WEBVTT 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:03.919 Now the number of people fleeing wars, 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:06.879 violence, or civil disorder rose again 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:08.800 last year, even as the coronavirus 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:10.559 pandemic brought much of the world 00:00:10.559 --> 00:00:12.340 to a standstill. 00:00:12.340 --> 00:00:14.679 By the end of 2020, there were 00:00:14.679 --> 00:00:17.279 82.4 million people who were forcibly 00:00:17.279 --> 00:00:18.720 displaced from their homes. 00:00:18.720 --> 00:00:21.520 That's according to the United Nations Refugee Agency 00:00:21.520 --> 00:00:23.370 and as you can see that is double 00:00:23.370 --> 00:00:25.350 the number that it was a decade ago. 00:00:25.350 --> 00:00:26.880 More than two-thirds of those 00:00:26.880 --> 00:00:29.039 officially recognized as refugees 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:31.400 came from just five countries: 00:00:31.400 --> 00:00:33.430 Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, 00:00:33.430 --> 00:00:36.079 South Sudan and Myanmar. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:37.920 Our next report takes us to Pakistan 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:39.840 which has hosted hundreds of thousands 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:41.440 of Afghan refugees 00:00:41.440 --> 00:00:43.923 for four decades. 00:00:45.020 --> 00:00:47.880 Bahauddin Khan runs a small grocery store 00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:50.719 in this refugee camp in Pakistan. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:52.596 Every day he checks his income 00:00:52.596 --> 00:00:54.100 and expenses. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:58.320 He was about the same age as this child 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:00.490 when his family fled Afghanistan 00:01:00.490 --> 00:01:02.239 some 40 years ago. 00:01:02.239 --> 00:01:05.774 Today it's a distant memory. 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:11.680 We had to get out of Afghanistan. 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:13.840 There was a war going on. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:16.470 So when the situation became worse, 00:01:16.470 --> 00:01:18.439 we fled. 00:01:19.589 --> 00:01:21.389 Pakistan took us in. 00:01:21.389 --> 00:01:23.040 We've been able to live here 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:26.190 ever since. 00:01:27.540 --> 00:01:30.090 Haji Bahadur also fled Afghanistan 00:01:30.090 --> 00:01:33.600 after the Soviet invasion in 1979. 00:01:33.600 --> 00:01:36.410 He has lived in the camp ever since. 00:01:36.410 --> 00:01:37.600 It's one of 20 00:01:37.600 --> 00:01:39.079 in this province alone. 00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:40.079 More than a 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.479 million Afghans live in Pakistan, 00:01:42.479 --> 00:01:44.600 they're largely on their own. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.720 I would be lying if I said we got 00:01:50.720 --> 00:01:52.320 financial support. 00:01:52.320 --> 00:01:54.172 The truth is we don't get any aid 00:01:54.172 --> 00:01:56.190 from the Pakistani government. 00:02:00.960 --> 00:02:03.600 Now, for the first time, Pakistan is 00:02:03.600 --> 00:02:06.159 registering the Afghan refugees residing 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:07.792 in the country. 00:02:09.758 --> 00:02:12.219 Registered refugees are issued 00:02:12.219 --> 00:02:15.037 a biometric identity card. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:18.319 Many children born here have never been 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:20.244 registered at all. 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:23.120 It's hoped the data will give 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:26.239 international aid agencies a clearer picture 00:02:26.239 --> 00:02:29.851 of the needs in the refugee community. 00:02:32.640 --> 00:02:35.080 This exercise, we are collecting 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:36.880 a most updated information 00:02:36.880 --> 00:02:39.360 of Afghan refugees such as 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:42.400 education level, vocational 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:45.519 skills, also maybe language, 00:02:45.519 --> 00:02:46.800 also vulnerability. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:49.200 And this updated information is also 00:02:49.200 --> 00:02:50.830 going to assist us 00:02:50.830 --> 00:02:54.000 to better design from our activities, 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:57.040 not only in Pakistan but in Afghanistan 00:02:57.040 --> 00:03:00.601 when they return to Afghanistan. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:03.440 Pakistani authorities have tried to 00:03:03.440 --> 00:03:06.080 encourage refugees to return home. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:08.800 Nadeen Ejaz is interviewing families to 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:10.879 see if they're ready to make the move 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:13.760 after NATO troops leave Afghanistan. 