Missing Out - Refugee Education in Crisis
Today, there are 16.1 million refugees worldwide under UNHCR’s mandate. More than half are children, and six million are of primary and secondary school-going age. The average length of time a refugee spends in exile is about 20 years.
Twenty years is more than an entire childhood, and represents a significant portion of a person’s productive working years. Given this sobering picture, it is critical that we think beyond a refugee’s basic survival. Refugees have skills, ideas, hopes and dreams. They face huge risks and challenges, but – as we saw exemplified in the inspiring achievements of the Refugee Olympic Team – they are also tough, resilient and creative, with the energy and drive to shape their own destinies, given the chance.