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Refugee Camps: Temporary Solutions to Long-Term Problems

Refugee camps

Refugee camps are supposed to be temporary living settlements for displaced people fleeing violence and persecution from their home countries. While the accommodations within refugee camps are built on short-term solutions, the idea of “temporary” for refugees grows obsolete as their living situations become more permanent.

A refugee spends an average of 12 years living in a camp according to the New York Times. These camps face their own significant problems. In the last 10 years, the number of displaced people in the world tripled. Over 60 million people are now displaced, said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Refugee camps are constantly subjected to insufficient funding and support from the international community, overcrowding, scarcity of food, shortage of clean water and poor sanitation.

Without adequate food, refugees are susceptible to chronic malnutrition, which increases their risk of disease or illness. While the UNHCR recommends a daily minimum of 20 liters per person per day, many refugee camps fail to meet these standards. A lack of clean water and poor sanitation systems result in more diseases, such as diarrhea and cholera.

Proactive health measures, however, are being taken. To combat malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies, some refugee camps have implemented community gardens. At the Meheba refugee camp in Zambia, for example, refugees can grow their own food and add fruits and vegetables to their diets. Calls for improvements in both the latrine and sufficient waste disposal systems have also been made, as these will not only improve sanitation but also prevent disease.

The Kilis Refugee Camp in Turkey resembles more of a permanent shelter. There are no tents, but sturdy containers instead. The camp has amenities that many others lack; electricity, maintenance, a clinic and grocery stores. Within the grounds, there are also schools and counselors.

However nice the camp is, the prolonged stay of many of the refugees makes it more difficult to maintain psychological well-being. The placement of refugee camps away from society and the increasing length of stay by their residents make it hard for the people to remain engaged. Without employment and integration, refugees cannot practice their skill sets or feel connected to the local community.

UNHCR Engineer and Physical Planning & Shelter Officer Anicet Adjahossou found that one solution to strengthen community building within refugee camps was to work with anthropologists and refugees to redesign the standard refugee camp grid format into a new housing layout.

In 2012, Adjahoosu worked with UNHCR at the Dollo Ado refugee camp in Ethiopia to organize the homes into sets of U-shaped enclosures. The innovative arrangement prompts more family interaction and allows for larger communal areas. Also included were locations for schools, water distribution points, markets and health centers.

In addition to improving the living conditions in refugee camps, more aid must be given to prevent and end conflicts, so that we do not continue to see an increase in people forced to flee their homes in search of safety. Luckily, it appears that advocates like Anicet Adjehossou are taking the lead.

– Erica Rawles

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Iraq Refugees

Iraq refugees

Former bustling cities like Ramadi, Iraq are now left in shambles and deserted due to the atrocities of war. Recently, the city of Fallujah has been liberated from ISIS control. However, 85,000 residents have been uprooted. Even within their country’s borders, many Iraqi refugees are under refugee status because of the enormous problem of internal displacement. Here are 10 facts about Iraq refugees:

  1. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported Syria as the country with highest Iraqi migration with 253,607 Iraqi immigrants. Closely followed by Germany with 115,041 migrants from Iraq.
  2. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has received 21 percent of the funding requested for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and Iraqi Refugees. The overall appeal requested by the UNHCR is $584 million, yet they’ve only received $127.7 million despite the recent release of Fallujah.
  3. Within three months about 20,000 people from Mosul and surrounding districts have been displaced largely because Mosul and the surrounding areas have been ISIS strongholds since June 2014.
  4. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported allegations of summary executions, beatings of unarmed men, enforced disappearances and mutilation of corpses by Iraqi government forces and Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) over the two weeks of fighting since May 23. On June 4, 2016, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi launched an investigation and announced “unspecified arrests” of the culprits and proceeded to transfer them to the judiciary system for further punishment. No information is available on the investigation since the announcement was made.
  5. Since January 2014, 3.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been reported in Iraq, 85,000 IDPs from Fallujah and surrounding areas since May 2016, and 24,000 IDPs from Mosul and surrounding areas since March 2016.
  6. More than 600,000 displaced children have missed an entire school year. UNICEF intends to spend 11.9 percent or $12 million of the 2016 Requirements for Iraq on child protection.
  7. One of the most disheartening facts about Iraq refugees is that one in five children – 3.6 million – in Iraq are now at serious risk of death, injury, sexual violence, abduction and forced recruitment into armed groups, according to the latest report from UNICEF. This number has increased by 1.3 million in just 18 months.
  8. Minority groups in Iraq have been exposed to some of the worst treatment during the war. Rudaw reports “Christian, Yezidi, Kaka’i, Turkmen, and Shabak minority groups in Iraq have been subjected to [genocide],” rape and torture amongst a plethora of other cruel treatments. Most have suffered the struggles of displacement and looting, according to the report conducted by Minority Rights Group. All minority groups have fallen greatly in numbers of population in Iraq because of the extreme violence against them as a community.
  9. More than 86,000 Iraqis arrived on the shores of Greece in 2015 alone. Even though they’ve escaped the clutches of the Islamic State, living conditions in Greece have been difficult plagued with famine, illness, and harsh weather conditions.
  10. The UNHCR estimates that more that 85,000 people have evacuated Fallujah since military operations began in May. Many citizens that have fled Fallujah recently are camped out in the dessert that is reaching temperatures of 115 F. With access to drinking water scarce and low immunization rates the risk of disease is becoming more prevalent.

