World Refugee Day (20 June) is an opportunity to reflect on the plight of the more than 42.5 million men, women and children who are displaced by conflict and political unrest worldwide.
This year the global theme is 'dilemmas', which emphasises the tough choices facing refugees living in conflict situations, often with young families. People displaced from their homes and communities are rendered vulnerable not only by the conflict or natural disaster they are fleeing, but the reality that displacement itself threatens lives and safety.
Australia supports programs that promote sustainable solutions to refugee crises.
Vocational skills for refugees on Thai Burma Border
AusAID is helping to provide vocational skills training for people in refugee camps in Thailand so that they can gain the skills needed to get a good job.
AusAID's support has helped to:
- provide vocational training for around 1,400 refugees–with around 260 people receiving trade certificates that are recognised in Thailand
- empower women through training–in 2011, 63 per cent of trainees and 55 per cent of trainers were women.
Health care for refugees in Palestine
More than 1.4 million Palestinians live in recognised refugee camps in the Middle East, including those fleeing ongoing violence in Syria.
Australia's funding is providing emergency medical and shelter assistance and other relief items to refugees and displaced persons as well as assisting them to resume productive lives.
Since 2007, Australian aid has:
- helped more than 470,000 Palestinian refugees attend school in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, including more than 200,000 girls
- supported 4,200 health workers to provide basic and emergency care to Palestinian refugees.
Emergency care in the Horn of Africa
In the Horn of Africa, AusAID's support has helped the UNHCR to provide more than 417,000 refugees with emergency assistance packages filled with relief items such as high-energy biscuits, oral re-hydration salts and water purification tablets.
AusAID has provided $15 million to this program this financial year (2011–12).
More information
Have your say on World Refugee Day on the AusAID Engage blog.