Statement by Bärbel Kofler, Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid, on World Refugee Day

Bärbel Kofler, Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, issued the following statement on World Refugee Day on 20 June:

Zusatzinformationen

The number of refugees worldwide has continued to rise in the past year. According to a report published today by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), over 65 million people were displaced at the end of 2015. This is a sad new record. Minors account for more than half of all refugees. These children and teenagers suffer the most in the world’s crises and conflicts. In particular, they are affected by hunger, violence and disease. We all need to play our part. The international community must increase its efforts to alleviate the suffering of these people. Germany is making a substantial contribution in this area – as one of the most important and largest donors of humanitarian aid, we work with our partners to provide efficient and effective humanitarian aid on the ground to refugees and people in need of support, with the aim of enabling people to live in dignity in their home country. Germany has provided over two billion euros to humanitarian aid projects in Syria and its neighbouring countries alone since 2012.

Background information:

The report published today by the UNHCR provides an overview of the situation faced by refugees worldwide. The study is based on data from governments and aid organisations and on the UNHCR’s own reporting. According to the report, the number of refugees worldwide rose to 65.3 million by the end of 2015, the highest number ever recorded, compared with 59.5 million 12 months earlier. Around a third of this total (21.3 million) has left their country of origin, while around two‑thirds have been internally displaced and 3.2 million people are asylum‑seekers. Just over half of all refugees are minors.

Germany is one of the most important donors of humanitarian aid worldwide, providing funding of over 1.1 billion euros to humanitarian aid projects in over 30 countries in 2016 via the Federal Foreign Office – ten times more than its aid budget in 2012. At the same time, Germany calls for innovations and improvements in the humanitarian system. It reiterated this position at the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul at the end of May.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2016/160620_Weltfluechtlingstag.html?nn=479796