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to the humanitales

by.milene
I often get the question why people seek refuge in I often get the question why people seek refuge in #Europe and why they don't just stay in countries near their own. Well, let's look at the facts and figures. Which countries host the most #refugees in 2020? 👇 🇹🇷 #Turkey now hosts the largest refugee population in the world: 3.6 million. The vast majority of those refugees are Syrian. Turkey has taken 54% of Syrian refugees. 🇯🇴 #Jordan hosting the second highest share of refugees per capita in the world: 2.9 million. It is one of the countries most affected by the Syria crisis. However, they also host refugees from Iraq and Yemen. 🇨🇴 At the moment there are about 1.8 million refugees in #Colombia. Most of them (1.7 million by 12/2019) are Venezuelan refugees. The Venezuelan refugee crisis is the largest recorded refugee crisis in the Americas. 🇱🇧 In #Lebanon there are about 1.7 million refugees. The majority come from Syria: about 1.5 million. Lebanon is also home to refugees from Afghanistan, #Iraq and #Palestine. 🇺🇬 There are about 1.4 million #refugees living in #Uganda. Sub-Saharan Africa hosts more than 26% of the world's refugee population. The refugee population in Uganda makes up 3.6% of their total population. 🇵🇰 #Pakistan hosts more than 1.4 million Afghan refugees. #Afghanistan is the second largest country of origin of refugees in the world, with 2.7 million refugees in the first half of 2019. The majority staying in Pakistan. 🇩🇪 And here is the first #European country: #Germany hosting 1.1 million refugees. Over half of the refugees come from #Syria, the rest are mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan. Germany is the only Western industrialised nation in the top ten of refugee host countries. 🇸🇩 #Sudan is hosting 1 million refugees at the moment. Most of the refugees are from South Sudan whom arrived after the conflict in South Sudan in 2013. In recent weeks about 50.000 #Ethiopian refugees fled to Sudan. So, there is your answer: most refugees stay in countries near their own, few arrive in Europe. Sharing = educating 🧐 . . . #refugee #refugeecrisis #hostcountries #vluchtelingen #refugeefacts #factsandfigures #dtv #leavenoonebehind #sharingiscaring #factsandfigures #facts
😢 "Milene, I’m in trouble. I need help so urg 😢 "Milene, I’m in trouble. I need help so urgently, I don’t know what to do anymore. Is suicide the answer? It’s chaos in my head. I don’t know what will happen” 👩🏻‍🦱 “Ok, please try to relax. Tell me what is going on. I will listen, I am here for you. Tell me what happened” 😢 “They refused my asylum request and send me a letter. I have 30 days to leave. They will take my bankcard and identification papers. I have nowhere to go. They think Turkey is safe enough for me. My wife is 1,5 months pregnant. My wife has war injuries and gets medicine for them but can’t take them now due to the pregnancy. My child almost drowned today. No one listens to me, I don’t know what to do anymore. When will this end? If I kill myself will they help my wife and child?” 👩🏻‍🦱 “Can you send me the refusal letter so I can translate and see what is written? Don’t do anything to yourself. Your wife needs you and your child needs you. Don’t give up. There are so many people who love you and welcome you, who want to have you here in a house having a good life. And you know? Those people will not give up on you!” 😢 “Thank you Milene, thank you for listening, for telling me you care about us. I will send you the letter. I am so afraid. If I go back to Turkey they will catch me and will take me back to Syria. But I cannot go back to Syria, I’m wanted there, they will kill me. No one takes me serious, no one believes our words, we are the weak link here.” 👩🏻‍🦱 “I do take you serious and I do believe you. And if I do, I know other people will do as well. You are loved, you are a wonderful person and you have a loving family. Do never let anyone tell you you are a weak link, that you are not beautiful and that you are not worth it. You are! Let me take a look at the letter they send you.” Part of a converstation I had. Read the rest of this story via my link in bio. Share if this conversation touches you 🤯 . . . #refugee #refugeestories #humanitarian #humanitarianphotographer #photographer #friends #listener #depression #callforhelp #sos #refugeecrisis #refugeecamp #asylumseeker #europe #europeanunion #europeancommission #pscyhology #leavenoonebehind #portraitsforlesvos
