Refugees

A refugee is a person who has fled his or her country to escape war or persecution. The 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees says that such a person is entitled to protection, so long as they can prove that they truly meet the "refugee" definition. Another country's government can grant refugees permission to live in their country. The world is currently experiencing a refugee crisis. Conflict and persecution have forced more people than at any other time since records began to flee their homes and seek refuge and safety elsewhere, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. There were roughly 60 million refugees worldwide in 2016, and that figure was expected to rise further due to conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and other places. This book provides historical information on the refugee crisis and how countries like the United States and Canada deal with refugees.