World Refugee Day: Egypt's NCHR emphasizes importance of global protection and burden sharing

CAIRO - 20 June 2026: Thursday marks the World Refugee Day, and the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) made remarks on this occasion, emphasizing importance of global commitment to protection and justice towards refugees. 

 

The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) affirmed that World Refugee Day comes this year at a time when the region and the world are witnessing successive humanitarian crises, forcing millions to leave their homes in search of safety and protection.

 

The Council stressed that these dimensions impose a firm legal and moral obligation that goes beyond temporary relief aid, requiring the full implementation of human rights frameworks that guarantee fairness, justice, and equitable access to fundamental rights for all those forced to leave their homeland without any discrimination.

 

 

Behind every refugee statistic lies a human story.

 

Dr. Ahmed Ehab Gamal El-Din, President of the National Council for Human Rights, pointed out that behind every refugee statistic lies a complete human story and a pain that cannot be ignored.

 

He emphasized that the Council deals with the refugee issue from a purely human rights perspective, as safety and justice are not a gift but rather the foundation of human rights. He explained that Article 91 of the Egyptian Constitution clearly codifies this principle by prohibiting the extradition of political refugees and granting asylum to those persecuted. This complements the obligations stipulated in the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, with the aim of ensuring that every person on this earth finds protection and justice without discrimination.

 

Concerted efforts are needed to provide an environment that protects fundamental rights. Gamal El-Din explained that the texts of international human rights law, especially Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees everyone the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution, are not merely rigid texts, but rather a living commitment that requires concerted efforts to provide an environment that protects fundamental rights and ensures equitable access to services such as education and healthcare.

 

The Council President stressed that addressing the refugee crisis requires more than immediate humanitarian solutions. It necessitates a genuine international will to end conflicts at their roots, so that security can return to the homes from which people were forcibly displaced. He emphasized that fulfilling the rights of refugees can only be achieved through the international community assuming its responsibilities and providing the necessary technical and financial support to host countries, based on the principle of burden-sharing and responsibility-sharing, which represents one of the fundamental pillars of the international response to refugee issues.