According to UN refugee aid, 79.5 million people are currently forced to flee their homes, more than 1 percent of the world’s population. The figures are rising dramatically. Compared to 2018, in 2019 alone, an additional 9 million people had to flee. Since 2010, the numbers have doubled. A declining trend is not expected. With 1.1 million refugees, Germany is one of the top 5 refugee-hosting countries in the world.
On World Refugee Day, the Youth Advisory Council of Plan International and Hosna from Plan Youth Advocates pointed out a particular problem. In times of Corona, it is difficult for many people to cope with everyday life. Social contacts are very limited. Schools and children’s facilities are closed. This also affects refugee children. It is a major problem in collective accommodations to do homeschooling and learning at a distance. Often, there is no functioning WLAN. The children do not have computers and especially the parent’s skills of the language of the host country play an important role.
Hosna describes it very well: “The closure of the schools and day-care centres was important and necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, but the effects of such measures on all groups in our society should be carefully considered. In the future, such restrictions should above all take into account the children who are in a particularly difficult life situation and need special support – the children who have fled. They, too, are part of our future.”
You can read the (German language) article here.
