FORUM: "For a world where refugees are welcomed." World Refugee Day 2024. Each year on 20 June, the world celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. This year, we will focus on solidarity with refugees – for a world where refugees are welcomed. Refugees need our solidarity now more than ever. Solidarity means keeping our doors open, celebrating their strengths and achievements, and reflecting on the challenges they face. Solidarity with people forced to flee also means finding solutions to their plight – ending conflicts so they can return home in safety, ensuring they have opportunities to thrive in the communities that have welcomed them, and providing countries with the resources they need to include and support refugees. Follow the conversations with the hastags: #WithRefugees.
EVENTS: The Observance of World Refugee Day 2024 will be held on June 20th to honor refugees around the globe and to shine a light on the rights, needs and dreams of those forced to flee. Join us this World Refugee Day and show solidarity with people forced to flee. Subscribe to participate online!
Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General on World Refugee Day 2024; June 20th.
From Sudan to Ukraine, from the Middle East to Myanmar to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond, conflict, climate chaos and upheaval are forcing record numbers of people from their homes and fueling profound human suffering.
The latest figures show that a total of more than 120 million people around the world are forcibly displaced, including 43.5 million refugees.
World Refugee Day is about honouring their strength and courage – and stepping up efforts to protect and support refugees on every step of their journey.
Refugees need global solidarity and the ability to rebuild their lives in dignity.
When given the opportunity, refugees make significant contributions to their host communities, but they need access to equal opportunities and to jobs, housing, and healthcare.
Young refugees need quality education to achieve their dreams.
And generous host countries, mostly low- or middle-income countries, need the support and resources to fully include refugees in societies and economies.
Let us pledge to reaffirm the world’s collective responsibility in assisting and welcoming refugees … in upholding their human rights including the right to seek asylum … in safeguarding the integrity of the refugee protection regime … and ultimately, in resolving conflicts so that those forced from their communities can return home.
Mr. Antonio Gutteres; United Nations Secretary-General.
Today, on World Refugee Day, we honour the millions of people around the globe who are forced to flee violence and persecution. We celebrate their remarkable fortitude and capacity for renewal, despite the daunting challenges they face.
The picture is rarely as desperate as where I am now, in Jamjang, South Sudan. In recent months nearly 700,000 people have crossed from neighbouring Sudan, fleeing a devastating war that has taken their homes, their loved ones – everything. Some fled this country long ago to escape South Sudan’s civil war; now they are being forced back to a place still struggling to recover from years of fighting and famine. Others are Sudanese – teachers, doctors, shopkeepers and farmers – who must now navigate life as refugees.
Refugees arriving at borders is not just an issue for rich countries. Three quarters of the world’s refugees live in countries with low or modest incomes – it is false, and irresponsible, to claim that most are trying to get to Europe or the US.
Just look at the tragedy unfolding in Sudan: It is neighbouring South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia and Egypt that provide sanctuary to Sudanese people fleeing the horror.
These countries show that solidarity is possible even under the most trying circumstances. I commend them for it. But they cannot do it alone. At a time of division and upheaval, refugees – and those hosting them – need us all to pull together.
We live in a world where conflicts are left to fester. The political will to resolve them seems utterly absent. And even as these crises multiply, the right to seek asylum is under threat. To make matters worse, the global effects of climate change take an ever more devastating toll – including here, where severe flooding is expected to submerge villages and farmlands, adding to South Sudan’s woes.
Yet there are many reasons for hope. Today is also a day to celebrate progress made. A bold new development plan in Kenya will transform legacy refugee camps into settlements where refugees will have greater opportunities to advance, and full access to a range of services. In Colombia, UNHCR supports a government system to include almost 2.3 million Venezuelans in the labour market. In Ukraine, we helped to build a platform that supports people who are cautiously returning to repair or rebuild their homes.
This longer-term approach is key – sustainable action in education, energy, food security, employment, housing and more, working with states, development partners and others. Let’s not leave refugees in limbo; instead, let’s give them the chance to use their skills and talents and contribute to the communities that have welcomed them.
There must also be safe and legal ways for refugees to settle elsewhere, whether through work visas, scholarships or resettlement in another country. Without these options, more people will turn to smugglers in a desperate search for hope and opportunity.
All this requires investment. International funding to help those fleeing war in Sudan, and to enable local authorities and host communities to expand infrastructure, settlements and services, has fallen short. And worldwide, many other crises are similarly neglected.