Precisely one year ago the first person died of Co Precisely one year ago the first person died of Covid-19 in Wuhan. Ever since the world has been in a crisis. A crisis we all know, we all understand and in which we all find each other. We care for each other because we are in this together, right? Well, for refugees the crisis didn't start one year ago, although it got worse after Covid-19. For refugees the world has been in crisis for a lot longer. People escaping from war, torture, oppression, draught, genocide seeking safety, but what did they get? 🤯 A tent to live in and a wired fence to look at. 😢 An asylum procedure doomed to fail. 😳 A lockdown taking, not 2 or 3 months like in most countries but, 8 months!! 😠 Abusive and very violent border control. 😱 An asylum refusal and Europe taking their bankcards & identification. 😤 Police destroying the tents people 'live' in every other day while offering no solution and no place to stay. 😡 A hopeless situation where it seems a positive end is nowhere near. 😭 A hostile Europe that shows no humanity and violates human rights every single day. And while Covid-19 has been in our lives only for one year, humanitarian crises including refugees have been here for many many years with the first European convention being in 1951. We had 1 year to find a vaccin and we did, we had 70 years to find a solution for refugees and we didn't. I'm astonished, shocked and hugely disappointed 😔 So @europeancommission @eucouncil @refugees @ursulavonderleyen what's your solution? You had 70 years to come up with one so let's apply this and make 2021 memorable, as the year we finally applied the solution to the refugee crisis. I know you have one. Share to demand action ✌️ . . . #refugees #refugeecrisis #refugeesineurope #refugeeswelcome #leavenoonebehind #vluchtelingen #peopleontherun #europe #europeancommission #europeanunion #refugeesworldwide #refugeestories #covid19 #corona #virus #refugeecamp #humanitarianphotographer #humanitarian #humans #people #humanitarianaid #photographer #photography
Today is World War Orphans' Day. Which is a memori Today is World War Orphans' Day. Which is a memorial day for all children who have been orphaned by war and violence. We often talk about the dead and wounded, but the aftermath of a (civil) war can last for years for orphans. In the following decades, the civilian death toll from armed conflict has risen significantly, to more than 90 percent!! Over half of the world’s refugees are children. Many will spend their entire childhoods away from home, sometimes separated from their families. They may have witnessed or experienced violent acts and, in exile, are at risk of abuse, neglect, violence, exploitation, trafficking or military recruitment. More than 2 million children have died in the last decade as a direct result of armed conflict. More than three times that number, at least 6 million children are permanently disabled or seriously injured. Orphans around the world face many challenges: malnutrition, hunger, disease, and loss of social attention. As the most vulnerable population on earth, there is no one to protect them 😢 There are now more than 72,000 refugees and migrants stranded in Greece, Cyprus and the Balkans, including more than 22,500 children  – unable to move forward, unwilling to go back to their home countries and struggling to fit into their host communities. Children are increasingly showing signs of deep psychological trauma as a result of the suffering they have experienced during and after their journeys. What happened when Greece asked Europe to help relocate unaccompanied refugees, vulnerable children? No one answered… Share to inform others, share if you care ❤️ . . . #Refugee #refugeeswelcome #refugeestories #refugeecrisis #humanrights #seekingrefuge #sosmoria #evacuatelesvos #leavenoonebehind #asylumseekers #asylum #europe #europeanunion #neveragain #vluchtelingen #refugees #humanrightsactivist #pushbacks #euconvention #refugeeconvention #future #past #change #bethechange #photographer #humanitarianphotographer #stopandcare #photojournalist #photojournalism #journalism
Refugee, migrant, asylum-seeker, internally displa Refugee, migrant, asylum-seeker, internally displaced person. There are so many words used to describe people who leave their home behind and seek refuge somewhere else, for people running away from war, people who don't feel safe at home anymore. Many of these terms have distinct and different meanings, and confusing them leads to problems for both populations. ❓The main difference between for example a refugee and a migrant is choice. Simply speaking, a migrant is someone who chooses to move, and a refugee is someone who has been forced from his or her home. But what exactly is the difference between a refugee and an asylum-seeker? And should we actually use these terms for people who flee from war and seek refuge or is that subsequently placing them in boxes, and often the wrong one? Using words as refugee or asylum-seeker to describe people fleeing from war but otherwise the same as you and me might contribute to discrimination. But, whether you want to use the terms or not, do use the right ones. I wrote a blog with all the terms and their definition. Check it out via the link in bio. Share this post to inform each other when to use what term 👍 . . . #Refugee #refugeeswelcome #refugeestories #refugeecrisis #humanrights #seekingrefuge #sosmoria #evacuatelesvos #leavenoonebehind #asylumseekers #asylum #europe #europeanunion #neveragain #vluchtelingen #refugees #humanrightsactivist #pushbacks #euconvention #refugeeconvention #future #past #change #bethechange #photographer #humanitarianphotographer #stopandcare #photojournalist #photojournalism #journalism
