Photo: Peter Williams/WCC
Following the WCC/UN high level conference on the refugee crisis in europe, 18-19 January 2016, a statement has been issued calling for coordinated action. The statement has been issued jointly by the World Council of Churches (WCC); the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The full statement, entitled Europe’s Response to the Refuge Crisis, From Origin to Transit, Reception and Refuge, A Call for Shared Responsibility and Coordinated Action can be read on the WCC website.
Among the statements and calls for action are:
- Stronger collective engagement by the international community in seeking political solutions to conflict, violence, inequality and exclusion that are root causes of the current unprecedented global crisis of forced displacement.
- Alleviating the suffering of people affected by displacement is a shared responsibility, not only in Europe but also elsewhere.
- Better coordination and cooperation of Europe’s response to the refugee and migrant crisis. Implementing, strengthening and improving the common EU asylum system is urgently needed.
- These intentions to be translated into action, and for the voices and views of refugees and migrants to be heard and taken into account to the maximum extent possible.
Speeches from the conference are available to view online.
