The refugee crisis is a global emergency affecting 42.7 million people who have been forced to flee their homes. They have left behind their belongings, often with nothing more than the clothes on their back, and often have suffered human rights violations or seen family members killed or injured during flight. They are living in host countries, often prone to conflict and instability themselves, while being denied access to legal protection and essential services such as education, health care and employment.
Refugees and migrants are vulnerable to psychological distress, including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), linked to cumulative social disadvantage throughout their migration journey. They are also at risk for sexual exploitation and trafficking in persons. In several countries, refugees and migrants are more likely to use substance misuse to cope with stress, isolation, lack of economic opportunity, or to mask mental health symptoms, such as anxiety or depression.
Many displaced people are targeted for violence and scapegoating, even in host countries that supposedly value their safety and wellbeing. In Lebanon, for example, locals blame the influx of Syrian refugees for rising food prices, housing costs and labour shortages, while antigovernment Shia militias threaten them with violence. This manipulation increases the suffering of the displaced people themselves, reduces international attention to their situation and further detracts from efforts to address the root causes of displacement.
The vast majority of refugees live in low-income countries, which are unable to provide the necessary level of support they need. It is time for wealthier nations to step up and take their share of the responsibility, while also providing better access to legal protection and the essential services they need.