00:03:13.760 --> 00:03:15.621 Their new ID cards are only valid 00:03:15.621 --> 00:03:17.480 until 2023. 00:03:19.904 --> 00:03:22.159 In a questionnaire, they're asked if the 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:25.148 situation in Afghanistan normalizes, 00:03:25.148 --> 00:03:27.040 then do they want to leave? 00:03:27.040 --> 00:03:29.716 Ninety percent of the refugees answer with a no 00:03:29.716 --> 00:03:31.120 They do not want to go back to 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:32.830 their home country. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:37.200 For Bahauddin Khan, one thing is clear: 00:03:37.200 --> 00:03:38.960 he will only return home 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:40.090 if there's peace. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:44.400 They are the caminantes or walkers. 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:46.720 Millions of them have left Venezuela, 00:03:46.720 --> 00:03:49.760 fleeing the country's humanitarian crisis. 00:03:49.760 --> 00:03:52.400 Now some of them are going back. 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:54.319 The pandemic and political turmoil in 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:56.120 neighboring Colombia has prompted 00:03:56.120 --> 00:03:57.680 a wave of Venezuelans 00:03:57.680 --> 00:03:59.920 worn down by economic hardship to make 00:03:59.920 --> 00:04:02.179 the journey home. 00:04:04.239 --> 00:04:06.000 I left with the goal of succeeding 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:07.680 and helping my family, but now 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:09.920 prices are too high in Colombia. 00:04:09.920 --> 00:04:12.019 I could not make ends meet. 00:04:12.799 --> 00:04:14.640 Luis Arias just made it back to 00:04:14.640 --> 00:04:16.798 Venezuela after walking for two weeks 00:04:16.798 --> 00:04:19.750 with his family from the Colombian capital Bogota. 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:22.160 They survived on goodwill along the way 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:23.199 but that dried up 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:25.094 when they crossed the border. 00:04:26.320 --> 00:04:28.842 The situation at home is dire. 00:04:28.842 --> 00:04:31.199 NGOs say that the country needs much more 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:32.320 international aid 00:04:32.320 --> 00:04:34.430 to stave off crippling hunger. 00:04:34.430 --> 00:04:35.919 Financing has been 00:04:35.919 --> 00:04:39.040 way below what is necessary in regards 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:41.759 to the dimensions of the crisis in the country. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:45.759 The numbers are shameful. 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:48.160 Even the aid that does reach Venezuela 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:49.919 is hard to distribute. 00:04:49.919 --> 00:04:52.240 Activist efforts are often hampered by 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:53.680 fuel shortages, 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:57.876 violence, corruption, and political meddling. 00:05:00.320 --> 00:05:02.560 According to the World Food Program, 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:04.479 Venezuela is among the four 00:05:04.479 --> 00:05:08.080 worst countries in the world with food insecurity. 00:05:08.080 --> 00:05:10.758 And the UN predicts that by the end of this year 00:05:10.758 --> 00:05:13.520 seven million people could have left Venezuela, 00:05:13.520 --> 00:05:15.520 making it the second largest migration 00:05:15.520 --> 00:05:19.507 after Syria, yet humanitarian aid for Venezuela 00:05:19.507 --> 00:05:20.997 is at its minimum. 00:05:21.432 --> 00:05:24.674 Andreina Bermudez thought about joining the exodus 00:05:24.674 --> 00:05:27.379 but says the risk was and is too high 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:29.148 with young children. 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:31.520 Through her eldest daughter's school, 00:05:31.520 --> 00:05:33.520 her family received food and educational 00:05:33.520 --> 00:05:36.080 supplies from UNICEF until December. 00:05:36.080 --> 00:05:39.604 Now they're hoping more aid can restart the program. 00:05:42.339 --> 00:05:44.250 line:1 I noticed that when we received the aid, 00:05:44.250 --> 00:05:46.080 line:1 many parents were happy and thankful, 00:05:46.080 --> 00:05:48.197 mostly for the food because we could give the 00:05:48.197 --> 00:05:51.920 children in our school a balanced meal. 00:05:54.400 --> 00:05:56.639 To make ends meet, this stay-at-home mom 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:58.960 relies on what she can't find. 00:05:58.960 --> 00:06:01.440 Today a neighbor has extra eggs for sale 00:06:01.440 --> 00:06:04.534 but the supply of cheap food is sporadic. 00:06:05.440 --> 00:06:07.360 We cannot buy imported products in 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:09.680 regular supermarkets at dollar prices, 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:11.680 so we have to settle for small markets 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:12.720 near home, 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:15.039 vegetable merchants and places that sell 00:06:15.039 --> 00:06:17.919 at better prices. 