UN appeals for $500 million for two million refugees

The United Nations Refugee Agency has warned Wednesday that millions of refugees all over the world are at risk of homelessness if humanitarian organisations do not receive more funding, calling on actors in the private sector to assist.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR has launched a campaign entitled ‘Nobody Left Outside’ calling on the private sector to contribute more to the UN organization’s needs.

According to the campaign, the UN agency needs $500 million to help shelter some two million refugees by 2018.

The agency said in a statement that The Nobody Left Outside campaign is aimed at individuals, companies, foundations and philanthropists worldwide.

“The private sector has contributed by only 8 per cent of UNHCR funding in 2015”, the statement said.

“Shelter is the foundation stone for refugees to survive and recover, and should be considered a non-negotiable human right,” the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi said in a press release issued by his office.

“As we tackle worldwide displacement on a level not seen since World War II, no refugee should be left outside,” he added.

According to the UN, there are some 60 million displaced people all over the world; 20 million of them are refugees.

The UNHCR purchases 70,000 tents and more than two million covers annually to help them as well as helps them find housing and pay their rent in towns and villages near conflict zones.

The commission needs a total of $724 million to secure the refugees needs in 2016, but it has only $158 million.