“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats its children.”

—Nelson Mandela

Learn About Refugees and Global Displacement

These trusted organizations offer background information and data to help students and educators better understand the global refugee crisis, particularly as it affects children.

  • UNICEF offers research, statistics, and learning materials focused on children affected by conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crises.

  • Save the Children shares accessible reports, policy briefs, and educational content about the impact of displacement and emergencies on children and families.

  • UNHCR provides global data, reports, and educational resources on refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people, and stateless populations worldwide.

  • International Organization for Migration (IOM) provides global data, reports, and research on migration and displacement trends, including refugees, internally displaced people, and migrant populations worldwide.

  • Migration Policy Institute (MPI) offers nonpartisan analysis, data, and policy research on migration, asylum, and refugee systems around the world.

Vocabulary

  • What is a refugee?

    A refugee is someone who has to leave their home because it is not safe, often because of war, violence, or persecution. Refugees look for safety in another place.

  • What is an asylum seeker?

    An asylum seeker is someone asking for protection in another country because they are not safe at home. Some asylum seekers are later recognized as refugees.

  • What is a migrant?

    A migrant is someone who moves to a new place for work, school, or better opportunities.

  • What is an immigrant?

    An immigrant is someone who moves to a new country with the plan to live there permanently.

  • What is a displaced person?

    A displaced person is someone who has been forced to leave their home because it is not safe, sometimes without leaving their country.

  • What is a refugee camp?

    A refugee camp is a temporary place where people who have been forced to leave their homes can find shelter and basic support. Life in refugee camps can be very difficult, especially for children.

Examples of countries where people have been displaced due to conflict, persecution, or instability.

  • Afghanistan

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Iraq

  • Myanmar

  • Somalia

  • South Sudan

  • Syria

  • Ukraine

  • Venezuela