Though the 10 facts about Iraq refugees are disheartening, triumphant work has been accomplished thus far. UNICEF has reported two million people newly displaced by conflict received Rapid Response Mechanism kits within 72 hours of the trigger for response and 131,200 children received structured, sustained resilience or psychosocial support programs.

In recent news, Mosul is the next city to be perused by the Iraqi government to release the residents of Mosul from ISIS rule. If the mission is successfully completed, it would be a severe moral and strategic loss for ISIS and a triumph for Iraq refugees wanting to return home.

– Mariana Camacho López

Photo: Pixabay

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How Statelessness Affects Global Poverty

Statelessness

Statelessness is as much of an economic burden as it is a social and political one. According to a recent Foreign Policy article, statelessness results in “chronic economic instability” because it is often accompanied by joblessness and poverty.

According to the U.S. Department of State, a stateless person is someone who does not “enjoy” the rights of  “citizenship – the legal bond between a government and an individual – in any country.” In other words, these individuals do not have the same rights and opportunities as people who are recognized as citizens by the nations in which they live.

Although the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees counted 3.5 million stateless people in 2011, they estimated that the number could be as high as 12 million people. Foreign Policy reports that as many as 15 million people might be stateless today.

The Department of State notes that the causes of statelessness are diverse. They include failure to register newborns properly, birth to stateless parents, discrimination against minorities and traditional attitudes towards registration, to name a few.

Not only are stateless people denied government-issued identification, preventing them from acquiring formal labor jobs, but they are also subjects of social discrimination. These realities exclude them from even more employment opportunities, leads to fewer chances of regular employment and leaves stateless persons even more destitute.

Foreign Policy also reports that very little research exists about the effects of statelessness on economies. Some existing studies suggest that stateless persons have a negative economic impact on smaller nations in which they may make up a more significant percentage of the population. In this case, granting citizenship to stateless persons might actually improve these nations’ gross domestic product output.

Although stateless individuals can obtain cards which signify their status, only a few thousand people have been able to take advantage of this opportunity. One of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations aims to provide everyone with legal identity by 2030, which will give people access to formal job markets and increase economic opportunities for individuals and nations.

The U.S. State Department suggests that universal birth registration and increasing access to naturalization and citizenship will help solve statelessness. As Foreign Policy points out, nations must want to increase inclusiveness with stateless persons and cease the use of political reasoning for ostracizing them before changes can occur.

Policies and prejudices might take many years to change, but the economic, social and humanitarian advantages of granting citizenship to stateless people are worth the fight.

– Addie Pazzynski

Photo: UNHCR

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Ten Facts on Refugees from Afghanistan

Refugees from AfghanistanRefugees from Afghanistan have been fleeing to nearby countries since the Soviet War in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Many of these refugees have been unable to return to Afghanistan because of their vulnerability to the security issues that plague the area.