In 2020 a lot changed, and nothing at all. ⛔️ In 2020 a lot changed, and nothing at all. ⛔️ Of course I can talk about the thousands of people who were stuck in a camp one year ago and still are today, just a different location. ⛔️ I can tell you that 11 (of the 27) European Union countries promised to relocate 3.300 unaccompanied minors. 1.979 of them are still waiting for relocation. But, that means that 1.321 did actually get relocated 🥳 ⛔️ I can write that one year ago children didn't get education and they still don't get today. ⛔️ That one year ago there weren't enough toilets and showers, it's still the same today. In some places (Lesvos & Bosnia) it actually got worse. ⛔️ That even though a couple of camps have been burned to the ground (on Lesvos, Samos and now in Bosnia) it changed almost nothing. A new camp was built or people were forced to live on the street. ⛔️ That they swept Calais clean multiple times but without a proper solution for those people, which drove them to live in the forests without any help. ⛔️ One year ago people seeking refuge in Europe were brutally stopped by police and border control, they still are today, Europe just stopped looking & caring. ⛔️ That 3.000 people died on migration journeys in 2020, more than half of those deaths were in and en route to Europe and many more will die if we don't act. And so on. But who can tell you better than people on the run themselves? So, I asked a couple of friends where they were one year ago, what changed and what didn't and what they hope will change the coming year. So, head over to my website (link in bio) and read there about what changed for them and what didn't and what they wish for the future. And share this post if you care 😘 . . . #Refugee #refugeeswelcome #refugeestories #refugeecrisis #humanrights #seekingrefuge #sosmoria #evacuatelesvos #leavenoonebehind #asylumseekers #asylum #europe #europeanunion #neveragain #vluchtelingen #refugees #humanrightsactivist #pushbacks #euconvention #refugeeconvention #future #past #change #bethechange #photographer #humanitarianphotographer #stopandcare #photojournalist #photojournalism #journalism
What a year it has been! Let us look at the good, What a year it has been! Let us look at the good, the bad and the ugly of 2020, according to me 😉 And I'm also curious at your view on what was good, what was bad and what was ugly in 2020, so please do share in the comments 😘 The good: 🧡 A year in which I found my meaning in life due to the incredible journeys to Siberia, Greece & Curaçao I made despite the virus. 🧡 I met the most couragious and strong people ever, whom inspired me every day. 🧡 All of you who decided to follow me on my mission to visually document humanitarian crises. The bad: 😢 1% - about 80 million people - of the world is still displaced. 😢 The European Union still didn't find a solution to the refugeecrisis happening within our borders. 😢 Refugees in Greece were in lock-down for months due to the virus (even though the rest of the country resumed to normal life). The ugly: ❌ A fire destroying hell on earth, only to have another hell been built within days. ❌ The Corona crisis which caused an increase in human rights violations, domestic violence and even human trafficking - amongst other horrible violations. ❌ People seeking safety are still finding hostility instead. They are living in camps on Greek islands, in the forests of Bosnia and on the streets of Calais. They are attacked at the border of Croatia, while peddling for their lives on the Meditaranian Sea and while being in their new homes in The Netherlands. Children are out of school for years, minors are sex trafficked, little girls are being raped. For 2021 I hope to increase the good and decrease the bad & the ugly. I hope I can continue my work as a humanitarian photographer and thus show that which the media neglects. What are your hopes for 2021? . . . #throwback #bye2020 #hello2021 #newyear #newchances #changes #thegoodthebadandtheugly #betterdays #betterdaysarecoming #refugees #refugeecrisis #refugeestories #refugeeswelcome #Leavenoonebehind #sosmoria #evacuatelesvos #vluchtelingen #nomorerefugees #children
