Supporting refugees

Helping refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) is one of the major humanitarian issues of the day. The world had to cope with more than 19.5 million refugees and around 38.2 million IDPs in 2014 alone. Issues relating to displaced people are notoriously difficult to resolve. It is estimated that more than 45 % of the world’s refugees and IDP are trapped in situations of displacement for five years or more.

New and unfolding crises are constantly adding to the tally. For example, in Syria about 11.6 million people have had to leave their permanent homes or are living as refugees in neighbouring countries.

EU funding for helping refugees and IDPs reflects the scale of the problem. In 2014, the EU committed more than EUR 854 million or some 71 % of its annual humanitarian aid budget across 33 countries to address this challenge.

When supporting IDPs, the EU’s first priority is to ensure that their basic needs – including food, water, medicine and shelter – are met promptly. There is also a strong emphasis on ensuring that refugees feel protected and secure, especially when returning home. Finally, the EU promotes self-reliance in a bid to reduce people’s dependency.