While many refugees from Afghanistan reside in Pakistan or Iran, the prospects for local integration are unfortunately low, as they have little to no access to legal status services. This is just one of many obstacles that refugees face, so here are 10 facts that illuminate the struggles of refugees from Afghanistan:

    1. Afghanistan, Somalia, and Syria contribute more than half of all refugees in the world.
    2. Aside from refugees displaced outside of Afghanistan, there are approximately one million people who are internally displaced as well.
    3. Iran and Pakistan are home to the largest Afghan refugee population, according to the UNHCR’s mandate. Iran hosts nearly 900,000 refugees, while Pakistan hosts over 1.5 million.
    4. The majority of these refugees from Afghanistan live on the average wage of less than $2 per day, which can buy little more than ten pieces of bread.
    5. The UNHCR distributes food to many refugees outside of Kabul, while the World Food Programme sends electronic food vouchers to approximately 4,500 displaced families inside Kabul.

  1. There are over 3.5 million people living in camps just outside of Kabul, which consist of little more than mud huts and run-down tents.
  2. Many NGOs have built schools and clinics in these camps to assist the refugees when their government does not.
  3. Between 2002 and 2012, UNHCR created the largest voluntary repatriation program that helped 3.8 million refugees from Afghanistan return back to their home out of Pakistan.
  4. Since 2002, over 5.7 million refugees have been able to return to Afghanistan.
  5. When some refugees cannot return, the Refugee Contact Croup on Iran has worked with the Iranian government to help refugees become resettled in their new homes.

There are many misconceptions surrounding refugees from Afghanistan. Refugees encounter many struggles while fleeing from insecure areas. However, the assistance of NGOs and local communities can ease their worries and help them to acclimate to their new lives or return to their home countries.

– Amanda Panella

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Forced Migration

Forced_Migration

The subject of forced migration, especially related to refugees, is a major topic in current news and politics across the world. Columbia University defines forced migration as “the movements of refugees and internally displaced people (those displaced by conflicts within their country of origin) as well as people displaced by natural or environmental disasters, chemical or nuclear disasters, famine, or development projects.” Below are 10 facts about forced migration:

  1. Columbia University states that the three most common causes of displacement are conflict, development and disaster.
  2. Refugees are defined as individuals forced out of their home country due to persecution or armed conflict. Refugees are those recognized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
  3. The most recent UNHCR report, published in 2014, stated there are 19.5 million refugees worldwide. The majority of refugees in 2014 were children. The U.N. reports 51 percent of refugees to be under the age of 18.
  4. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are individuals who are forcibly
    migrated within their own countries. The UNHCR reports there are over 38 million people classified as IDPs.
  5. The 2014 Global Trends Report estimated 42,500 people being displaced daily within and outside of their home countries.
  6. Asylum-seeking individuals are those who have migrated across borders for protection but are not yet recognized as refugees. The U.N. reported 1.66 million people as asylum-seekers in 2014. 159,000 new asylum-seekers were reported halfway through 2015.
  7. The UNHCR Global Trends Report for 2015 is expected to show record breaking numbers related to forced migration. Mid-2015 data estimated the number of refugees to be 20.2 million. For the full year, the total number of individuals who have experienced forced displacement is expected to exceed 60 million for the first time in history.
  8. As of 2014, 86 percent of refugees are hosted by developing countries. Turkey hosted the largest amount of refugees (1.6 million) worldwide during this year.
  9. Syria became the largest source of refugees since 2014 due to the current conflict between the government and rebel forces.
  10. The UNHCR states that the ability for refugees to return safely to their homes has decreased to an estimate of 84,000 as of mid-2015. The report states, “if you become a refugee today your chances of going home are lower than at any time in more than 30 years.”

Forced migration has been a major issue for quite some time now. Although countries around the world have stepped in to help refugees and other displaced individuals, these facts further prove that it will take much more to reduce these numbers.

— Saroja Koneru

Photo: U.N. Multimedia

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Humanitarian Innovation: Creating Jobs for the Impoverished

Humanitarian_Innovation
Over the past few years, the UNHCR has experimented with the use of green energy technology in developing countries as a way to create sustainable light, heating and jobs for the poor.

In 2013, the organization funded a solar-light and fuel-efficient stoves project called Light Years Ahead for Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad.

