People on the Move

Disaster hits, like the earthquakes in Haiti or Chile, and people are suddenly forced to flee their homes in order to be safe and secure.
Armed conflict rages through a country and entire communities find themselves on the move to escape the violence.

These are but two classic examples of what causes people to become forcibly uprooted, cut off from their livelihoods and communities, making them utterly vulnerable without access to the most basic necessities of life such as food, water, shelter, education, etc.

On December 18, 2009 the UN will observe International Migrants Day, a day to renew commitments already made and to celebrate what has been achieved. Most important, it is a day to focus our attention and draw strength for the vast amount that remains to be done. 

A recent policy paper by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is entitled Climate change, natural disasters and human displacement: a UNHCR perspective (final version 23 October 2008). This interesting 12-page paper looks at the human side of climate change, particularly the status and protection needs of those who are most directly affected, stating: