© UNHCR Malala Yousafzai has joined the global campaign in support of refugees. 75 years later: promise to protect refugees is being tested Refugees and migrants
To mark the 75th anniversary of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced the launch of a new global campaign. The agency calls on governments, international organizations and simply concerned people around the world to help protect those who were forced to leave their homes, fleeing wars, violence and persecution.
The Promise initiative comes at a critical moment: there are more than 41 million refugees in the world today. Unabated conflicts continue to destroy the lives of families. Host countries are facing unprecedented pressure.
The campaign, led by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, aims to build a broad coalition of support for refugees ahead of the Global Refugee Forum scheduled for 2027. participation in the global “Promise” campaign included famous actors and humanitarian figures: Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Ben Stiller, as well as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. Leaders of refugee communities, business representatives, religious leaders and human rights activists have already joined the movement.
All of them unanimously call for the creation of a world in which: shelter;
“Seventy-five years ago, the world made a promise to protect people fleeing for their lives,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih. “It is our responsibility today to keep that promise valid for all future generations.”
The principles of the Convention are more relevant than ever
Adopted in 1951 in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees provided the legal basis for international protection and enshrines the fundamental principle that people fleeing persecution should not return to places where their lives are at risk.
UNHCR emphasizes that the key tenets of the Convention are more relevant today than ever – at a time when the unprecedented scale of global displacement is severely testing the entire humanitarian response system.
“We have a responsibility to support host countries and communities, expand opportunities for refugees themselves, and create conditions for their voluntary return home and other durable solutions,” said Salih.