UN Urges Action, Solidarity on World Refugee Day

Chad hosts refugees from conflicts in neighbouring Sudan, the Central African Republic and Cameroon.

The UN refugee agency has called on the international community to strengthen support for nearly 42 million people worldwide who have been forced to flee their countries due to conflict, violence, and persecution.

Ahead of World Refugee Day, observed annually on 20 June, UN officials urged renewed global solidarity and stronger action to protect refugees and support host communities.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said growing global divisions and prolonged conflicts are forcing millions of people to seek safety far from home.

He stressed that the current global situation demands urgent action and renewed commitment to refugee protection.

“As divisions deepen across our world, new and protracted conflicts are compelling millions of women, children and men to seek safety far from home,” Guterres said in his message marking World Refugee Day.

He emphasised that stronger solidarity is essential to ensure refugees receive protection, safety, and opportunities to rebuild their lives.

The UN refugee agency also highlighted the important contributions refugees make in host communities as workers, students, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and community leaders.

Officials stressed that when given opportunities, refugees not only rebuild their lives but also help strengthen the societies around them.

The agency warned, however, that millions of refugees remain trapped in prolonged displacement, with many relying heavily on shrinking humanitarian assistance for survival.

Humanitarian support remains vital during emergencies, but refugee displacement often extends far beyond temporary crises, leaving many people displaced for years or even decades.

UNHCR has set an ambitious target to cut by half within the next decade the number of refugees living in prolonged displacement and dependent on humanitarian aid.

The effort will focus particularly on low- and middle-income countries, which continue to host the majority of the world’s refugees.

Officials said achieving this goal would significantly improve the lives of millions and help shift global efforts from simply managing displacement to resolving it.

This year’s World Refugee Day also marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

The landmark treaty, adopted in the aftermath of the Second World War, established the right of people fleeing war, conflict, or persecution to seek safety and international protection.

UN officials stressed that the promise of protection enshrined in the convention remains as important today as ever.

The agency’s World Refugee Day campaign, themed “Until Everyone is Safe,” aims to challenge stereotypes about refugees and promote greater public understanding of their rights and experiences.

The campaign also seeks to strengthen global support for asylum and reinforce efforts to reduce long-term displacement.

UNHCR’s broader “50 by 35” vision seeks to expand refugees’ access to employment, education, healthcare, and social protection systems to help foster self-reliance and reduce dependence on aid.

The UN called on governments, civil society, and communities worldwide to stand with refugees and uphold the right of every person to seek safety and protection.