Greater joint efforts and international co-operation are crucial to safeguard the protection of refugees guaranteed in international law, with the challenges displacement and migration pose both unique and fundamental to our common future, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on today’s World Refugee Day.
“Refugee protection is our shared responsibility. And closer international co-operation is vital to protect human lives and ensure the right to seek asylum is respected,” said ODIHR Director Maria Telalian. “States must uphold the legal obligation to protect those fleeing conflict, persecution, and violence. Despite the challenges, we must work together to find sustainable solutions that respect the human rights of every individual.”
Forced displacement has doubled over the past decade, with more than 122 million people displaced worldwide in mid-2024. Within the OSCE region alone, there were almost 25 million people forcibly displaced or stateless. Everyone has the right to seek safety in another country, no matter where they come from or who they are. All OSCE participating States must uphold this right as well as the principle of non-refoulement, which is the obligation not to return anyone to a country where they may face persecution or worse. At the same time, a safe and supportive environment is needed for human rights defenders working to help refugees and displaced people.
ODIHR supports countries across the OSCE region to ensure the human rights of people crossing borders is respected and to uphold the right to seek asylum. The Office’s work in this area includes targeted publications as well as events to foster international co-operation on refugee issues. This year’s courses include training for National Human Rights Institutions on human rights at borders, and a series of training courses for local authorities on good practices in migrant and refugee integration.
All OSCE participating States have committed “to respect the right to seek asylum and to ensure the international protection of refugees” and to promote the “dignified treatment of all individuals wanting to cross borders”.
