World Refugee Day focuses on the rights and courage of refugees, and encourages the development of political will and resources to ensure that refugees can live full and prosperous lives in the places they now call home. This year’s theme is ‘Until everyone is safe’, with the UNHCR committing to stand with refugees until the right to safety has been achieved for all.
World Refugee Day also coincides with Refugee Week – find a list of local Refugee Week events.
This year also marks the millionth refugee arriving in Australia since the end of World War II. Despite this milestone, Australia is yet to fully reckon with the human rights abuses it has committed, and continues to commit, against refugees and asylum seekers. These abuses have occurred since at least 1992, when the government introduced mandatory detention for asylum seekers. Read more about how mandatory detention breaches international law.
As such, some groups that advocate for refugees, including RISE: Refugees, Survivors and eX-detainees, call for a boycott of World Refugee Day and Refugee Week.
SUPRA supports the rights of refugees to seek asylum and to organise in a self-determined manner.
Consider supporting a group that advocates for refugees in Australia:
- RISE: advocacy and activism by and for refugees, survivors and eX-detainees
- Asylum Seeker Resource Centre: support and advocacy for people seeking asylum
- Refugee Advice and Casework Service: legal and casework service for refugees and asylum seekers.
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