What is a refugee?
A refugee is a person fleeing war, violence, or other conflict or peril into another country because they are unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin for fear of persecution or danger.
The 1951 Refugee Convention defines a refugee as “any person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country”.
As of 2021 there are 25.9 million registered refugees across the world, with 50% of them being children. Children often bear the brunt of a refugee crisis, and by 2030, 80% of the world's poorest people will be living in places that are very dangerous for children. Refugee crises deprive children of their homes and security and deprive parents of the means to support their children. Sadly, this leaves families in extreme poverty and leaves many child refugees vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and child marriage.
That's when they most need help. We serve alongside the most vulnerable refugees as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all, helping and serving every child we can.
LEARN MORE: The life of a child refugee
Because of long-standing conflicts in countries like Syria, many children may spend half their lives as refugees. Escaping the hardships from their home country is only the beginning of a dangerous journey that many refugees face. Many refugees end up living in camps where access to shelter, clean water and toilets is not always guaranteed. Thanks to our supporters, World Vision provides a safe environment for children in refugee camps in areas such as Bangladesh and South Sudan.