Ranks of world’s refugees swell as asylum space shrinks: UN

More than 2 million people fleeing wars or persecution have joined the ranks of the world’s refugees this year, but often face more restrictive asylum policies, including in Europe and the United States, the top U.N. refugee official said on Monday.   

 They include 650,000 from South Sudan and 500,000 Muslim Rohingya who have escaped violence in Myanmar for Bangladesh over the past five weeks, many of the latter stateless, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said.    “So far in 2017, more than 2 million people have fled their countries as refugees,” Grandi told the UNHCR Executive Committee which opened a week-long meeting in Geneva.   

 “They often arrive sick, traumatised and hungry, in remote border locations, in communities affected by poverty and under development. Many have urgent protection needs children separated from their families, men, women, girls and boys exposed to sexual and gender-based violence,” he said.
GENEVA REUTERS Oct. 2