Caritas: Remember Women Refugees on World Refugee Day
(June 19, 2010) When World Refugee Day is marked this Sunday, the Caritas aid organization
hopes the plight of the 3 million women refugees on the planet is given due attention.
"Women refugees are particularly vulnerable to human rights abuses in cases where
they’ve been forced to leave their homes for long-standing periods. Caritas says the
international community can do better in protecting them from violence," a communiqué
from the agency announced Saturday. World Refugee Day, observed June 20 each year,
is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.
on the 4th of December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly in its
Resolution decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day.
Caritas' director of policy, Martina Liebsch, affirmed that the international community
must "show the political will" to ensure the protection guaranteed in international
treaties. According to the aid agency, there are some 10 million refugees in the world
today, two-thirds of whom are in crises that have lasted five years or longer. Women
make up 49% percent of the refugee population. “Women can become victims of violence
in these refugee camps,” said Liebsch. “They are more vulnerable to attacks as they
frequently have to leave the camps for basic supplies for their families, such as
firewood and water.” Caritas called not only for better security in camps, but also
for better mechanisms for women to report violence and have access to legal proceedings.
But she added: "The best way to provide security is to resolve crises themselves so
refugees can return home."