Every day, all over the world, people are forced to do the unthinkable: leave their homes, family and friends in search of a safer, better life.
Yet because of persecution, war, violence, conflict, and the threats of human rights violations, some feel like they have no other choice but to make that very heart-wrenching decision.
In fact, more than 120 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide today, and more than 40 million are refugees, meaning they have already been determined to need international protection. They want the same safety that any of us would want if we were in their shoes. Yet they are often demonized, criminalized, and in some circumstances, returned back to danger.
On World Refugee Day, we honor the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution—and redouble our efforts to protect their rights.
The crisis in Sudan right now is the largest displacement crisis in the world. Two out of every three people in Sudan are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Intense fighting has led to economic collapse and increased hunger conditions. Civilians are being killed in their sleep. Women and girls are being targeted for gender-based violence.
The situation in Syria is also dire: millions of civilians are internally displaced, and 70% of the country’s population is without humanitarian aid. Millions of children are out of school, and families are struggling to survive without essential services. We’re uncovering abuses against children and documenting the scale of the crisis to bring urgently needed relief.
In Ukraine, families continue to be torn apart as they flee from Russia’s full-scale invasion. Children especially have been targeted: the Russian government has forcibly taken more than 19,000 children from Ukraine into Russia—physically abusing them, denying communication with family, and illegally placing them for adoption. These actions may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
After months of a total siege on Gaza, Israel has intensified its devastating military offensive, forcibly displacing the remaining Palestinian population. These are people who have already lost their homes and fled for their lives time after time. This cruelty comes as extreme hunger is widespread, and parents are experiencing an unimaginable heartbreak that no one should ever have to live with: the inability to feed their children. World leaders are turning their backs or even contributing to the horrors. President Trump is supplying the Israeli government with more deadly weapons and has proposed “taking over” Gaza by forcibly deporting Palestinians from their homes.
At the U.S.-Mexico border and across the U.S., asylum-seekers are being denied their right to seek safety. President Trump has deported thousands of people back to danger and trapped many at the border by cutting off all access to asylum. To make things even worse, President Trump has shuttered the United States’ refugee program and slashed foreign aid funds. Now, he’s arresting asylum seekers at courthouses so they can be deported without getting a chance to fight for their asylum case before a judge. Amnesty remains one of the leading human rights monitors still shining a light on the crisis for refugees around the world. We’re lifting up the voices of refugees and asylum seekers and putting pressure on world leaders to secure justice and accountability.
On this World Refugee Day, we need your support to help advocate for the needs of refugees and people seeking safety—and protect their human rights.