ACCORDING to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there were at least 89.3 million people around the world at the end of 2021 who had been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution or natural disasters. Among them were nearly 27.1 million refugees, around half of whom were under the age of 18.

While the UNHCR is making considerable efforts to ensure the protection of refugees around the globe, it is not enough to end the ordeal of millions who get either outright rejection when seeking asylum in foreign countries, or face racial discrimination, xenophobia, exploited labour and endless human rights abuses in the host countries.

Their struggles begin the very day they decide to move away from their homes in the form of uncertainties lying ahead. As per UNHCR estimates, more than 50,000 people have died while trying to migrate between any two countries since 2014. The recent tussle between France and Italy over immigrants’ intake reminds the world of the apathy that has grown deep among the masses regarding immigrants amid the global economic downturn.

Every other country among the wealthiest democracies, including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and France, is tightening immigration policies for domestic political gains. But these massive economies should be cognizant of the fact that their foreign military interventions, proxy wars, funded guerrilla and militant groups have created the crisis in the first place. Whether it is northern Africa or the Middle East, foreign-funded infightings made it impossible for their residents to live in their homes peacefully, and compelled them to move abroad for the sake of their own lives.

The misplaced priorities of the US and Europe can be gauged from the fact that despite being the biggest donor to UNHCR, the US has contributed only a total of $1.87 billion in 2021, while it has funnelled $8 billion alone in dumping weapons and ammunition in the ongoing Ukrainian war against Russian aggression.

The same can be stated for the role of the European Union (EU), which, since July 2018, has contributed £37 million from its development budget and £10 million from its humanitarian resources to support Afghan refugees and their host communities, in particular, through the UNHCR’s regional programmes. But its contribution towards Ukraine has been £2.5 billion through the European Peace Facility for arms and equipment, signalling a more muscular EU foreign policy featuring the unprecedented provision of direct military assistance.

This is in addition to the bloc’s recent announcement of providing Ukraine with £18 billion in financial assistance for 2023. Although Russian invasion of Ukraine is condemnable, diplomatic efforts could have averted it altogether if the big players had prioritised international peace and stability over gains of military-industrial complex and political manoeuvrings.

As far as the global refugee crisis is concerned, there is a need for a more radical concerted effort by the UN, the US and Europe. There should be an active debate in the UN General Assembly to reach a consensus on a more empowered UNHCR, with funding coming from all the wealthy nations, for better accommodation and protection of refugees and asylum-seekers.

About 39 per cent of the total refugee population is hosted by only five countries; Pakistan, Turkiye, Germany, Columbia and Uganda. Therefore, more economic incentives should be available to these countries to ensure the wellbeing of the refugees.

An empowered department for monitoring and evaluation of the entire asylum process should be established within the UNHCR for ensuring transparency and eliminating discrimination. The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocols must be upheld by the wealthier countries, and all international organisations must ensure their members’ compliance with the international customary law regarding protection of refugees.

Those who are going through the painful saga of a forced life away from home, categorised as internally displaced persons (IDPs), externally displaced persons (EDPs), asylum-seekers and refugees, deserve to be treated like humans with dignity.

Saman Aftab
Lahore

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2022