Sweden supporting people who are fleeing

Over 60 million people are currently displaced around the world. This is the highest number since the Second World War. People are fleeing to Europe mainly from Syria, where the civil war is now in its fourth year. Almost 8 million Syrians are currently displaced in their own country and more than 4 million have fled from Syria. This corresponds to half of the Syrian population.

To help these people who are fleeing from war and violence, many people have been getting involved collecting basic necessities and offering assistance. At the same time, Sweden is supporting people fleeing from war and unrest. Since the war started in Syria, Sweden has contributed almost SEK 1.6 billion in humanitarian support. During last year alone, Sweden gave more than SEK 500 million to help people caught up in the Syrian crisis.

Alongside this emergency support to people in distress, Sweden is also supporting the relevant UN bodies, through what is known as core support. Did you know, for example, that Sweden is the largest donor to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency? Or that Sweden is the largest donor to UN Women (2014), which strengthens women’s rights in the world both in peace time and times of war and disaster?

Did you know that total Swedish aid last year amounted to over SEK 38 370 000 000 – or SEK 11 per person and day? Or that Sweden is the fifth largest aid donor (2014) when it comes to providing support for people in acute distress, known as humanitarian aid?

Sweden is not going to reduce its commitment, but the EU needs to do more. To improve the EU’s refugee policy, Sweden is pursuing 10 standpoints. These include the EU needing to have a more active foreign and aid policy to help people on the ground, and that the EU needs to drastically increase the number of quota refugees.

Read more about the Government's 10 standpoints to reform EUs refugee policy