World Refugee Day - Friday 20 June

Today is World Refugee Day, an international day to acknowledge and honour refugees.

While the terms "refugee" and "migrant" are often used interchangeably, refugee specifically refers to people who are forced to flee from their home countries to escape conflict or persecution.

World Refugee Day aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by refugees and their need for support as they settle into their new home.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that there are 43.7 million refugees globally as of June 2024, many of whom may have experienced significant emotional distress and/or physical violence.

Refugees often experience inequitable health outcomes due to barriers, including racism and discrimination, low levels of literacy, a lack of access to interpretation services, and high costs.