There are a lot of commonly held beliefs about refugees. Every week, global news outlets cover emerging and ongoing refugee crises, and images of families fleeing their homes persist on tv screens and social media platforms. But what is the true reality of people displaced by conflict and climate change? 

Every Pregnancy’s partners around the world are based in many of the communities most affected by displacement and deeply understand the impact that being forced to leave their homes has on families’ wellbeing—especially for mothers that give birth in these precarious circumstances. In recognition of World Refugee Day, which occurs every year on June 20, here is the truth behind three common misperceptions about refugee communities. 

Myth #1: Displacement only affects people from certain parts of the world; and those affected choose to leave their homes to seek a better life in a new country. 

• Truth: The number of refugees and displaced people globally is growing due to increased war and conflict and the impact of climate change. No one chooses to be a refugee, but anyone could become displaced at any moment. While communities in countries with ongoing conflicts, such as Sudan, Palestine, and the Democratic of Congo, represent a large proportion of refugees within the past year, tens of thousands of people have also been displaced in countries like the United States due to extreme weather events and natural disasters. There is a distinction between a refugee (someone who has been forced to leave the borders of their home country to seek safety) and an internally displaced person (someone forced to flee their home but are still within their country's borders); however, the needs and threats affecting both groups are often similar. In the past decade, the number of people that have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, insecurity, and violence has doubled, now eclipsing 120 million people – 50 million of which are children. (Hear from Salma, a 12-year old girl internally displaced in Gaza with a message about the challenges mothers and pregnant women are facing during the war) 

Myth #2: Refugees only need support while fleeing dangerous situations. 

• Truth: The best way to build resilience among refugee populations and ensure they can thrive is to support communities at risk before they have to flee, during their journey, and once they reach their new home. Since the factors that make people vulnerable to forced migration are well-known, it is possible to prepare in advance to support communities that have faced refugee crises previously or may be at risk. Every Pregnancy partners consistently work in these regions to understand communities’ unique needs. When a crisis strikes, they are able to mobilize quickly to provide culturally-informed care and essential resources on the ground in conflict and disaster zones and in the places where refugee mothers, children, and broader communities go to seek safety. When critical infrastructure fails to deliver vital medications, supplies and health services, they are there with proven interventions—including mobile clinics that provide pre-and post-natal care, nutrition and breastfeeding support, emergency surgical care, and more. While refugee mothers and children are especially vulnerable to injury, harm, and insecurity in the early days of a crisis, research shows that the negative effects of leaving one’s home can persist for years and across generations. Long-term care that prioritizes building trust and reaching refugee communities and asylum seekers where they are is critical. (Read about Ruma and her infant daughter who OBAT Helpers reached with lifesaving maternal and newborn health care in Bangladesh)

Myth #3: The crises affecting refugees are too great to effectively address preventable maternal and newborn mortality among these communities. 

• Truth: Expertise to address the needs of refugee populations has grown significantly over the past decade. Specialized care and guidance provided by international agencies like UNHCR and the Interagency Working Group on Reproductive Heath in Crises, as well as frontline, community-based organizations reaching the most-at-risk communities, are helping to mitigate the deadly effects of forced migration. (Learn about how doctors, midwives, and nurses are working with MedGlobal to support internally displaced mothers in Gaza). But, more investment in and commitment to these efforts is needed. Because refugee crises can and do affect all countries and communities around the world, there is a role that every single person can play to mitigate their effects on vulnerable populations, starting in their local communities—including by promoting inclusivity and acceptance of people forced to leave their homes, facilitating integration and care, and supporting organizations working on the ground to reach refugees and internally displaced people.  

The partners of Every Pregnancy are working to create a world in which every pregnancy is safe—no matter the circumstances. Join us in recognizing the fundamental human right of every mother, every child, and every person to home and to safety. Sign the pledge to support refugee communities today to ensure lifesaving maternal and newborn health care can reach those who need it most. Together, we can create a world where every family is safe, valued, and given the chance to thrive.