The Refugee Crisis In The Arab World

The international world has been facing refugee crises since the late 1700s, but it was not until 2011 that the Syrian government was responsible for the displacement of millions. There are refugees throughout the globe, but those in the Arab world are placed at a greater disadvantage because they do not receive significant media coverage. The refugee crisis in the Arab world is a significant issue that must receive the attention it deserves. The Middle East is typically associated with conflict and turmoil. The region has undergone war, political unrest, religious persecution, ethnic violence, poverty, occupation, and more. As a result, out of the 60 million people that are displaced worldwide, 40 percent originate from the Arab region. Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are just a few of the countries that have hundreds of thousands of refugees searching for a better quality of life. Countries in the Arab world that cannot sustain their people, let alone refugees, struggle for stability and security.

The refugee crisis in the Arab world goes beyond domestic borders, as the destabilizing effects of the mass displacement of people lead to increasing socio-economic, political, cultural, and environmental burdens on other Arab countries and nation-states worldwide. World Bank data shows that there are over nine million refugees originating from Arab regions for 2021, with over two million from the West Bank and Gaza, over three million from Jordan, and over six million from Syria. In Lebanon, one in five people are refugees. This mass mobilization in the Arab world is a rather recent phenomenon in comparison to other refugee crises. For instance, millions of Syrians forcibly displaced have faced the fact that their chances of returning home are dire, as the decade-long ongoing conflict in their country worsens. 

Where is the assistance? Host countries respond to the crises with policies that force refugees back to their countries of origin. Strict laws and policies make it less favorable and more difficult for refugees to seek assistance from the Western world. The top refugee-hosting nations are Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, but these countries have faced instability and conflict themselves. Containing conflict is difficult because it affects regions and can ruin diplomatic relationships between countries. Most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically worsened the situation of the refugee crisis. Overcrowding, higher poverty rates, sickness, and death struck refugee camps and host countries. It became harder to receive humanitarian assistance from Western countries as they struggled to survive the adverse effects of the pandemic. This pandemic resulted in a lower quality of life and an overall increase in refugees. 

Many refugees want to return home, but their rights are in jeopardy. Their access to social services like education and healthcare is low. Women are now migrating on their own, with an added risk of danger and vulnerability to exploitation. It is easy to ignore this crisis when it is happening thousands of miles away. But this crisis is a real issue with real people who have lost their lives. 

The refugee crisis in the Arab world deserves more money, more resources, and more attention from the international world. Directing a stronger media focus on refugees from this region is crucial. While the Syrian refugee crisis was receiving an influx of media attention when it first began, it is still an ongoing situation that reporting has forgotten about. The media is associated with resources and donors who can help Middle Eastern countries improve their infrastructure and policies regarding refugees. By assisting the origin in countries with the original conflict and addressing the root of the problem, resources will be directed to the crises. 

Policies need to focus on stronger resettlement and integration programs. It is necessary to hire refugees and help with their legal status while they are in their host countries. Providing refugees with opportunities for further assistance if they decide to return to their homes when it is safe to do so is imperative. Long-term rehabilitation is crucial to help the individual lives put at risk from refugee crises. 

The far right argues that significant security concerns are associated with refugees and immigrants, which is a reason to limit refugee flow. The host country can experience a depletion of resources from refugees and have limited to no capacity to support its nationals. Closing borders also closes the flow of goods, hurting the country economically. It also leads displaced populations to take illegal measures to escape their countries of origin. Many would rather suffer the peril of relocating than stay in their home country. When governments do not accept refugees, the situation becomes dangerous for all parties involved. 

In comparison to refugees from other regions, why does the world turn more of a blind eye towards refugees in the Arab world? Millions are suffering due to the crisis, and the region needs assistance. The problem will only worsen if attention changes trajectory away from this matter. Our responsibility is to help bring awareness and focus to this issue by increasing global humanitarian aid and assistance. These are human beings who are in unsafe situations. Arab countries need to help their own people, but it is the responsibility of the rest of the world to help them as well. 

Author: Yuval Cohen

Managing Editor: Sebastian Reyes

Web Editor: Douglas Chen-Young