Sudanese refugees and Chadian locals were taught how to construct fuel-efficient stoves and then employed to make them for the community. The stoves do not use firewood, preventing deforestation.

The project successfully used green technology to create a functioning economy for impoverished refugees and locals.

This method of humanitarian aid utilizes skills from locals and refugees to create a functioning local economy.

Last year the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs published a paper titled “Humanitarian Innovation” emphasizing the importance of capitalizing on the innovation of impoverished people.

The paper identifies previous approaches to humanitarian aid stressing that historically the UN and other aid organizations use a “top-down” structure.

This structure tends to work in the short-term by depending solely on aid from external actors rather than empowering those in need.

Instead, humanitarian innovation uses a “bottom-up” approach by “recognizing and understanding innovation capacity within communities”, and “putting these communities and local systems at the heart of the innovation process, regardless of where ideas or resources originate.”

This “bottom-up” method has been proven successful, mainly by its high investment value. In 2014, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) announced a $41 million dollar investment in developing countries’ renewable energy projects.

The investments are meant to stimulate local economies by creating markets. The 2015 and 2016 loan qualification criteria for projects in countries is its ability to assist communities by creating jobs, generating income, helping public education and health, improving energy access, innovation, replicability and aligning with government priorities.

Sierra Leone, Samoa, Mali, the Republic of Ecuador, and the Maldives are some of the countries receiving loan investments.

More and more foreign investors are looking at funding renewable energy projects as a financially wise decision. Portfolio diversification allows investors to spread the risk of a project investment failing among less risking investments.

In other words, if a few projects succeed, a few failed projects can still be financially supported. This approach allows investors to safely invest in green energy projects in developing countries without severe risk.

Agricultural project investments, especially, show the potential to revert climate change, supply food for poor communities, and create jobs for locals, creates food security by using farming systems that are more resilient to climate change.

In addition, these investments reduce emissions and increase “agriculture’s potential to capture and sequester atmospheric carbon” which is harmful to the earth’s atmosphere. This agricultural system depends on daily maintenance from locals. Some locals are trained how to farm by green technology programs.

In 2012, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) which is part of the UN, and the European Commission invested €5.3 in Malawi, Vietnam and Zambia agricultural sectors to help with the transition into climate-smart agriculture.

Leslie Lipper, Senior Environmental Economist at FAO, says that, “Climate change offers the possibility for large-scale financing that’s directly linked to the agricultural sector to recognize the possibility for this environmental benefit, as well as the traditional agricultural products and markets.”

– Michael Hopek

Sources: UNHCR, RSC 1, IRENA 1, IRENA 2, FAO, RSC 2, UN
Photo: bloglet

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Google Will Match Donations to Aid Migrants

Match_Donations
Eastern Europe has become overwhelmed with migrants, waiting to board trains to Germany and other European countries.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been working with the EU diligently to create protocols and ease overstretched countries like Greece and Italy by spreading out new arrivals.

Most refugees are headed to Germany, where the country has made it clear they are accepting refugees giving them opportunities to build their lives. Other countries, such as Hungary, have completely shut their doors to fleeing refugees and have threatened to jail illegal refugees caught trying to cross into the nation.

Google, one of the most influential companies in the world has created a campaign to match donations for refugees in crisis. The campaign is called “onetoday”. Google hopes the campaign will inspire greater giving amongst humanity.Google has offered to match donations up to $5.5 million in user donations with tax deductions for U.S. citizens.

The funds will be split evenly between four organizations that Google feels have strong track records of successfully providing aid and have been on the front line since day one. These organizations include Doctors Without Borders (DWB), International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Refugees and fleeing migrants are in desperate need of medicine, clothing and food. The four organizations are working in unison to address the different needs. DWB is providing refugees with everything from psychological care and is committed to set up hospitals in refugee camps as well as helping women give birth safely.

In addition, International Rescue Committee is providing relief to refugees reaching the shores of Greece as well as Afghanistan and Syria. They also help resettle thousands of refugees every year in the United States.

Save the Children is another organization that has been working on providing shelter kits and sustainable foods. UNHCR has been working particularly with the Syrian refugees to provide life-saving assistance such as protection, shelter food, and receptions centers where refugees can be registered.

The response and outpouring has been overwhelming but more support, aid and love is needed in a hurry to deal with the migrant crisis.

