One in every 113 people around the world has been forcibly displaced and needs protection, writes Farren Collins.
On Monday the UN Refugee Agency reported that about 65.6-million people have been displaced due to war‚ violence and persecution — an “unprecedented high’’.
The information is contained in the UNHCR’s latest Global Trends report which is a survey of the state of displacement internationally.
This figure includes refugee numbers and people displaced in their own countries.
“By any measure this is an unacceptable number‚ and it speaks louder than ever to the need for solidarity and common purpose in preventing and resolving crises‚ and ensuring together that the world’s refugees‚ internally displaced and asylum seekers are properly protected and cared for while solutions are pursued‚” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
“We have to do better for these people. For a world in conflict‚ what is needed is determination and courage‚ not fear.”
Syria has 12-million displaced people — the highest number in the world.
Last year South Africa came under the spotlight by the UNHCR for rejecting more refugee applications than any other country globally.
The majority of asylum applications came from the rest of Africa and Asia.
Since 2012 the government has closed refugee application centres in Cape Town‚ Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg.
