World Refugee Day, marked annually on 20 June, honours the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. It was held globally for the first time in 2001, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
The theme this year is Solidarity with refugees. As our sister agency UHCR reminds us, solidarity means honouring refugees not just with words but with actions. It means defending their right to seek safety, and ensuring they have opportunities to thrive in the communities that have welcomed them.
By mid-2024 the global refugee population surged to 37.9 million, with the majority hosted by neighbouring countries. In our region, Bangladesh hosts one of the most densely populated refugee concentrations globally and ranks among the top 10 refugee hosting countries worldwide. Other countries like India and Thailand experience notable refugee influxes from both within and beyond the Region, hosting them for decades.
The second pillar of our Regional Roadmap for Results and Resilience calls for investment in vulnerable populations. It is self-evident that very few population groups are as vulnerable as refugees. At every stage of their journey, they face unimaginable hardships. This is compounded by multiple health challenges, including mental health issues, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and access to essential healthcare services.
WHO supports Bangladesh's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to ensure and expand access to essential services, improving early warning systems, and ensuring that the health needs of both refugees and the host community are effectively addressed.
In Cox's Bazar, health interventions focus on gender-responsive care, integrating mental health into primary healthcare, enhancing disease surveillance, and strengthening immunization efforts. Initiatives like mhGAP integrate mental health into primary care, while laboratory and facility based disease surveillance enables early outbreak detection and response. Mass vaccination campaigns have curbed the spread of diseases like measles, cholera, and polio.
At a regional level, focus continues to be on partnerships addressing refugee health needs, enhancing regional cooperation, and ensure access to essential health services. As the Global Health Cluster lead, WHO works closely with all stakeholders including Member States, partners and communities to ensure essential health services are provided to the affected populations.
The Rabat Declaration (2023), aligned to the Global Compact on Refugees and the WHO Global Action Plan on Promoting the Health of Refugees and Migrants 2019-2030, also emphasizes refugee health rights. In our region, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Thailand are among the forty-nine signatories, pledging to enhance refugee health, tackle root causes, and integrate health into national policies.
I have often said that while global public health often gets reduced to statistics, the work we do - and our impact - is profoundly human. History has shown us that refugees have become notable scientists and inventors, diplomats and public servants, writers, musicians and more. They are the essence of achievement and triumph - if only given a chance. It is the deeply human spirit of public health that we honour when we extend our skills and expertise to help them not just survive but thrive.
On World Refugee Day 2025, may we dedicate ourselves to protecting and promoting the health and wellbeing of refugees and their host communities alike. Let us commit to a solidarity that is not passive - a solidarity that is active and compassionate, and leaves no one behind.