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 Just Act! Youth Conference
 About the ICC
 Canada and the ICC
 What is the ICC
 How it Works
 How it Relates to Youth
 Issues
 Laying the Foundation
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About the ICC

Issues

Child Rights | Child Soldiers | Conflict Diamonds | Economic Sanctions | Human Rights | Land Mines | Refugees and Internationally Displaced Persons | Terrorism

Refugees and Internationally Displaced Persons

The Facts:

  • A refugee is a person who has fled or been expelled from their country of origin because of a natural disaster, military occupation, war or the fear of persecution on the basis of religion, political belief or race.
  • An Internally Displaced Person (IDP) is a person who has been displaced within the borders of his/her country of origin due to armed conflict, human rights violations or the fear of persecution on the basis of religion, political belief or race.
  • It is estimated that in December 2001 over 25 million people were internally displaced in 47 countries.
  • The continent with the greatest number of IDPs is Africa. It is estimated that 4 million people have been displaced in both Angola and Sudan. There are also over 2 million IDPs in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • The country with the largest number of IDPs in the Americas is Colombia, which has over 2 million.
  • The part of the world with the most refugees is Southwest Asia. During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979-1989), over 5 million Afghans took refuge in Pakistan and Iran.
  • The break-up of Yugoslavia (1991-1992) caused approximately 4 million people to become refugees by 1994.
  • Refugees are required to follow the laws of the country in which they have taken refuge.
  • The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is the wing of the United Nations that is responsible for the protection of refugees.

What Can You Do?

  • Start a project through No War Zone to raise awareness in your community about refugees and Internally Displaced Persons visit No War Zone- Projects.
  • Provide support for non-governmental organizations that support refugees by volunteering or making a donation.

Find Out More:



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