– Adnan Khalid

Sources: The Guardian 1, The Guardian 2, The Guardian 3, End Gadget, Google
Photo: arageek

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How UNHCR’s Strategy Affects Education for Refugees

How UNHCR's Strategy Affects Education for Refugees

At the end of 2014, there were 19.5 million refugees around the world and 14.4 million of them were under the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Fifty-one percent of all refugees last year were under the age of 18, which is the highest in more than a decade.

With an increase in child refugees it has been tough on UNHCR and countries to come up with a sufficient way to ensure refugees are still getting an education.

There is a harsh reality some of these children face, which is their future is drifting away without a chance at receiving a quality education. More than ever education for refugees has emerged as an urgent issue to resolve.

In 2014, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that only one percent of all humanitarian donor aid went to education. On average, the UN raises 40 percent of its target share during educational campaigns compared to 80 percent for food aid.

Education for refugees teaches self-reliance and plays an important role in psychosocial protection for children. Education informs refugees about hygiene, health and safety.

In 2012, UNHCR began developing an education strategy that will ensure 3 million refugee children have access to primary education and provide teacher training by 2016. To achieve these goals and more, UNHCR has developed partnerships with Ministries of Education and collected and managed data to monitor education programs for quality and efficiency.

However, UNHCR is not funded well enough to deal with the influx of refugees and the developed world has not taken enough action to help the refugee crisis. A decade ago 70 percent of the world’s refugees were hosted by developing countries and today, that number is 86 percent.

Refugees deal with enforced idleness because there are no jobs or activities and the idleness adds to the despair. They risk their lives and flee their home countries through rough environments and find safety but are stuck in camp with not much to do.

Education for refugees can fill the void and reduce feelings of despair by promoting mental and physical well-being. Without an increase of support from developing countries it is likely that the education programs will remain underfunded and not as efficient as food aid programs.

– Donald Gering

Sources: The Guardian, Interaction, UNHCR 1, UNHCR 2

Photo: Flickr

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UN Warns Greek Islands Becoming Overwhelmed by Refugees Despite New EU Assistance Measures

Greek IslandsThe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated in a recent warning that nearly 1,000 refugees are arriving on Greek islands each day after crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

The organization has raised concerns that the growing number of migrants due to persistent conflicts in Africa and the Middle East are placing an unprecedented strain on Greece and other European nations.

William Spindler, spokesperson for the Office of the UNHCR, stated in a press briefing last week that “Greece’s volatile economic situation, combined with the increasing numbers of new arrivals, is putting severe strain on small island communities, which lack the basic infrastructure and services to adequately respond to the growing humanitarian needs.”

Officials estimate that at least 75,000 people have arrived on the shores of Greece since the beginning of 2015, with nearly 60 percent of these migrants arriving from Syria. Many other migrants have traveled from other regions afflicted with conflict including Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Nigeria and Somalia.

Thanassis Andreotis, president of a small coastal village in Lesvos, states in an interview about the surge in refugees, “Our Island can’t handle that many people coming over. There’s no way to take care of them.” Andreotis noted that due to a lack of governmental assistance, many members of his community have resorted to personally financing the construction of shelters for the migrants.

The UNHCR has stated that level of migrants arriving daily has reached such heights that border authorities and local communities are not capable of handling the “staggering” number of refugees. The majority of the migrants who have arrived in Greece plan to continue traveling north to other Western and Northern European countries via the Balkans region.

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia has reported an unprecedented surge in refugees, with at least 45,000 people seeking asylum within the region during the first half of 2015.

Spindler also emphasized while in Geneva that, “an urgent response from Europe is needed before the situation deteriorates further. Tightening borders is not the solution, including the plans of the Hungarian government to build a fence along the Serbian border.”

A human trafficking vessel that departed Turkey filled with refugees from the Middle East reportedly capsized last week in the Mediterranean Sea, killing at least 19 of the some 40 passengers on board. While this was the first major maritime disaster in this region in nearly a month, largely due to increased search-and-rescue-operations conducted by European nations, officials are concerned that the rising number of migrants will result in more deaths on the high seas.