On World Refugee Day and every day, we can all do more to show solidarity with refugees and work towards a world where they are welcomed, or can return home in peace. With courage, commitment and compassion, solutions are within our grasp.
Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Get involved!
Find out how countries around the globe are celebrating World Refugee Day 2024, select a country or region where you can participate to an event.
How can you show solidarity with refugees?
- Advocate: Join us on social media to help amplify the voices of refugees this World Refugee Day. Follow us on FacebookLink is external, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok or Twitter.
- Learn: Discover the latest stats and trends in forced displacement globally and learn how refugees and displaced people are being impacted by the climate crisis and taking action in their communities by taking this quiz.
- Learn: Discover the latest stats and trends in forced displacement globally and learn how refugees and displaced people are being impacted by the climate crisis and taking action in their communities by taking this quiz.
This report presents the findings from an Ipsos and
UNHCR global survey for World Refugee Day 2024.
It is one of the largest survey of its kind, capturing
the views and attitudes of 33,197 adults across 52
countries. The research, released as part of
UNHCR’s Hope Away from Home campaign, aims to
shed light on issues related to refugees and
contribute to a better understanding of public
attitudes towards, and policies affecting, refugees.
The survey takes place against a backdrop of
unprecedented levels of forced displacement, with
more than 120 million people forcibly displaced
globally, by May 2024, as a result of persecution,
conflict, violence, human rights violations, or
events seriously disturbing public order. Of those,
43.3 million are refugees, with low- and middleincome countries hosting 75% of the world's
refugees, and Least Developed Countries hosting
21% of the total [1].
Ipsos has conducted an online World Refugee Day
survey annually since 2017. The countries surveyed
change each year, so the Global Averages are not
directly comparable for some years. The 2024
survey is our largest survey to-date.
Public Understanding of
"Refugees"
This year's survey sought to capture public
understanding of the term “refugees”. Overall, the
large majority – 75% (global country average) –
correctly understand the term "refugee" to mean
someone who has left their home country due to
conflict, violence, or persecution or has sought and
been granted asylum. However, a significant
portion also believes the term applies to those
escaping natural disasters or seeking better
economic opportunities. It is important to
appreciate these different interpretations and
levels of understanding when analysing the
findings.
[1] Source: UNHCR Global Trends report 2024. This
includes 31.6 million refugees and people in a refugee-like
situation and 5.8 million other people in need of
international protection under UNHCR’s mandate, as well
as 6 million Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.
The findings of the survey conducted by Ipsos – one of the world's leading market research companies – with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, are released just ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June. They paint a complex picture of perceptions of refugees, with significant differences in opinion based on the question and the location of those surveyed.
Overall, 73 per cent of people across the 52 countries surveyed agreed that people should be able to take refuge in other countries, including their own. However, support for providing refuge has dampened in a number of countries from the high levels in 2022 in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Those surveyed in countries with a long tradition of hosting refugees, such as Uganda and Kenya, generally showed higher degrees of optimism about refugee integration and its positive impact.
While attitudes varied, half of those surveyed believe in refugees being able to integrate and – for example – access their full right to education, while nearly as many support their full access to health care and jobs. Around three-quarters expressed support, to a varying degree, for policies that allow refugee families to be reunited in the country of asylum.
Still, some major hosts and Western countries showed less positive sentiment including concerns about refugees' ability to integrate. While a third believe refugees will positively contribute to their country's labour market, economy and culture, another third hold the opposite view. The survey also showed concerns about the impact of refugees on national security and public services, notably in countries with large refugee populations.
"It is essential to listen to and understand public perceptions of refugees – both the positive and the negative, the generosity but also the concerns and fears. This is the best way to address these worries and ensure that those fleeing the world's worst tragedies continue to receive the help and support they deserve. Better understanding must lead to better policies and communication,’’ said Didier Truchot, Chairman and Founder of Ipsos. ‘’This is also a call to action for all of us, including the business community, which can help by employing and training refugees to support their integration into their host country.”
Despite the concerns and scepticism about refugees' impact on host societies, many people are still taking action to support refugees. A third have shown support for refugees, including by donating or through social media. Currently, 75 per cent of refugees live in low- and middle-income countries, and 37 per cent said they believe that international aid for countries hosting refugees is insufficient.
