Imagine fleeing your home leaving everything behind and carrying only what you can. Yes, that’s the plight of refugees all over the world. The term 'refugee’ has been used to describe the millions worldwide displaced either on account of conflict, persecution or war. When people leave their country to seek protection in neighbouring countries crossing international borders, they are called refugees. While immigrants choose to move to another country for various reasons, refugees are forced to flee their country in the face of violence. With uncertainty staring at them, refugees face several challenges, such as severe hunger, poverty and loss of dear ones, in search of a safe haven and a better life. You might have heard about the refugees from Syria, Myanmar, Ukraine and Afghanistan. While some countries take them in with open arms, others turn them away. Nevertheless, the number of people displaced worldwide has continued to grow at an alarming rate. According to the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, over 89 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced till the end of 2021, of which over 27 million are refugees. Didn't the photos of Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi's lifeless body on the Turkey shore and Afghans struggling to hang on to the aircraft about to take off move us to tears?
Picture Credit : Google