This document discusses refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). It defines a refugee as someone outside their country of nationality due to fear of persecution. There are currently 11.5 million refugees worldwide. IDPs are unable to leave their country but cannot access protection services. There are 25 million IDPs facing an uncertain future. Canada accepts around 25,000 refugees per year and the US accepts around 75,000. Emerging issues impacting refugees include increasing populations, conflicts over land and resources, poverty, and tensions leading to more displacement as less developed countries become reluctant to accept refugees. Forced displacement can perpetuate political instability.
2. Refugees & IDPs Refugee “.. A person who is outside the country of his[/her] nationality…because he[/she] has or had well-founded fear of persecution…and is unable or, because of such fear, is unwilling to avail him[her]self of the protection of the government of the country of his [her] nationality 11.5 million 2
3. Refugees & IDPs IDPs – Internally Displaced Persons are unable to leave their country of nationality and typically cannot avail themselves of the services of international agencies for protection and assistance They face an uncertain future 25 million 3
4. Refugees & IDPs Canada & US have long histories of accepting refugees Canada = about 25,000 per year US = about 75,000 per year 4
10. Refugees & IDPs Emerging issues After September 11 MDCs are revisiting refugee policies Increasing world population growth Conflict Ideology Land Resources 10
11. Refugees & IDPs Emerging issues Poverty Tensions Violence Potential for political instability More displaced persons LDCs reluctant to take refugees Implications Economic Political Social MDCs won’t take more 11
12. Refugees & IDPs Emerging issues Forced displacement of people can perpetuate political instability 12
14. Internal Migration Rural to urban Manifest destiny in the US Westward movement in Brazil Northwestward movement in Canada Northward movement in Australia 14
15. Internal Migration US http://pewsocialtrends.org/maps/migration/ Pew Center has Interactive Maps – Link is also in Module 6 right up top. Westward and coastward South and Southwest Sunbelt Rural Renaissance Counter urbanization 1970s 15
16. Rural to Urban Migration Drives urbanization Urbanization An increase in the number of urban dwellers An increase in the % of urban dwellers 16
17. Percent Urban Population Percent of the population living in urban areas is usually higher in MDCs than in LDCs. 17
18. Large Cities Cities with 2 million or more people. Most of the largest cities are now in LDCs. 18
22. Percent Urban by Region Although under half of the people in most less developed regions are urban, Latin America and the Middle East have urban percentages comparable to MDCs. 22
![Refugees & IDPs Refugee “.. A person who is outside the country of his[/her] nationality…because he[/she] has or had well-founded fear of persecution…and is unable or, because of such fear, is unwilling to avail him[her]self of the protection of the government of the country of his [her] nationality 11.5 million 2](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)