00:06:19.840 --> 00:06:21.900 That is the Venezuela the caminantes 00:06:21.900 --> 00:06:23.680 are walking home to, 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:26.960 a country still ravaged by economic decline. 00:06:26.960 --> 00:06:28.720 Its people still struggling to feed 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:30.720 themselves, still waiting for 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:32.615 international help. 00:06:33.970 --> 00:06:35.831 We can speak now to Chris Melser, 00:06:35.831 --> 00:06:38.960 he's a spokesperson for the UN's refugee agency. 00:06:38.960 --> 00:06:41.028 Good morning, Chris, thank you for joining us. 00:06:41.028 --> 00:06:42.400 We just saw a report 00:06:42.400 --> 00:06:45.600 there with Afghans who fled conflict. 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:48.078 And your report shows there's been mentioning again 00:06:48.078 --> 00:06:49.732 that the number of people 00:06:49.732 --> 00:06:52.250 who have been forced to flee their homes rose again 00:06:52.250 --> 00:06:53.843 despite the pandemic, so 00:06:53.843 --> 00:06:56.587 what are the biggest drivers behind this rise? 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.680 Yes, this is indeed, these were very, very depressing numbers 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:03.759 and you already mentioned that more than 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:05.919 two-thirds of the refugees are only from 00:07:05.919 --> 00:07:07.520 from five countries and 00:07:07.520 --> 00:07:10.080 the most of the refugees are 00:07:10.080 --> 00:07:13.543 still from Syria, 6.7 million. 00:07:13.720 --> 00:07:17.199 Another hotspot is for example is Venezuela where 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:20.240 also millions of people flew that country 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:22.240 Afghanistan, South Sudan, these are all 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:24.720 these drivers of the development. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:27.680 The plus is this year is not 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:29.599 that big like in other years but 00:07:29.599 --> 00:07:33.199 yes, 82.4 million, this is the 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:35.440 complete, all the inhabitants of Germany 00:07:35.440 --> 00:07:39.599 or one percent of the human kind is 00:07:39.599 --> 00:07:43.520 now refugee or internal displaced person. 00:07:43.520 --> 00:07:45.680 And Chris, where are the majority of 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:47.199 these refugees ending up 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:48.700 and are they able to stay 00:07:48.700 --> 00:07:49.969 where they end up? 00:07:50.830 --> 00:07:53.433 Well the last question is a very important question. 00:07:53.433 --> 00:07:56.027 Still the biggest host country for refugees is Turkey 00:07:56.027 --> 00:07:58.960 with 3.7 million refugees who found 00:07:58.960 --> 00:08:02.280 protection there, most of them from Syria. 00:08:02.280 --> 00:08:04.319 Colombia is another country 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:06.660 who accepted millions of people. 00:08:06.660 --> 00:08:10.800 Pakistan, as you mentioned in the report. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:12.080 Uganda and Germany is 00:08:12.080 --> 00:08:15.280 number five with 1.2 million refugees 00:08:15.280 --> 00:08:16.720 finding protection in Germany. 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:18.050 But don't make a mistake. 00:08:18.050 --> 00:08:21.039 86% of all the refugees, 00:08:21.039 --> 00:08:24.000 86% are in developing countries 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:25.919 and these are very often also countries 00:08:25.919 --> 00:08:28.649 who also suffer of problems with 00:08:28.649 --> 00:08:30.472 malnutrition and other things. 00:08:30.472 --> 00:08:32.200 But anyway, they are hosting 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:34.840 almost 9 out of 10 refugees. 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:37.039 Another staggering number, Chris, is that 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:38.958 more than 40 percent of those who are 00:08:38.958 --> 00:08:40.080 fleeing are children. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:41.760 Many are born as refugees, 00:08:41.760 --> 00:08:43.200 many are stateless. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.440 What kind of impact does that have on 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:47.152 these children's futures? 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:50.560 This is also depressing and I was in many 00:08:50.560 --> 00:08:52.640 refugee camps in Bangladesh. 00:08:52.640 --> 00:08:54.240 I'm just returned from Ethiopia 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:56.000 and I've heard from several 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.880 refugees around the world actually, 00:08:58.880 --> 00:09:00.160 parents telling me, 00:09:00.160 --> 00:09:02.080 forget us, we are a lost generation, 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:03.455 but do something for our children. 