No one chooses to be a refugee

Yesterday marked World Refugee Day, a day to remember the strength and resilience of those forced to flee their homes. No one chooses to be a refugee.

Did you know that:

There are over 15 million refugees around the world, and an even greater number of those who are internally displaced.
Over 8 million have been in refugee camps for over 10 years.
Pakistan is host to the largest number of refugees in the world with 1.7 million refugees from Afghanistan.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that more people will probably be on the move in the next decade because of continued environmental degradation, war and conflict.
On average, women and girls constitute 49 percent of displaced persons around the world.
46 percent of refugees were children under the age of 18.
Currently, Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, the largest in the world, holds over 400,000 refugees in a camp built to house only 90,000.
Since April, over 100,000 people in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have been displaced due to fighting.
Worldwide, the number of refugees accepted for third country resettlement by all nations numbers about 120,000 for any given year. This is less than ½ of a percent of all refugee waiting for an opportunity to live in a safe environment, work for living, educate their children, and have hope for their future.
The United States resettles more refugees than the rest of the world combined.
The president sets the cap on refugee resettlement in this country each year. President Obama set this year’s cap at 76,000.
World Relief, one of nine agencies contracted by the State Department to resettle refugees in our county, resettles approximately 9.5% of refugee admitted into the United States.
With 29 offices across the country, World Relief has offices in Spokane, Tri-cites and Seattle making it the largest resettlement agency in our state.
Spokane is authorized to resettle up to 600 refugees each year (2011 = 358, 2012 = estimates 400).