Global refugee crisis

The UN hosted the first Global Refugee Forum in Geneva to transform the way the refugee crisis is being handled and urge the international community to share more responsibility. It has been a tumultuous decade in which over 70 million people have been displaced including 25 million refugees.

Pakistan is among countries hosting some of the largest refugee population and was co-convening the forum. Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the global meeting hoping for peace in Afghanistan so both countries could yield the benefits. He said Pakistan generously hosted three million refugees for four decades and they should now return to their homeland with dignity.

PM Imran Khan also highlighted potential flashpoints in the region for a refugee crisis. Referring to the situation in held Kashmir and the ongoing protests in Indian state of Assam, the prime minister cautioned that Modi government’s steps could create a new refugee crisis. He warned that Pakistan will be unable to hold any further refugees in wake of new conflicts.

Other countries hosting large populations include Turkey, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Germany. Turkey has the world largest refugee population, hosting nearly 3.7 million Syrians. Erdogan has called for greater support for his country and for others to also host refugees in large numbers. Germany is the only industralised country in the top ten nations to host refugees. It is  the second biggest donor and fifth largest host for refugees.

The numbers clearly indicate that developed countries have not taken enough responsibility. This unbalanced approach to refugees means that countries with more resources push responsibility onto developing countries that are less able to cope. The world must do more to shoulder responsibility as refugees cannot be abandoned and require jobs, livelihoods and integration in societies.

At present, 85 percent of refugees live in low- or middle-income countries which struggle to host them, and only ten countries host sixty percent of all refugees. There is need for financial support to help governments and local communities as refugee children are being denied an education. Many countries are also reluctant to share good practices on asylum and refugee crisis.

The UN has been working on a refugee pact which is a non-binding instrument and has serious limitations, failing to provide protection to refugees. Governments continue to shirk responsibility rather than share it. There is a lot of work that needs to be done against the refugee crisis and the international community must find sustainable financing and resolve violent conflicts.