‼️Refugee dumping forms new danger. It was a h ‼️Refugee dumping forms new danger. It was a headline of the United Press in 1938. In the same year was the first International meeting about the refugee crisis in Europe. The number of Jews trying to escape Nazi territory had exploded and shelters were urgently needed. Sounds familiar right? Well, it gets even more familiar. The arguments of Western European governments to refuse refugees from entering were: ❗️they want to take our jobs and houses, ❗️they threaten cohesion in society, ❗️these migrants do not have the same norms and values as us which will cause problems. Even then, most Western countries came up with great ingenuity excuses to keep the borders closed to refugees and migrants. 😒 "Keiner will sie haben." This is what the Nazi newspaper Völkischer Beobachter wrote triumphantly after the failure of the international conference on the "refugee crisis" in the French resort of Evian. In November the same year the November Pogrom (Kristallnacht) happened. Jewish homes, hospitals and schools were ransacked. 267 synagogues were destroyed, over 7.000 Jewish businesses were damaged or destroyed and 30.000 Jewish men were arrested and incarcerated in concentration camps. In 1951 the UN said “never again!” and the 1951 Refugee Convention was drawn. The core principle is non-refoulement, which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom. This is now considered a rule of customary international law. Or is it? 🤔 82 years after the first international meeting about a refugee crisis and we still do what we did then: closing our borders, stopping people from seeking refuge and finding excuses. @eucouncil what happened to the “never again” of 1951? . . . #Refugee #refugeeswelcome #refugeestories #jewishpeople #jew #holocaust #seekingrefuge #sosmoria #evacuatelesvos #leavenoonebehind #asylumseekers #asylum #europe #europeanunion #neveragain #vluchtelingen #refugees #refugeecrisis #pushbacks #europeanunion #euconvention #refugeeconvention #refugeeconvention1951 #future #past #throwback #change #bethechange
It’s 1899 when my grand grandfather was born in It’s 1899 when my grand grandfather was born in #Russia. His family had to flee and while searching safety they ended up in The Netherlands. Little did they know that the Netherlands was far from safe. It’s 1942 when his three sisters were taken to Auschwitz and killed immediately upon arrival. In 1944 his nephew was brought to camp #Westerbork (aged 15) where he stayed in barrack 35. A week later he was deported ‘Eastwards’ and killed somewhere in Mid Europe. My grand grandfather would never find out where. Another sister was brought to #Auschwitz in a train packed with people. For two days they were standing in the train without food, water and anything else. Upon arrival she was killed on the spot. My grand grandfather also had two brothers and would never find out where they ended up. Were they still alive or also killed? We still don’t know. A family ripped apart, broken, never to be whole again. My grand grandfather survived the #holocaust but he would never be the same. He married my grand grandmother in The Hague, gave birth to my grandmother, whom gave birth to my mother and here I am. Four generations and 82 years later but not much has changed. My family risked everything to find safety while being hunted by wolves. And there was no country that wanted to deal with the #Jewish refugees. At the Evian Conference in July 1938, only the Dominican Republic stated that it was prepared to admit significant numbers of refugees. 😤 Nobody wanted refugees then and nobody wants them now. This is where I come from, this is why I do what I do, this is why my blood boils when seeing and hearing the injustice done upon people who seek refuge. People who would never ever face the treacherous sea if there was another way. The story of my family is what drives me to show the wrong in this world, that refugees are people too and to bring about change. What drives you? Let me know 👇 . . . #Refugeecrisis #refugees #refugeeswelcome #leavenoonebehind #sosmoria #evacuatelesvos #jewishpeople #Europe #history #throwback #jewishlife #family #immigrants #asylumseekers #asylum #luck #refugeestories #vluchtelingen #photographer #documentaryphotographer #photojournalism
If the world spent 5% less on holidays every singl If the world spent 5% less on holidays every single year, we would be able to... 🍐 Solve the global food crisis 🏡 Give refugees in Europe a home 💰 Provide 92.8 million people with live saving aid in 33 countries 💧 Build 10 million wells to provide clean drinking water 👩‍🎓👨‍🎓 Provide education to 65 million children We spent an estimated 5 trillion on holidays ever year! According to The New York Times, the UN, the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the USA, all the above would be solved with 180 Billion Dollars. That's 3.6% of all we spent on holidays! I'm not saying; lets skip the holidays. But, let's make it a habit to give to people in need during the holidays. So, what are you spending your money on this year? . . . #Holiday #Christmas #Peace #Poverty #Money #Invest #Presents #Wecandowithalittleless #minimalism #minimalist #minimalistic #privilege #rich #poor #refugees #refugeecrisis #love #sharingiscaring #payitforward #giveaway #give #betterworld #bettertogether
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Copyright by Milene van Arendonk | 2020 - 2021