June 2024 – Every year on 20 June, World Refugee Day is commemorated. In a statement from Public Services International (PSI), the global union federation of workers in public services says it stands in solidarity with all refugees around the world in defending their safety, dignity and human rights.
120 million is the current total number of people across the globe who have been forcibly displaced by the tragedies of wars, ongoing conflicts and violence, based on the report by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Forced displacement has consistently increased at unprecedented levels for the last 12 years. Countries like Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Haiti, Honduras and Ukraine, to name a few, have seen tens of millions uprooted from their homes due to vicious fighting, persecution and generalised violence.
PSI Secretary General Daniel Bertossa says: “PSI unions are standing up for refugee rights. We defend human rights and access to quality public services for all. Together, we remain at the forefront of building democratic, peaceful and equitable societies.”