United Nations and the Plight of Refugees
The refugee crisis is one of the major problems facing the world today. The international community at crossroads as the situation continues to worsen day and night. The number of Refugees seeking food and shelter is soaring as more and more people flee their countries and homes to avoid conflict or persecution. By 2016, more than 65 million people had been displaced from their home country (Betts, Loescher, & Milner, 2013) . Almost 23 million refugees are people under the age of 18 years. Refugee crisis results in problems that go against the basic principles of human rights. Some of the issues faced by refugees include limited access to human rights such as education, healthcare and employment problems and infringement of freedom of movement.
Various non-governmental organizations have come out to help address the plight of refugees seeking asylum in foreign lands. The United Nations (UN) refugee agency, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), is one such organization that strives to solve the refugee problem. I believe that the crisis can be solved when all nations cooperate with one another to maintain world peace and order. However, it has been a tough fete for the international community to keep peace and order as some countries face civil disputes and war.
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Since its establishment on December 14, 1950, the UNHCR has helped in the displacement of refugee crises in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. The sad fact is that the refugee problem is far from ending as new wars have been witnessed in some countries all over the world. Wars in countries such as Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria have continued to worsen the problem ( Berti, 2015). People can also get internally displaced by natural climatic occurrences and disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes.
The refugee problem is a humanitarian issue, and the UNHCR should not be left to bear the burden on its own. It is a problem that can be addressed if we combine our humanitarian efforts. Traumatic experiences and torturous conditions refugees pass through leave with permanent emotional scars that become difficult to shade off. I have been closely following world news on refugees, especially those of war-ravaged countries. Innocent people are losing lives. I always find myself shading tears when I listen to the stories refugee parents and their children tell on the torturous experiences they had to endure for them to flee their dangerous countries successfully. I fail to understand what refugees did or what heinous crime they committed to be subjected to such inhuman treatment. What bothers me most is what drives a person to the verge of harming and torturing another person. Every individual has a right to live, and anyone who denies others of this right should be whisked away and placed under permanent solitary confinement.
Countries should open their borders to those seeking food and shelter. I would be more than glad when states agree to share the burden of refugees equally. I am however disappointed because some countries have formulated stricter policies on immigration that prevent refugees from entering their borders. I know that refugees can bring problems like insecurity or even carry transmittable diseases to host nations. States can come up with health and security policies that will ensure that will shield them from any security or health problem instead of denying entry to those seeking asylum (Betts, Loescher, & Milner, 2013) .
Filippo Grandi, the new United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, acknowledged that addressing the plight of refugees is one of the redefining challenges of our time. Grandi described the refugee crises as a challenge that rested on the engagement and determination of states. He further told the Third Committee that building peace has become difficult. Challenges to create lasting peace include the deliberate crossing of moral and legal boundaries embedded in international humanitarian law. Impunity on international humanitarian law has led to a worsened refugee condition. For example, the war in Syria which is in its sixth year and with no hope of ending soon has made more than 11 million Syrians to be displaced, causing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis (Berti, 2015) . Mr. Grandi suggested voluntary repatriation and state collaboration as a desirable solution towards solving the refugee problem.
Right to life, liberty, and Personal Security
I agree that the right to life is the most fundamental of all rights. All other rights can only be operational when there is a pre-existing life. Other rights serve the purpose of adding utility to existing life. The International human rights law recognizes the right to life, and it states that every human being has the inherent right to live and his/her life should not be deliberately ended by another human being (Schabas, 2014) . The right to life does not, however, mean that a person has the right to die. The right to life can, however, infringed by following a procedure established by law.
Some countries have death penalties, which is given to people who have committed capital offenses. Examples of crimes that can attract the death penalty include the crime of genocide or sedition. Debates have been held by human activist groups protesting against the death penalty. People below eighteen years of age and pregnant women are the only parties exempted from ever facing a death penalty (King, 2013) . Arguments are based on the fact that the state has the responsibility to take appropriate measures to safeguard a life by making laws to protect a person. I positively agree that the laws infringing this right should be scrapped out of the constitution. God is the giver of life, and not even the state has the moral authority to take away life.
Debates surrounding the right have been ongoing as people try to seek clarification and more interpretation of its meaning. Some argue that a person should be granted a wish to take their own life in unique instances and occasions using euthanasia. For instance, in a case when an individual is suffering from a degenerative incurable and painful disease. Euthanasia requires the contribution of a third party like a doctor or assistance of a public authority (Schabas, 2014) . I am against the use of euthanasia as it gives a person the right to choose death rather than life. Clinical officers should use measures that relieve the sick from their pain, and they should not give them an alternative way to end their life.
Debates on abortion have crowded our media and the blogosphere. Some women activists argue that they have the right to choose to carry a child to full term or to abort. Women say that they are in charge of their bodies hence have the moral authority to decide on the course of action to take when pregnant. Abortion goes against the general principles of the right to life. A fetus is a living being though yet unborn. Therefore an unborn baby has the fundamental right to life just like any other human being. I know that some people might differ on this matter. I am entitled to my own opinion. I do condemn abortion. State parties should ensure the development and survival of a child. Those found guilty of abortion should be held accountable and face charges in a court of law. There are various family planning methods that couples can use to prevent unwanted pregnancies when they are not ready to be parents. However, when an unborn fetus endangers the life of a pregnant mother, it is acceptable for the mother to undergo a clinical abortion to save her life. It is better to save the life of one party than to endanger two lives, that is, both the mother and the fetus.
References
Berti, B. (2015). The Syrian refugee crisis: Regional and human security implications. Strategic Assessment , 17 (4), 41-53.
Betts, A., Loescher, G., & Milner, J. (2013). The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): The politics and practice of refugee protection . Routledge.
King, J. D. (2013). Beyond Life and Liberty: The Evolving Right to Counsel. Harv. CR-CLL Rev. , 48 , 1.
Schabas, W. A. (2014). The right to life . Routledge.
