- June 20, 2025
- Posted by: humanitarianweb
- Category: Humanitarian News
This World Refugee Day, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) is calling on the Australian Government to implement the pledges it made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum to increase the number of refugees it resettles. The Government committed to expanding the Refugee and Humanitarian Program and creating 10,000 additional complementary pathways for refugees.
Never before has the global crisis for refugees and displaced people been so severe. By the end of 2024, according to the UNHCR Global Trends Report, a record 123.2 million people were forcibly displaced from their homes, an increase of 7 million from the previous year.
Conflicts in Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar are driving this unprecedented movement. Sudan alone accounted for the largest increase, with more than 14 million people displaced. In Bangladesh, the situation for Rohingya refugees remains dire, with essential services stretched beyond capacity.
Many countries in Asia have not signed on to the 1951 Refugee Convention, meaning refugees in the region often live without legal status, access to healthcare, education, or the ability to work. With few options for resettlement, especially after the United States suspended its Refugee Admissions Program earlier this year, refugees are left without basic rights or long-term solutions.
Australia, as the region’s leading resettlement country, has an important role to play. By supporting local NGOs and refugee-led groups, increasing aid, and working with host governments, Australia can strengthen protection in the region, so refugees do not have to risk dangerous journeys to find safety.
RCOA Advocacy Coordinator Dr Graham Thom is currently in Cox’s Bazar, one of the largest refugee camps in the world, and has been meeting with humanitarian organisations.
“To be in the world’s largest refugee camp, with over 1 million Rohingya refugees, on World Refugee Day, is totally overwhelming. Recent cuts to aid and development funding have seen over 1,000 teachers lose their jobs, so almost half a million children in Cox’s Bazar are now even further behind.
“The beginning of the monsoon season is also testing the flimsy temporary shelters. Still, the resilience of those we have met is extraordinary. It’s critical that the world continues to work with Bangladesh and does not forget the Rohingya people.”
Noor Azizah, co-founder of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network, NSW Young Woman of the Year 2024 award recipient and former refugee, is also in Cox’s Bazar, and says conditions on the ground are increasingly dangerous.
“Every night, women tell me they don’t use the toilet after dark – not out of choice, but fear of violence or being killed. Many women told me they don’t sleep at night – not because they’re not tired, but because they’re scared their children will be kidnapped while they rest. There is no safety, not even in sleep.”
Australia’s pledges to grow resettlement places, support community sponsorship, and build new pathways through education, employment and family reunion reflect an understanding of the complex needs of refugees, as well as the importance of long-term, durable solutions. But the humanitarian program must grow substantially to meet the scale of need, and complementary pathways must be developed in a way that is additional to the humanitarian program.
Globally, 2024 saw the greatest number of refugees resettled in more than 40 years, with 188,800 refugees beginning new lives in safety. While this marks progress, it is a fraction of what is needed to respond to the growing scale of displacement. Australia has the opportunity, and the responsibility, to play a much greater role.
Deputy CEO of RCOA Adama Kamara said that turning pledges into practice is essential to maintaining Australia’s credibility and compassion.
“Australia’s commitments made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum were significant and welcome, and they must now be delivered on. People seeking safety are not statistics. They are future students, workers, leaders and community members. What they need is certainty, dignity, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
“This Refugee Week, we’re reminded that the community is at the heart of the refugee experience. Welcoming people with compassion strengthens our society and affirms our shared humanity.”
This World Refugee Day, we urge the Australian Government to lead with purpose by turning its global promises into practical solutions and ensuring that people forced to flee have a fair chance at safety, stability and belonging.