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December 14th, 1950.
60 years ago, an organization for the world's refugees was born.
Approved by the UN General Assembly,
UNHCR was originally created to address the post World War II refugee situation in Europe.
But its work quickly expanded.
By 1956 it was facing its first major international refugee emergency,
when Soviet troops crushed the Hungarian revolution.
In the 1960's the decolonization of Africa triggered one refugee crisis after another.
Most needing UNHCR intervention.
Over the following two decades wars and conflicts saw UNHCR's work spread across the world.
In the 1990's the care of internally displaced people and asylum seekers was added to its responsibilities.
Today, the global population of people in need stands at 43 million-
most of them under UNHCR's duty of care.
Antonio Guterres, High Commissioner for Refugees,
recently returned from a trip to Somalia,
says that the 21st Century refugee problems are particularly complex.
"UNHCR traditionally was supporting refugees,
people that would cross the border because of conflict or persecution.
But now we see that more and more people are crossing borders
because of extreme poverty, because of the impact of climate change,
because of the interracial conflict.
So now there are new patterns of forced displacement,
and the international community needs to be able to tackle those challenges."
History has recorded some successes for UNHCR. The rescue of the Vietnamese boat people,
the return of Kosovar refugees to their homeland,
the resettlement of thousands of Iraqis, two Nobel peace prizes.
For millions, UNHCR has been a lifeline.
"The actions of UNHCR has represented, for many people, life instead of death,
home instead of total deprivation,
health instead of a disease that can even represent the risk to die,
protection against the most dramatic violations of human rights."
However, protracted wars in Somalia and Afghanistan,
conflicts in Darfur and Columbia, and Yemen, to name a few,
leave millions waiting for some kind of peace.
"Unfortunately the root causes of conflict and displacement are not being eliminated
and the next few years will be as challenging as the past."
UNHCR plans to use its anniversary year
to continue bringing attention to the plight of refugees and internally displaced people.
But also, to tackle the world's new
and fastest evolving displacement and statelessness problems.
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