June 27, 2016
In the past year, issues surrounding refugees have flooded the news as the number of refugees has grown exponentially. So we wanted to ask, just exactly how big is today’s refugee crisis?
Currently in the world, there is a total of 19.5 million refugees and 65.3 million displaced people. These are people who have been forced to leave their home countries because of persecution, war, and violence. Whether it’s due to civil war, genocide, or threats for their beliefs, people must leave behind their home in order to stay safe.
Every minute, 24 people are forced to leave their homes as a result of conflict and persecution. When these people are forced to leave their homes, they often leave behind most of what they own and are forced to say goodbye to their friends and family.
53% of all refugees come from just 3 countries: Somalia, Afghanistan, and Syria. In Somalia, drought, famine, and ongoing insecurity have forced many people to leave, while the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Syria have led to people becoming refugees.
The UN reported that in 2013, the number of forcibly displaced people exceeded 50 million people for the first time since World War 2. The migrant crisis we are seeing today is one of the largest that the world has ever seen.
Written by Katie Ulrich
