CAFOD’s work with refugees: an update for children In our assembly/class today we will be finding out about the refugees crisis and how CAFOD is working with its partners to support refugees. Begin by discussing what we mean by a refugee The UN Refugee Agency describes refugees as people who have had to move in order to save their lives or preserve their freedom. They have no protection from their own country. In addition to refugees, some people have to leave their homes to find safety but do not cross a border and leave the country. (These people are known as internally displaced people.) Extra information: While they may have fled for similar reasons as refugees, IDPs stay within their own country and remain under the protection of its government, even if that government is the reason for their displacement. As a result, these people are among the most vulnerable in the world. Source: unhcr.org/uk/internally-displaced-people.html. Accessed 5.10.16 Photo credit: Refugees queuing for the ferry boat to Athens. Ben White/CAFOD

Today we will learn about… Syria Refugee crisis in Europe And how CAFOD is responding

What is happening in Syria? There has been a civil war in Syria since 15 March, 2011. This has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. More than half the country’s pre-war population are in need of urgent humanitarian aid – food, water, shelter and protection. Available from: cafod.org.uk/News/Emergencies-news/Syria-Q-A. Accessed 5.10.16 What is happening in Syria?

The situation in Syria now Before the conflict, Syria had around 22 million citizens. Now it has around 16.6 million citizens because millions have had to leave and some have been killed. Many people have also had to move within Syria to find somewhere safer to live. Syria Sources: Before the conflict, Syria had around 22 million citizens now it has around 16.6 million citizens. Available from: economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/09/daily-chart-18. Accessed 28.9.16 4.8 million refugees and 8.7 internally displaced people. Available from: unhcr.org/uk/syria-emergency.html. Accessed 28.9.16 More than 300, 000 have been killed. Available from: bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37346656. Accessed 19.10.16 Picture credit: DMaps

Where are Syrian refugees? Most have stayed close to Syria: Turkey: 2.7 million Lebanon: 1 million Jordan: 656, 400 Around 1.2 million Syrians have registered in Europe. Sources: Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. Available from: http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php. Accessed 12.10.16 Some have travelled to Europe. More than one million people arrived in Europe by sea in 2015, more than four times the previous year. About half of them came from Syria. UNHCR, Global Trends 2015, page 6. Available from: unhcr.org/uk/statistics/unhcrstats/576408cd7/unhcr-global-trends-2015.html. Accessed 28.9.16 1.2 million Syrians have registered for asylum in Europe between April 2011 and August 2016. Available from: data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php Picture credit: data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php

How is CAFOD supporting Syrians? CAFOD is supporting Syrian refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan Turkey and Iraq with: food, relief supplies and safe places to stay. CAFOD has been working with partners in Syria since early 2012, ensuring that people affected by the crisis have food, relief supplies and safe places to stay. We are supporting Syrian refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan Turkey and Iraq. Photo credit: CAFOD/Tabitha Ross

What is happening in Europe? Turkey Italy Serbia Syria The refugee crisis in Europe. Picture credit: DMaps Greece Iraq Libya

Many landed on Greek islands. Many people are fleeing from conflict in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere, taking dangerous journeys by sea to Europe. Sources: More than one million refugees and migrants risked their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe during 2015. More than half came from Syria. 2 UNHCR, Global Trends 2015, page 6. Available from: unhcr.org/uk/statistics/unhcrstats/576408cd7/unhcr-global-trends-2015.html. Accessed 28.9.16 3,654 have died crossing the Mediterranean so far. Available from: data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php. Accessed 19.10.16 318,280 have reached Europe by sea in 2016 so far. Available from: data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php. Accessed 19.10.16 Photo credit: Refugees approaching the shore in Greece from Turkey. CAFOD/Ben White Many landed on Greek islands.

The islands are still trying to build shelters that can cope with the influx of people. Picture credit: Caritas Internationalis/Arie Kievit Cordaid Tents where refugees stay in Lesbos in Greece, after arriving from Turkey.

Men receiving mats and sleeping bags. Picture credit: Men receiving mats and sleeping bags in Lesbos, Greece. Caritas Internationalis/Arie Kievit Cordaid. Men receiving mats and sleeping bags.

Many refugees are from Syria but others are fleeing from countries such as Afghanistan. This student from Afghanistan helped Caritas with translation. When offered a sleeping bag to say thank you, he refused to accept it as other people needed it more than he did. Picture credit: CAFOD

Many refugees make their way through Europe. Several European countries have put greater controls on their borders. This has led to many people becoming stranded in terrible conditions on the borders of countries. Picture credit: Refugees in Greece waiting to board a train to Serbia. Caritas Greece/Matthieu Alexandre

How is CAFOD responding to the Refugee crisis in Europe? Greece Providing food, water, shelter, weather-proof and warm clothing and sleeping bags to thousands of refugees. Serbia Supporting partners’ work with refugees, with grants totalling £310,000. Greece Providing basic chemical toilets and shower facilities at Idomeni. Providing food for refugees anxiously waiting for the next stage of their onward journey, in Athens. CAFOD is a member of Caritas Internationalis - a confederation of Catholic aid agencies across the globe. Our European sister agencies in the Caritas network are on the frontline providing vital aid to refugees in almost every country in Europe. Extra information: CAFOD is directly supporting partners in: Greece – Caritas Greece (Caritas Hellas) have been providing food, water, shelter, weather-proof and warm clothing and sleeping bags to thousands of refugees. In March 2016 CAFOD pledged £100,000 to Caritas Hellas to support them installing basic chemical toilets and shower facilities at Idomeni. In Athens at Piraeus Port, Caritas Hellas reached more refugees by providing food for people who were anxiously waiting the next stage on their onward journey. Serbia – CAFOD have supported partners Caritas Hellas and Caritas Serbia with grants totalling £310,000. Source: Available from: cafod.org.uk/News/International-news/Refugee-crisis-Q-A. Accessed 6.10.16 Picture credit: DMaps

#refugeeswelcome Love your neighbour Jesus, friend and brother, You know what it is like to be hungry and thirsty.   You know what it feels like to be a stranger who is made unwelcome. You know the suffering of all who have lost everything. We pray that by welcoming refugees we may show love for our neighbour and be closer to you. Amen. Tony Singleton/CAFOD #refugeeswelcome Photo credit: CAFOD/Ben White