#NotAlone. Everyone deserves to be safe

Migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons face serious challenges worldwide.By the end of 2022, the number of people forced to leave their homes due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disrupting public order reached over 108 million.Of these,40 percent (43.3 million) were children under the age of 18.The impacts of climate change, disasters, and other protracted crises are just some of the reasons why people are increasingly making the difficult decision to migrate or flee their homes.

During their journeys, migrants and displaced persons face many difficulties related to access to shelter, sanitation facilities, hygiene supplies, and medical care. Moreover, the struggles of forcibly displaced persons extend beyond their initial displacement, leading to a prolonged and uncertain future. They also grapple with increasing stigma, discrimination, and exclusion.

Many migrants succeed in finding a new place where they try to rebuild their lives. However, millions still encounter many dangers during their journeys to safety. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has a humanitarian imperative and feels responsible for making migrant journeys safer by providing them access to essential services.

Everyone deserves to be safe. No person is illegal, and no person should suffer from injury or mistreatment while seeking a safe place to live.

Therefore, IFRC – a global leader in action for migrants, is launchingthe #NotAlone campaign,aimed at supporting those in need, wherever they are, regardless of their status. In the campaign, IFRC shows how the Red Cross around the world supports migrants during their journeys. In cooperation with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, it operates more than600 Humanitarian Aid Points worldwide,where migrants, refugees, or displaced persons are provided with a safe place to rest, warm meals, clean water, basic health care, essential psychological first aid, connectivity, and other services. Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers also provide accurate and reliable information about other available forms of support, directing them to trusted local partners and institutions.The points are distributed along maritime and land routes, most often taken by refugees and migrants. Currently, such points operatein 155 countries around the world. They are usually located at border crossings, call centers, train stations, or airports.

IFRC has established a humanitarian aid point, including on the Ocean Viking ship, operated by SOS Mediterranée, to save lives on this route and provide necessary assistance and humanitarian services to rescued people. In 2022, staff and volunteers of the Red Cross working on Ocean Viking provided humanitarian support to over 3,000 people rescued in 54 rescue operations. Among them were 931 minors and 583 children left unattended by adults.

The Polish Red Cross also conducts aid activities for refugees. In 2022, from the first hours after the outbreak of armed conflict in Ukraine, PCK staff and volunteers provided humanitarian assistance at reception points established at the Ukrainian border. First responders from PCK provided medical assistance to over 8,500 people for nearly 2 months, and to thousands more waiting in kilometer-long queues to cross the border into Poland, they distributed food, water, blankets, and warm clothing.

So far, nearly 1.8 million refugees from the eastern border have benefited from PCK assistance offered in various forms. The Polish Red Cross runs, among other things, Integration Centers for them, where beneficiaries can access the help of a psychologist, lawyer, and vocational counselors, giving them a chance for professional activation.

Worldwide, people who migrate or are displaced from their homes are exposed to many risks and dangers. For this reason, on their journey to a new home, they can count on the help of volunteers and staff from the Red Cross and Red Crescent.