A change in season on the heels of Summer Solstice seems a fitting moment to commemorate noteworthy historic days, whose “seasonal changes” have underlined the importance of human rights. Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, marks the end of slavery in the US and the end of the Civil War, announced on 19 June, 1865. World Refugee Day, observed 20 June, was established by the UN in 2001 in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
The right to continue to be a dignified human in the face of adversity transcends all boundaries in a refugee setting. A displaced person or population rarely has the luxury of finding safety on a shore where native language is shared. In fact, interpretation and translation are key tools necessary on the ground to help refugees move onward to safety and access services to settle well in a new place. For refugees, “home” becomes a fluid term that may better be used to describe peace, safety, and solace, rather than a physical place. The comforts of shelter, food, and meeting basic needs starts with the connection to “home”: being understood, and understanding, in one’s native language.
The top refugee crises currently happening in the world are as follows:
1. The Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Bangladesh is the longest-standing refugee crisis with the largest displaced population in the world. More than a million Rohingya refugees have fled the Rakine State for the peace of Eastern Bangladesh, joining families who are now into their second or third generation living in the camps.
2. Conflict in South Sudan drove nearly 4 million people from their homes in 2013, with over half forced to leave the country and live in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and the DRC.
3. One in 10 refugees are from Afghanistan. Most are hosted by Pakistan and Iran, though nearly 15% have found their way to other countries including the U.S.
4. Ukraine is now the second largest country of origin for the global refugee population, a grim distinction reached in less than a month with over 5 million Ukrainians fleeing their homes to seek safety in Poland, Germany, and many other countries.
5. Over 25% of the total global refugee population originated from Syria. As of 2021, close to 7 million Syrians were seeking refuge in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Turkey.
NGO Languages works with international NGOs who are helping refugees to find “home” in a new place, through simply understanding and being understood. Making a connection in one’s native language is often the first step to creating “home” in a new place. Today, we give special celebration to our NGO partners who work so hard to help refugees make “home” in new places. We stand by our NGO partners who give refugees a “voice”, as we endeavor to help those “voices” be understood in a new place.