Imagine being forced to flee your country in order to escape to safety. If you were lucky you had time to pack a bag. If not, you simply dropped everything and ran.

Refugees are people fleeing conflict or persecution. They are defined and protected in international law, and must not be expelled or returned to situations where their life and freedom are at risk. At UNHCR, we have been assisting them for over half a century.

Life as a refugee can be difficult to imagine. But, for 26 million people around the world, it is a terrifying reality.

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