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Not everyone treats their homeland as their permanent place of residence. Sometimes, you need to look further, outside the geographical boundary of your country, to search for the best opportunities and a chance at a better life. Immigration is nothing new—many people choose to live outside their country for various reasons and start a family in foreign lands.
International migrants currently represent 3.6 percent of the global population. With 281 million people living outside their country of origin, it seems the number of global migrants is increasing slightly faster than the world’s population.
Given the economic benefits immigrants deliver, various countries show no signs of stopping people from other countries from moving into theirs. However, although millions of people worldwide decide to move to another country, some are left with no choice but to leave the land they consider their home.
Forced To Flee: The Syrian Refugee Crisis
As the Syrian war reaches its 11th year, the number of Syrian refugees continues to rise in hopes of a secure and stable life. 82.4 million people have been forcibly displaced from their country, with Syrian refugees comprising most of the percentage.
Here are where most of the 6.8 million Syrian refugees have fled to:
Lebanon
Of the 6.8 million of its total population, Lebanon hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees, not counting the Palestinians who have also fled to the country. Since the Un refugee agency stopped the registration of new refugees five years ago, the population of Syrian refugees in Lebanon could be much higher.
Currently, Lebanon is confronting various issues. Large-scale widespread protests were held, which led their Prime Minister to resign. Most of the people of Lebanon cannot afford the necessities to survive, as unemployment is at a record high.
Unfortunately, 83 percent of Syrian refugees are living below the extreme poverty line.
Jordan
Over the last decade, Jordan has received more than a million refugees, the majority of which came from Syria. The number of refugees is much smaller compared to Lebanon’s, but 660,000 is still a lot of people that require living assistance.
Most Syrian refugees in Jordan have difficulty finding sustainable work and affordable housing because of the competition for limited employment opportunities and the potential tensions with the local population.
As a result, the number of Syrian refugees living in urban centers has climbed to 80 percent. The remaining 20 percent of the refugees live in refugee camps established by the Jordanian authorities.
Nauru
Nauru has received boat refugees from Syria who were trying to get to Australia. Given the reprehensible conditions the refugees live under, the Un refugee agency has become highly critical of Australia’s agreement with Nauru. The small island state no longer welcomes new refugees, as Australia has agreed to stop sending them to Nauru.
Turkey
Turkey has received the most Syrian refugees since 2011, the number of Syrian refugees climbing to a total of 4.3 million. Since Turkey is large and populous, it’s better equipped to take care of the refugees than other countries. However, it is still challenging to protect a large number of people in a short period.
Conclusion
Some countries have handled the refugee problem better than others, but the challenge isn’t over. As long as the Syrian war continues and more Syrians seek refuge in other places, countries must come together to help them find better opportunities to live a better and safer life than the one they led in their home country.
Are you concerned about and want to know how to help Syrian refugees? Then, support us at UOSSM USA! Our medical humanitarian organization provides medical relief, emergency lifesaving aid, and quality healthcare to those affected by the crisis. Donate to our cause today!