Laura Padoan, a spokeswoman for the UNHCR, stated in response to the disaster and the increase of refugee journeys across the Mediterranean, “It’s just a short distance between Greece and Turkey but it is still very dangerous. What we need are safe legal routes to Europe, so that people don’t die in the process of getting here. Greece is facing a financial crisis and there is now a growing humanitarian crisis – and it can’t be left to Greece to deal with on its own. There needs to be a Europe-wide response.”

– James Thornton

Sources: UN 1, UN 2, The Guardian
Photo: UN

Walking Dead Actor Rescues Syrian Refugees

Syrian_RefugeesLast week, David Morrissey, actor on “The Walking Dead,” visited Lesvos, Greece with UNHCR and rescued Syrian refugees on a boat that was drifting in the Mediterranean for 10 hours.

According to UNHCR, there are more than 19.5 million people in extreme conditions from war that need help. Currently, with global dislocation at an all-time high, more than 4 million are Syrian refugees.

This year alone, 80,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Greece in hopes of finding safety. Morrissey took part in a rescue system with Greek coast guards who save up to 15 boats a day.

“There is a new Greek tragedy unfolding, and I am deeply shocked by what I have seen and the stories shared with me. The main protagonists of this human drama are Syrian refugees who make up over 60 percent of the arrivals to Greece and are facing incredibly high risk odds to cross the sea from Turkey,” Morrissey said.

Aside from visiting camps and tending to Syrian refugees, the British actor’s response to this crisis was to board coast guard boats and travel across the ocean to search for Syrian refugees to save their lives.

In a video posted by 5 News, Morrissey can be seen on a lifeboat helping crying children aboard. The actor patted their backs and reassured them several times of their safety.
“So, that was pretty intense,” Morrissey said after the rescue. “We got all of these people off the boat. They don’t know how long they’ve been in the water. The children, particularly, are very traumatized by the event.”

Many children, like some that Morrissey rescued, travel to safer countries without the security of their parents. Morrissey spoke to one of these children — a 13-year-old Syrian boy named Mohammed.

For two years, Mohammed has been traveling with a man he refers to as his uncle, Morrissey said. The boy has journeyed to Turkey, Iraq and Greece, where he met Morrissey.

According to Morrissey, Mohammed was very frightened of the future, yet still hopeful. Exiting the boats, many Syrian refugees, like Mohammed, are often welcomed by Greek locals.

Many Greeks offer help to the incoming Syrian refugees in the form of food, water and shelter. One of the volunteers, a woman named Melinda from Molyvos, Greece, said that she speaks to the coast guard daily, so that she can prepare a proper amount of sandwiches for the refugees entering the island. Despite her humanitarian efforts, she and the country are still struggling to cope with this massive influx of people.

“We have the same number of people who arrived here in one year arriving in just one day,” she said. “We are all doing our best, and people’s generosity and support is astounding. But, it is too much to cope with it all at this level.”

Greece’s tourism industry is taking a large hit. At its worst, 50,000 tourists a day were withdrawing vacation rentals to the Greek Isles. The industry is suffering so badly that Greek politicians are trying to spin the refugee crisis as a plus for tourists.

According to the European Union, this crisis will not end soon. As some refugees attempt to flee to wealthier areas, new resources put in place may keep them from leaving the country. Countries like Hungary and Macedonia have made plans to strengthen their borders, so that other countries like Greece are refugees’ only hope.

With fewer and fewer places to escape to safety, Greece’s notoriously beautiful beaches have become littered with life jackets and the remains of rubber dinghies, Morrissey said. The refugee camps, once a safe zone for its occupants, are now in danger of disease, and the toilets were unusable.

Morrissey said he was completely shocked by the conditions that the Syrian refugees must endure because their homeland is not safe anymore. The UNHCR, with the help of Morrissey and many others, offers protection, assistance, emergency response, shelter and durable solutions for this ongoing crisis.

The agency has helped millions of people and continues to create viable answers for people in need. With millions of displaced people, the organization’s aid is needed more than ever. For more information about the UNHCR and how to help, visit unhcr.org.

– Fallon Lineberger

Sources: Breitbart News, Daily Mail, Look to the Stars, The Guardian, UNHCR 1, UNHCR 2, UNHCR 3, YouTube
Photo: Flickr