World Refugee Day is an international day to honor refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to demonstrate empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.
Despite the pandemic, the number of people fleeing wars, violence, persecution and human rights violations in 2020 rose to nearly 82.4 million people. Twice as many forcibly displaced people than in 2011 when the total was just under 40 million. Basically, today, one per cent of humanity is displaced and children account for 42 per cent of all forcibly displaced people. This is worrying fact especially when crises last for years and many of them cannot return home.
It is also important to understand that a vast majority of world’s refugees – nearly nine in 10 refugees, are hosted by countries neighboring these crises such as Turkey, Colombia, Pakistan and Uganda and Germany, the latter being the only European country among the top-five hosting countries with 1.2 million refugees.
Of particular concern is the fact that the number of persons being able to return to their home continue to drop. In 2020, some 3.2 million internally displaced people and 251,000 refugees returned to their homes – a 40 and 21 per cent drop, respectively, compared to 2019.
People forced to flee often struggle to access basic services: find doctors to care for them when they are sick, find schools for their children, or even find an appropriate place for their children to run around and play.
It is also evident that COVID-19 has put a strain on health care and education systems in host communities. Everyone, including refugees, have all to do our part to keep each other safe as the pandemic does not discriminate.
During the previous year, we have seen in many instances ,including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that, despite challenges, governments, institutions, organisations have stepped up and that, when given the chance, refugees and displaced people can contribute to a stronger, safer, and more vibrant world.
For example, People who are seeking asylum in BiH have made soap, sewn masks, prepared food for those in need, and helped teach their communities about the virus and how to prevent it.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNHCR contracted several refugees and asylum-seekers to act as peer-to-peer communicators to work in centers and explain in their own languages how best to mitigate the additional challenges related to the pandemic.
Most refugees live in low- and middle-income countries, where access to coronavirus vaccines is currently limited. While at the global level UNHCR is calling for the international community to increase its support to these countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, we call on the authorities to include the people who have left their country in the immunisation plans. Nobody will be fully protection unless everyone is part of the immunization program.
Refugees also have hope for their future. UNHCR, works together with the authorities and partners to provide displaced children access to quality education so they can pursue their dreams and contribute to the society wherever they are.
COVID-19 interrupted education for children around the world and made remote classrooms necessary. However, many refugees couldn’t afford to pay for internet or a phone for their children to study remotely. Globally, 48% of refugee children are out of school due to the pandemic.
UNHCR in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to advocate for access to education in the national system UNHCR works together with partners to provide support to access online education. Only last year, in cooperation with our partner BHWI, UNHCR supported over 30 refugee children with ICT equipment and provided non-formal education to dozens more in reception centers.
On a similar note, together with the BiH Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees and other civil society partners, we are looking into legislative and direct measures to ensure refugees have access to vocational training and higher education so that they can learn skills and give back to their communities.
I must commend the authorities in Una-Sana Canton where, with the support of the civil society and UN agencies, including UNHCR, primary school age children have the same level of access to education as their peers from the local communities. As prescribed by the law in this country, UNHCR would very much like to see its application everywhere in the country.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with BHWI, UNHCR assists the authorities in providing the healing space for asylum-seekers and refugees through a variety of services. We provide psycho-social assistance, we support group art and skills therapies, and recreational and sports activities.
Among others, sport is a great way to recuperate after going through difficult times. It is an excellent coping mechanism and has proven benefits on the mental health. 80 entities, worldwide, have pledged to provide sporting opportunities to young refugees including National Olympic Committees, international sporting federations like UEFA, national associations, clubs, civil society, etc.
There most definitely are. And it is essential that the authorities identify them early on and provide unhindered access to the asylum system to those who wish to seek international protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
We are aware that this requires strengthening of capacities of asylum authorities, including the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs and the Ministry of Security, Sector for Asylum, UNHCR is committed to assist in building those capacities with the valuable support of the European Union, the USA, and other donors.
I would like to emphasise how important it is that the asylum procedures be efficient and effective for the well-being of people in need of international protection but also for the sake of the overall management of the refugee and migrant situation. It is extremely important that asylum claims are registered soon after the arrival in the country and processed in a timely manner, especially for very vulnerable groups. The sooner people know what their legal status is the sooner we can jointly look how to support them to a safe and durable solution, thus avoiding months, sometimes years of uncertainty and potential exposure to protection challenges and onward movement risks.
For several hundred people who are awaiting resolution of their asylum claim currently in BiH, UNHCR supports the authorities to ensure their inclusion, receive access to their rights, free legal aid, psychosocial aid for those who need it. During the wait, together with partners, we advocate for the access to education and health but also to cater for their wellbeing through recreational and sport activities.
Finding a new home in safety and become productive members of host communities is high on the list of priorities of people who have been granted asylum in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For many years now, UNHCR has been partnering with the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees and international organisations, national and international civil society to support a better integration for these people.
Currently, there are some 100 people in the country holding refugee or subsidiary protection status, many of which have integrated well in the BiH society, some since the end of nineties. In December 2019, during the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Bosnia and Herzegovina pledged to enhance its integration as a solution for refugees, and much has been done since – for example, during the past year, housing solutions for a final group of refugees seeking solutions from the nineties was found and many naturalized. However, I do want to emphasize that a lot more joint work is needed.
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