Behind the numbers: the role of NGOs in the refugee crisis

With the demolition of the Calais Jungle happening this week, the precarious situation of those that seek refuge in Europe is once again highlighted in the news. The numbers give a sense of the scale of the problem: there are around 7,000 who were officially estimated as living in the squalor of the camp, though NGOs have estimated the number was actually closer to 10,000. This includes 1,300 refugee children, many of whom had a right to come to the UK to be reunified with family. Beyond Calais, the UN has estimated that there are 65 million displaced people in the world as of 2016 – the highest number on record.