Refugees, Refuge, and Human Displacement

Forced displacement, statelessness, and the omnipresence of asylum seekers and refugees—innocent people uprooted from their homes by war, climate change, natural catastrophes, economic collapse, terrorism—have been one the most challenging problems for the international community for several decades. Only in 2019, almost 1,900 environmental catastrophes caused almost 25 new internal displacements in 140 countries and territories, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. This number is three times larger than the displacements as a result of conflicts or violence. As a result, the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), the lead international United Nations agency coordinating refugee protection, continues to struggle to deal with so many simultaneous dire situations worldwide. But rather than organizations such as UNHCR, governments have the power to make a difference with their empathy and generosity.  The COVID-19 pandemic, which has worsened the situation for refu