World Changing Response # 6 - Refugees (Steffen 203-210)

A refugee, a person forced to leave their home in order to flee from violence or disaster, can be caused by many reasons There is a growing amount of “environmental refugees,” people who are forced to leave due to environmental degradation. Human activity of deforestation, soil erosion, and overpopulation has been changing the climate. The climate changes cause drought, floods, rising seas, and worsening storms affecting those living in their crop or coastal areas.
There are also “internal refugees” due to natural disasters of socio-political conflict. The United Nations outlined the human rights of refugees in the 1951 Refugee Convention: those fleeing violence have the right to asylum and protection in other countries until the person feels safe enough to go back. However, the treaty does not include “economical” refugees even if poverty is life threatening

While stopping the conflicts that cause refugees is important, treating and rehabilitating the current refugees is also vital. Aid workers, United Nation’s blue hats, and Doctors with out Borders work to bring people back in touch with their lives. Inventing better refugee camps that deal with issues of overcrowding, hygiene, adequate shelter, clothes, food, and supplies is in dire need. Products like LifeStraw filter bacteria which cause diarrhea, typhoid, and cholera are a step in the right direction. Plumpy’nut was developed to help fight malnutrition, it can be eaten right from the package with out mixing with clean water like the previously used milk powder (Steffen 203-210).

Steffen, Alex. World Changing: A User’s Guide For The 21st Century. New York: Abrams, 2008.