20 June 2008: As the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon points out in his message for World Refugee Day, granting asylum is one of the earliest hallmarks of civilization. To receive a stranger in times of need is one of the many forms of voluntary action – a deed that is neither motivated by reward nor compelled.

Since the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was signed 60 years ago, the problem of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has become increasingly dramatic and complex. Civil conflict and political unrest are coupling with food insecurity, climate change and other factors to drive ever more people away from their homes and into the unknown. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that today there are 37 million such people worldwide: 11 million outside their own countries and 26 million displaced within them.

In partnership with UNHCR and other UN agencies such as the World Food Programme (WFP), UN Volunteers are often at the forefront of the response. In 2007, there were 958 UN Volunteers assigned to UNHCR, making it one of our biggest partners.

In his message, the Secretary-General also reminds us of the human face of the situation. "We must not lose sight of the individual people who are fleeing persecution, what they face on a daily basis as they try to meet their basic needs," he says. Around the world, UN Volunteers are working on this personal level with refugees and IDPs, addressing both their basic needs and longer-term requirements. Some examples are given below.