We all deserve a place to call home. Where we live and feel safe. Home can mean different things to us all, but for refugees and displaced people it’s also somewhere they have been forced to flee through no fault of their own.
The theme for this year's World Refugee Day is home. We’re asking people – including refugees from all over the world – to tell us what home means to them. And we'd love to hear from YOU!
How does CARE work with refugees?
CARE works with refugees and displaced people around the globe. We offer urgent life-saving assistance in times of crisis and ongoing support to help people rebuild their lives - and find a place they can call home again. Supporting refugees and displaced people has been an important part of CARE's work ever since we were founded in 1948.
With your support, CARE can continue to deliver assistance to millions of refugees and displaced people around the world.
Did you know that over half of all refugees in the world currently come from three counties: Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine?
Here's what CARE is doing to support refugees and displaced people affected by some of the major crises around the world right now.
Refugees from Ukraine
The conflict with Russia in 2022 has forced millions of Ukrainians to flee into neighbouring countries. Prior to this, years of fighting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine had left 2.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and displaced 1.5 million people from their homes.
CARE works through partners in Poland, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine, providing immediate relief and aid to Ukrainian refugees. This includes food, shelter, blankets, nappies and hygiene products as well as food, water, cash and psychosocial support. Ukrainian Women’s Rights Organisations are amongst these partners, and they implement programmes that support women and other marginalised groups in areas of conflict in Ukraine.
Refugees from Syria
Turkey hosts the highest number of refugees globally, and hosts over 3.6 million registered Syrian refugees. CARE has been operating in the region for decades but our work in Turkey and Syria has grown since the beginning of the modern Syria crisis ten years ago and in response to the February 2023 earthquakes.
CARE’s programme’s include protection services, food security, women’s economic empowerment, water and sanitation, and shelter as well as wider programs aimed at supporting the integration of refugee and host communities.
Refugees from Afghanistan
More than 8 million Afghans have been forced to leave their homes – with at least 3.2 million displaced within their own country. CARE has worked in Afghanistan since 1961. After the August 2021 Taliban takeover of Kabul, an increase in violence and instability means the need for our support has become increasingly vital.
We work both directly and through local partners to meet the needs of displaced Afghan families, providing cash-based assistance that support refugees’ needs for food, shelter and protection. This has supported the local economy and livelihoods of host communities, which have been severely impacted by the worsening crisis.
In addition to refugees from these three countries, CARE International works with refugees across the globe, including in Germany, Colombia, Uganda, Kenya, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
What is World Refugee Day?
World Refugee Day is celebrated around the world every year on 20 June. It was designated by the United Nations to honour people around the globe who have been forced to flee from their home country to escape conflict or persecution.
Each year World Refugee Day focuses on a specific theme - the theme for 2024 is 'home'. We've been asking people around the globe - including refugees - what home means to them.
So, what does home mean to you? We'd love to know!