While every refugee's story is different and their anguish personal, they all share a common thread of uncommon courage – the courage not only to survive, but to persevere and rebuild their shattered lives.
			Antonio Guterres, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, 2005

Conflict, climate change, poverty and natural disaster forces millions of people each year to become refugees or internally displaced people. Without a home, or unable to support themselves they are forced to live in sprawling, overcrowded camps which can become their home for years. Joining up can be a means of survival.

Caritas Australia works to support refugees and internally displaced people around the world, from Nepal, to Sudan and Thailand.

Fact 1: Article 1 of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees defines a refugee as “A person owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country”.

Fact 2: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees 2007 report found that the number of refugees and internally displaced peoples rose by 2.5 million to an unprecedented 25.1 million people.

Get to know a refugee from your community.

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