This story is from June 20, 2018

Lesser known facts about Refugees and World Refugee Day

In a time of failing economies, terrorism and civil disturbances, many countries are facing refugee crisis. According to UN, "A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence".
Lesser known facts about Refugees and World Refugee Day
Refugees from Afghanistan, who fled their villages due to war and famine, fetch water near their mud houses, in a suburb of Islamabad, Pakistan on June 19, 2018. (AP Photo)
Key Highlights
In a time of failing economies, terrorism and civil disturbances, many countries are facing refugee crisis. According to UN, "A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence". On the occasion of World Refugee Day, here are some facts you should know:
* United Nations General Assembly declared June 20 to be celebrated as World Refugee Day on Dec 4, 2000.
* World Refugee Day honors the strength and courage of refugees and encourages public awareness regarding refugees who have fled their homeland due to a conflict or natural disaster.
* The theme for World Refugee Day 2018 is "Now more than ever, we need to stand #WithRefugees".
* The event is marked in over 100 countries, with the United Nations Refugee Agency, government officials, celebrities, non-profit organizations taking part in organizing events to mark the day.

* There are around 65 million people around the world who have been forcibly displaced -- that is around one in every 100 people around the planet.
* In 2017, violence described as ethnic cleansing in Myanmar, drove 6,93,000 Rohingya refugees across the border into Bangladesh.
* The civil war in Syria has led to one of the worst humanitarian crisis of our lifetime.
* The world's largest refugee camp is situated in Dadaab, Kenya, which is home to more than 3,29,000 people.

* The first ever refugee team competed at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. The team comprised of athletes from countries such as Ethopia, South Sudan, Syria and The Democratic Republic of Congo.
* Nearly half of the world's 22 million refugees are under the age of 18. This is the highest number of child refugees since World War II.
* Altogether, more than half of all refugees worldwide came from three countries- Syrian Arab Republic, Afghanistan, South Sudan.
* Developing countries house 84 per cent of the world refugees.
* In 2016, Turkey hosted the largest number of refugees for three years in a row -- a total number of 2.9 million people. It was followed by Pakistan, Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Uganda and Ethiopia.
* The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has started the #WithRefugees petition to send a message of action, solidarity, and responsibility on behalf of refugees to governments worldwide.
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