Regina was one of thousands who fled the civil war in Sudan and sought refuge in Renk, South Sudan. Photo: JRS
On World Refugee Day, June 20, Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) reaffirms its commitment to accompany, serve and advocate for refugees and all forcibly displaced people through the work of its Jesuit partners in the Global South.
In Latin America, the Jesuit Migration Network (RJM-CANA in Spanish) provides humanitarian assistance and accompaniment to thousands of vulnerable refugees and migrants from Central America, and more recently, from South America and other parts of the world. The network provides food, medicine, temporary shelter, psychosocial support, and legal assistance. It is also spearheading a global campaign on hospitality to refugees and migrants.
CJI also partners with Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Colombia, Lebanon, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and several countries in Europe. JRS provides humanitarian relief, learning opportunities for children, youth and adults, medical assistance, child protection activities, psychosocial support, safe spaces for women and children, and more.
In India, CJI supports migrants through the work of the Human Life Research and Development Centre and Lok Manch.
The United Nations has designated World Refugee Day as an international day to honour “the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution.”
As of April 2024, there are more than 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide due to war, conflict, violence, human rights abuses, persecution, the effects of climate change, and socio-economic and political crises. Of these, 37.6 million are refugees, 68.3 million are internally displaced people, 6.9 million are asylum seekers, and 5.8 million need international protection, according to the 20323 Global Trends Report of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
This year, the UN is focusing on solidarity with refugees, which means “keeping our doors open, celebrating their strengths and achievements, and reflecting on the challenges they face.”
Learn more about how CJI and its partners, including how you can support projects that serve and accompany forcibly displaced people: https://bit.ly/CJIRefugeeDay24
