World Refugee Day Children make up 51 of the worlds refugees
1 of 9
Children fleeing South Sudan collect blankets and other items from Red Cross volunteers in northern Uganda. Fighting in South Sudan has displaced millions of people, who leave behind land, crops, and food stocks—in addition to educational opportunities for children. Tommy Trenchard / Panos / IFRC
2 of 9
Civilians flee west Mosul as fighting in Iraq intensifies. The Iraqi Red Crescent is helping people displaced by fighting to survive, including by baking tens of thousands of bread loaves every single day. Tommy Trenchard / Panos Pictures
3 of 9
Three kids traveling without parents look into the water on their way to Italy. The kids—two from Nigeria and one from Senegal—were rescued from a rubber dinghy in the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Italy. One of the boys did not know how to swim and was pulled from the water by professional rescuers.
4 of 9
Some mothers have given birth as they flee for safety, such as this mom at a reception center in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Red Cross teams are providing medical care to migrants in countries of origin, transit and arrival. Caroline Haga/IFRC
5 of 9
Displaced people from South Sudan are registered at a collection point just across the border in northern Uganda. Conflict—combined with inconsistent rainfall and low crop yields—have plagued families in South Sudan. For some, this is the second or third time they have been forced to leave everything behind. Tommy Trenchard / Panos / IFRC
6 of 9
At a Yemen Red Crescent water point in Sanaa, a volunteer provides water for people impacted by the country’s fighting twice a day. Still, this is not enough. With limited access to healthcare services, the breakdown in safe water supplies and failure of sewage system increases the incidence of water borne diseases, like cholera. Maria Korkunc/Norwegian Red Cross
7 of 9
Libyan Red Crescent volunteers responded to a phone call about 69 migrants of different nationalities who had been found inside a metal container near Khoms. They had been trapped in the container for four days. Red Crescent teams provided first aid, food, blankets, and comfort to the survivors—among them a 5-year-old girl named Aisha.
8 of 9
Syrian refugees pictured at an informal tented settlement near Tripoli, Lebanon. In six years of conflict, millions of people have fled from Syria. Most are living in neighboring Lebanon and Jordan. Since 2011, the American Red Cross has spent or committed more than $2.5 million to support efforts in Syria and neighboring countries. Andrew McConnell/British Red Cross
9 of 9
A combination of pervasive insecurity, combined with recurrent drought and chronic underdevelopment has left millions of people in Somalia in need of urgent and sustained humanitarian assistance. The Somali Red Crescent is present throughout the country, supporting communities to respond to the many and growing challenges they are facing. Arie Kievit /Netherlands Red Cross
June 19, 2017
More than half of the world’s refugees are children. It’s a staggering number, considering there are more people displaced from their homes now than at any other point in recorded history. On World Refugee Day and every day, global Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are helping to meet families’ needs through aid such as food, water, shelter, medical care, and reconnecting families.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.