00:09:03.455 --> 00:09:05.720 Give them education, then they have a chance. 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:07.300 Well we don't want to give up the 00:09:07.300 --> 00:09:09.519 parents' generation as well, but indeed, 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.640 education is the key factor for 00:09:12.640 --> 00:09:14.240 the children so these refugees 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:15.626 will not stay refugees though, 00:09:15.626 --> 00:09:18.000 they become engineers, pilots, 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:20.639 doctors, whatever. Handyman. 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:22.554 But at least that they have a future, 00:09:22.554 --> 00:09:24.860 and that's why this is also priority for us. 00:09:24.860 --> 00:09:26.370 Unfortunately, quite often, 00:09:26.370 --> 00:09:27.690 we do not have enough money 00:09:27.690 --> 00:09:30.160 to give more than just basic education. 00:09:30.160 --> 00:09:32.160 Yeah, that is indeed troubling, and Chris, 00:09:32.160 --> 00:09:34.110 I want to ask you about something we saw 00:09:34.110 --> 00:09:36.560 in a report, the prospect of refugees returning 00:09:36.560 --> 00:09:38.110 back to their home countries. 00:09:38.110 --> 00:09:40.480 We've also seen Denmark, for example, 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:42.640 declare parts of Syria safe for refugees 00:09:42.640 --> 00:09:45.279 to return so they're canceling residency permits. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.137 So what happens to refugees who do return? 00:09:48.137 --> 00:09:50.627 So what are conditions like for them? 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:53.200 Well this is very very different from 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:54.374 from country to country. 00:09:54.374 --> 00:09:55.500 When it comes to Syria, 00:09:55.500 --> 00:09:57.680 we don't think that Syria is in any way 00:09:57.680 --> 00:10:00.160 a safe place again that you can 00:10:00.160 --> 00:10:03.380 return refugees against their will to Syria 00:10:03.839 --> 00:10:05.839 In other places, it might be possible, for 00:10:05.839 --> 00:10:07.600 example, about a quarter million of 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:09.540 refugees returned last year 00:10:09.540 --> 00:10:11.360 and this is of course a glimmer of hope. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.189 But unfortunately for 00:10:13.189 --> 00:10:14.959 most of the refugees, 00:10:14.959 --> 00:10:17.970 and about three quarters of all refugees 00:10:17.970 --> 00:10:20.476 stay in the neighboring countries always and hope to 00:10:20.476 --> 00:10:22.160 go back where they come from 00:10:22.160 --> 00:10:23.279 very soon. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:25.919 For many of them, this is unfortunately 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:28.360 not a near-time solution. 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:29.360 And I do want to 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.200 come back to Germany because you 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:33.620 mentioned that this is a country that also hosts 00:10:33.620 --> 00:10:35.106 millions of asylum seekers. 00:10:35.106 --> 00:10:37.831 It did register fewer asylum seekers last year 00:10:37.831 --> 00:10:39.908 but the UN High Commissioner for Refugees 00:10:39.908 --> 00:10:42.311 Philippa Grandia said inclusion is key 00:10:42.311 --> 00:10:44.640 so just briefly if you can, Chris, 00:10:44.640 --> 00:10:46.800 what is needed here to, these tools that 00:10:46.800 --> 00:10:48.480 are needed to make refugees in 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:50.079 Germany feel at home? 00:10:50.880 --> 00:10:52.344 We just talked to Paul Landfield, 00:10:52.344 --> 00:10:54.037 he's a refugee in Austria, 00:10:54.037 --> 00:10:56.330 but I think it's the same thing, 00:10:56.330 --> 00:10:59.200 who came from Hungary more than 60 years ago 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:01.660 and he's now a well-known journalist 00:11:01.660 --> 00:11:03.120 in Austria and he said, 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:04.350 integration is a key 00:11:04.350 --> 00:11:06.160 because refugees are a treasure. 00:11:06.160 --> 00:11:09.200 So that's why refugees learn the language, 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:12.240 try to use your chances that also 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:14.247 the host community, Germany, 00:11:14.247 --> 00:11:16.320 or that case, Austria 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:20.000 use this treasure, integrate the people, 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:23.315 teach refugees language and so on and then 00:11:23.315 --> 00:11:25.279 this is the best you can do because 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:27.609 integration is one part of the solution 00:11:27.609 --> 00:11:30.360 for the worldwide refugee problem. 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:32.959 Chris Melzer from the UNHCR, thank you for 00:11:32.959 --> 00:11:34.949 sharing your insights with us today.