Child Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants and Immigrants: Who Are They?
Learn about the differences between child refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and immigrants. Get the facts and join Save the Children to help children and families on the move.
Ten-year-old Amir* lives with his grandmother in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Amir was separated from his mother when violence erupted in Myanmar and he ran for safety.
A refugee is a person who is seeking a safe haven after being forced to flee violence, persecution or war.
Refugees are defined and protected in international law. And seeking asylum is not a crime. While every refugee is initially an asylum seeker, not every asylum seeker will ultimately be recognized as a refugee.
Many refugees around the world live in vulnerable conditions, including refugee camps, informal settlements and on the streets. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread globablly, many refugees will not be in a position to social distance themselves or maintain basic hygiene, including simply washing their hands.
As the world is now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record, here are some things to know about refugees.
Refugee children are among the most vulnerable in the world. Every day, they risk loss of some kind, including the loss of the future that every child deserves.
Four week-old Ismil* was born in a makeshift settlement in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. His mother and grandmother fled for their lives when their village in Myanmar was burned.
People become refugees for a number of different reasons, including:
For well over a decade, the number of people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution has steadily increased. In 2012, these numbers spiked, resulting in what is now recognized as a global refugee crisis.
Several major crises around the world have contributed to the rising number of refugees, including:
Living conditions in refugee camps, like the one four-year old Karim* lives in, often provide little protection from harsh winter weather causing some children to freeze.
James*, age 12, fled his home in South Sudan and lives in Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda.
Rohingya refugee Mohammed* stands in front of a Save the Children nutrition center after receiving his dose of Vitamin A.
For children who were struggling before this crisis, things have only gotten worse, often much more so. With the impact that COVID-19 has had on the economy, refugee families will be pushed even further into poverty, and child labor will increase amongst these communities.
As, the global leader in child-focused humanitarian response, Save the Children helps more children in crisis recover and return to learning than any other global humanitarian organization.
Munguiko*, 14, takes part in activities at a Save the Children space in Rwamwanja refugee settlement in Uganda.
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that we are living in an extremely interconnected world and must focus on the fate of everyone around the world, especially our children.
Girls and refugee children stand to suffer the most from the harmful impacts of COVID-19. Rohingya refugee children in Cox’s Bazaar and children living in war-torn Syria already had difficulty accessing health services and continuing their studies prior to COVID-19.
Now, this unprecedented disruption to children's education and rising poverty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could force at least 9.7 million children out of school forever, with girls, refugees, and internally displaced children most affected.
With 26 million men, women, and children now forced to flee their home countries due to conflict and persecution, it's more important than ever to take action to help improve the lives of refugees.
The United States has long been a leader in resettling refugees. We demonstrate our best as a nation, uphold our values, and lead by example when we welcome refugees.
* Name changed for protection.
Save the Children works in the hardest-to-reach places, where it’s toughest to be a child, so that refugee children can grow up healthy, educated and safe. Your support makes this lifesaving work possible.
Please donate to the Children's Refugee Crisis Fund to help refugee children have the future every child deserves.
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