9 Facts About Refugees

In order to officially be considered a refugee, a person must have suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, because they are part of a persecuted social group, or because they’re fleeing war. Those people who claim to be refugees, but whose cases haven’t been fully evaluated may instead be defined as “asylum seekers.”

There are lots of people who are forced to leave their home because of persecution or war. But not all of them are considered refugees. People who have fled their home, but stayed within their own country are considered “internally displaced,” or “internally displaced persons” (IDPs). According the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at the end of 2019, there were some 45.9 million internally displaced persons in the world. [source]

Lutheran World Relief was founded in 1945 as a way for Lutherans in the United States to send aid and relief to their (often literal) brothers and sisters in Europe affected by the War. The UNHCR was formed in 1950 to help the 40 million refugees across Europe. [source] Both organizations had the intention of closing up shop within a few years but have continued their missions as new needs have arisen.

Many of these children may spend their entire life away from home. And these children are far more vulnerable to abuse, neglect, or other types of violence. [source]

The UNHCR has registered 4.8 million Syrian refugees, and, as of November 2016, predicted 8.7 million to be displaced inside Syria in 2016. [source] Other countries in the region have also been affected by conflict. In Yemen, over 2 million people have been internally displaced. [source]

The conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan over the past decade have caused millions of people to flee their countries. But many are also beginning to return home. Over the past ten years, nearly 6 million refugees have moved back into Afghanistan and in the 2016, 117,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan. [source] However, there is still a huge concern for the safety and wellbeing of people moving in and out of this region, and humanitarian access is limited.

While the term sanctuary has its roots in sacred spaces (the Latin word sanctuarium refers to a place for holy things or holy people), the first Council of Orléans, in 511 AD, established the right of sanctuary, decreeing that people can find refuge from persecution in churches. [source]

Many of the world’s refugees live in overcrowded camps where food, access to water, sanitation and health services are scarce, not to mention the fact that social distancing can be near impossible. Disasters like the coronavirus pandemic pose a particular threat to families living as refugees.

From prevention to solution, various Lutheran churches and organizations each play important roles in the life of refugees. LWR works in countries to end the conditions that often spiral downward, helping people living in poverty earn more income, find a voice in their community and avoid harassment or cruelty. When people are forced to leave their home country, Lutherans are there to help. LWR and the Lutheran World Federation help Sudanese refugees at the Kakuma camp, and Somali refugees in Dadaab, both in northern Kenya. We help Karen refugees on the border of Burma and Thailand. And we are sending Quilts & Kits to provide basic needs for many of the current Syrian refugees.

But it doesn’t stop there. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services is a force in helping refugees from around the world get settled in the United States, with the services and support they need to thrive.