Refugee crisis looms large over UN’s 70 anniversary

Refugee and Migrant Crisis

Greece MigrantsMigrants and refugees arrive on a dinghy from a Turkish coast to the northeastern Greek island of Lesbos, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios)

As the United Nations marked its 70th anniversary, Europe still faces its worst refugee crisis since the end of World War II.

Experts said the crisis is one of the toughest tests the U.N. has ever faced, and Turkey is a key partner in managing the crisis – currently hosting more than 2.5 million refugees.

CCTV America’s Michal Bardavid joined us live from Istanbul with more.

 


What the UNHCR is doing

As the massive wave of migrants, many of them refugees from Syria, continue to hit southern Europe, the continent is groping for answers to its worst refugee crisis since WWII. The UNHCR is on the ground doing what they can for the homeless and desperate tide of humanity.

The UNHCR’s work extends from helping people on the ground to facilitating their resettlement in new countries.

When the United Nations General Assembly first set up the UNHCR in 1950, it was given a three-year mandate. However, it was quickly understood that their work would be timeless.

At the start of 2014 the UNHCR estimated that more than 51 million people were uprooted worldwide, a number that grows annually.

Since its inception in 1950 the UNHCR has grown into an internationally recognized and respected organization employing more than 9,300 staff with a budget of $7 billion. Yet the services and care they provide people at their most desperate time is priceless.

CCTV America’s Natalie Carney reports.

Follow Natalie Carney on Twitter @NatalieCarney77