- Forced migration is when someone is forced to move due to war or famine.
Case Study: Syria
Causes of this forced migration:
- Since 2011, a civil war has raged in Syria. To date, over 250,000 people have died.
- Over the past six years, more than 4.8 million people have fled Syria for the relative safety of temporary camps in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.
- These people have no jobs and very little hope of a better life.
Consequences of this forced migration:
- Thousands of Syrians have made extremely dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea, cramped into overcrowded and unsafe boats, to get away from the war. Sadly, many of these boats have sunk, with many lives lost.
- Around 10% of Syrian refugees have sought safety by travelling to Europe. This has caused conflict among European governments over the number of refugees each country can take in.
According to United Nations, more than half of all Syrian refugees, about 2.5 million, are under 18. Most have been out of school for months, even years for some.