in another country. There are lots of different reasons for people to start a journey to build a life in a new country. Definitions: What exactly is a refugee, an asylum-seeker and a migrant? The terms “refugee”, “asylum-seeker” and “migrant” are used to describe people who are on the move, who have left their countries and have crossed borders. The terms “migrant” and “refugee” are often used interchangeably but it is important to distinguish between them as there is a legal difference. Who is a refugee? A refugee is a person who has fled their own country because they are at risk of serious human rights violations and persecution there. The risks to their safety and life were so great that they felt they had no choice but to leave and seek safety outside their country because their own government cannot or will not protect them from those dangers. Refugees have a right to international protection. Who is an asylum-seeker? An asylum-seeker is a person who has left their country and is seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in another country, but who hasn’t yet been legally recognized as a refugee and is waiting to receive a decision on their asylum claim. Seeking asylum is a human right. This means everyone should be allowed to enter another country to seek asylum. Who is a migrant? There is no internationally accepted legal definition of a migrant. Like most agencies and organizations, we at Amnesty International understand migrants to be people staying outside their country of origin, who are not asylum-seekers or refugees. Some migrants leave their country because they want to work, study or join family, for example. Others feel they must leave because of poverty, political unrest, gang violence, natural disasters or other serious circumstances that exist there. Lots of people don’t fit the legal definition of a refugee but could nevertheless be in danger if they went home. It is important to understand that, just because migrants do not flee persecution, they are still entitled to have all their human rights protected and respected, regardless of the status they have in the country they moved to. Governments must protect all migrants from racist and xenophobic violence, exploitation and forced labour. Migrants should never be detained or forced to return to their countries without a legitimate reason.

The Struggle for Equality – Why Girls Lose Out Why Education for Refugees Matters  Source, UNHCR; https://www.unhcr.org/the-struggle-for-equality.html At global level, for every ten refugee boys in primary school there are fewer than eight refugee girls; at secondary school the figure is worse, with fewer than seven refugee girls for every ten refugee boys. Getting a primary education is difficult enough for girls, but obtaining a place in secondary school is harder still. There are fewer secondary schools in most refugee environments and girls frequently lose out. The coping mechanisms to which families often resort in order to bring in money can end a girl’s education chances for good. Culturally, there may be resistance in some communities to the idea of girls staying in school into their teens. Yet the need for girls to remain in school for longer is clear and urgent. Globally, educated mothers are more likely to have smaller, healthier and better educated families. Education has helped reduce the rates of child marriage, teenage pregnancy, and maternal and infant mortality, as well as leading to improvements in child health. Educated mothers are more likely to ensure water is clean, seek help when a child is ill and have their children vaccinated. Since they are more aware of their surroundings, including sources of help as well as of danger, educated women are better equipped to protect their children from threats of all kinds. The need for girls to remain in school for longer is clear and urgent.  In fact, UNESCO estimates that educating mothers to lower secondary education in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 could prevent 3.5 million child deaths between 2050 and 2060. In addition, if all girls were educated at secondary education level, it is estimated that child marriage for girls could fall by almost two-thirds, while 59 per cent fewer girls would become pregnant in sub-Saharan Africa and south and west Asia, which are among the top hosting regions for refugees. The benefits of educating girls are wide reaching. Many girls talk of the new respect they receive in their communities as a result of completing secondary school, giving them the confidence to speak out and to become leaders in their own right. Those who reach higher education, such as Esther, act as much-needed role models for succeeding generations.  Women with a secondary education are more likely to ensure that their own children go to school. At global level, for every ten refugee boys in primary school there are fewer than eight refugee girls; at secondary school the figure is worse, with fewer than seven refugee girls for every ten refugee boys. Among populations where there are significant cultural barriers to girls’ education, the difference is stark. In Pakistan, for example, 47 per cent of Afghan boys are enrolled at primary school, compared with 23 per cent of girls. Dropout rates among Afghan refugee girls are high – 90 per cent in some areas. As a result, the literacy rate for refugee girls and women in Pakistan is less than 8 per cent. This, in turn, means there are fewer female teachers who might encourage more girls to attend school, making it increasingly di cult with each generation to break the cycle. That this is still possible against all the odds, is shown by the story of one dedicated teacher, Aqeela Asifi.