“These days, we hear much about how to keep refugees out – they get blamed by populists for society's ills. But this survey reminds us that there is an enduring groundswell of support for the right to seek safety. That is a heartening sign of hope in a sometimes-dark world,” said Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s Director of External Relations. “Still, we need to do much more to explain to the sceptics why refugees should be embraced, not ostracized. Erosion of public trust and empathy is a huge barrier to creating a safe and welcoming environment for refugees.”
The results, released on the International Day of Countering Hate Speech as part of UNHCR’s Hope Away from Home campaign, showed traditional media and social media remain trusted sources of information about refugees, indicating the importance of responsible reporting in shaping public perception. In recent years, there has been an increasing trend to target refugees on social media including via dis- and misinformation campaigns.
Overall, there are also differences in attitudes, mainly by age, with younger people tending to be more positive about refugees than older people.
Over 33,000 adults across 52 countries participated in the online survey in April and May, the largest on refugees by Ipsos, which aimed to improve understanding of refugee issues and examine the degree of public support for refugees. More than 120 million people were forcibly displaced globally by May 2024. Read the results of the survey.
The findings of the survey conducted by Ipsos – one of the world's leading market research companies – with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, are released just ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June. They paint a complex picture of perceptions of refugees, with significant differences in opinion based on the question and the location of those surveyed.
Overall, 73 per cent of people across the 52 countries surveyed agreed that people should be able to take refuge in other countries, including their own. However, support for providing refuge has dampened in a number of countries from the high levels in 2022 in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Those surveyed in countries with a long tradition of hosting refugees, such as Uganda and Kenya, generally showed higher degrees of optimism about refugee integration and its positive impact.
While attitudes varied, half of those surveyed believe in refugees being able to integrate and – for example – access their full right to education, while nearly as many support their full access to health care and jobs. Around three-quarters expressed support, to a varying degree, for policies that allow refugee families to be reunited in the country of asylum.
Still, some major hosts and Western countries showed less positive sentiment including concerns about refugees' ability to integrate. While a third believe refugees will positively contribute to their country's labour market, economy and culture, another third hold the opposite view. The survey also showed concerns about the impact of refugees on national security and public services, notably in countries with large refugee populations.
"It is essential to listen to and understand public perceptions of refugees – both the positive and the negative, the generosity but also the concerns and fears. This is the best way to address these worries and ensure that those fleeing the world's worst tragedies continue to receive the help and support they deserve. Better understanding must lead to better policies and communication,’’ said Didier Truchot, Chairman and Founder of Ipsos. ‘’This is also a call to action for all of us, including the business community, which can help by employing and training refugees to support their integration into their host country.”
Despite the concerns and scepticism about refugees' impact on host societies, many people are still taking action to support refugees. A third have shown support for refugees, including by donating or through social media. Currently, 75 per cent of refugees live in low- and middle-income countries, and 37 per cent said they believe that international aid for countries hosting refugees is insufficient.
“These days, we hear much about how to keep refugees out – they get blamed by populists for society's ills. But this survey reminds us that there is an enduring groundswell of support for the right to seek safety. That is a heartening sign of hope in a sometimes-dark world,” said Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s Director of External Relations. “Still, we need to do much more to explain to the sceptics why refugees should be embraced, not ostracized. Erosion of public trust and empathy is a huge barrier to creating a safe and welcoming environment for refugees.”
The results, released on the International Day of Countering Hate Speech as part of UNHCR’s Hope Away from Home campaign, showed traditional media and social media remain trusted sources of information about refugees, indicating the importance of responsible reporting in shaping public perception. In recent years, there has been an increasing trend to target refugees on social media including via dis- and misinformation campaigns.
Overall, there are also differences in attitudes, mainly by age, with younger people tending to be more positive about refugees than older people.
Over 33,000 adults across 52 countries participated in the online survey in April and May, the largest on refugees by Ipsos, which aimed to improve understanding of refugee issues and examine the degree of public support for refugees. More than 120 million people were forcibly displaced globally by May 2024. Read the results of the survey.
"We Were Here" is a Webby Award-winning documentary series produced by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and YouTube. In support of World Refugee Day 2024, these three short films challenge stereotypes about refugees by focusing on what unites us rather than what sets us apart. Refugees in Jordan, Germany, and Uganda collaborated with top YouTube Creators to share their powerful stories.
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