Global Migration: Dignity & Rights
People have always been on the move. But today is different.
Violence and persecution have forced people to leave their homes in record numbers. Nearly 80 million people are in this situation. More and more people are facing homelessness because of disasters. Climate change continues to add new challenges and strain.
CWS has been focusing on protecting migrants and refugees since our founding in 1946. This plays out in three ways:
First, we work to address the root factors that compel people to leave home. We advocate for urgent responses to the climate crisis, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our goal is that people can choose to migrate rather than be forced to leave out of desperation.
Second, we meet the needs of people once they are on the move. This is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. We've joined allies from around the world to call on governments to protect migrants and refugees during the pandemic.
Third, we amplify the voices of people on the move. Their experiences are a guiding light in ensuring that our programs are effective.
An Oasis in the Desert
Can you imagine being 15 and being dropped off in Cairo, a city of 25 million people where you can’t speak the language, you don’t have shelter, you don’t have food, and you don’t know how to survive?
This isn’t a hypothetical question. This happens regularly, and with your help, we can be there to welcome our new neighbors when it does.
Latest Updates
“I only dream about living without shame and without fear.”
This story was written by Irena Abdelalem Abdelmaksoud, a protection officer who specializes in working with unaccompanied children at CWS partner Info Park in Belgrade, Serbia. All comments are the opinions of the author or speaker. Yousef* is a 26-year-old who comes from Lattakia, Syria. He was a teenager when the Syrian war started. He said that at that time …
Migrant centers in Bosnia: the situation is untenable
Note: This article was originally published in a newsletter by ACT Alliance. It is republished with their permission. ———————————————- Bosnia saw a spike in new migrant and refugee arrivals in 2018. However, in 2020 the situation has escalated. Many migrants, including children, have been forced to live in outside makeshift settlements facing the harsh winter. Jovana Savic, CWS’s Regional Coordinator …
Latin American Local Faith Community Responses to Venezuelan Migration
As of June 2020, Venezuela ranks as the second-largest displacement crisis in the world, with an estimated 5.1 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants worldwide. The scale of displacement has been “unprecedented […] in magnitude and speed” in Latin America, and will only be further complicated by the global pandemic. While much attention has been paid to UN and international NGO …