The Ipsos Global Advisor has released a survey showing interesting global attitudes towards refugees on World Refugee Day. Over 74% of global citizens believe victims of war and persecution should be allowed to take refuge in any country, including their own. New Zealand, Spain, Great Britain, Sweden, and Canada were the countries supporting this view the most.
The number of forcibly displaced people has more than doubled in the last decade and stands at a record 108.4 million, according to the UNHCR. The effects of the climate crisis, increased conflicts, cost of living crises, and concerning global economic outlook exacerbate the existing displacement crises.
Regarding refugees in India, 58% of urban Indians polled believed foreigners seeking refuge in India are not refugees but are looking for economic reasons and to avail welfare schemes. 57% of Indians hold the view that the country needs to close its borders to refugees entirely and cannot accept any at this time. Interestingly, one in two urban Indians (53%) believe refugees make a positive contribution to the country.
The survey shows that Indians have divided views on refugees. 37% believe refugees should be allowed to stay and more should be allowed; 31% believe refugees currently in India should stay but not allow any more, while 32% believe refugees should be reported and not be allowed anymore.
The survey also asked if there were enough legal routes into India for refugees. 27% of urban Indians polled said yes, 29% believed that more legal routes were needed, while 22% felt there were no legal routes for refugees.
Furthermore, 52% of Indians polled felt that refugees were treated well in India, while 24% felt they were not treated well. On average, six out of ten global citizens felt refugees were treated well. Meanwhile, the sentiment claiming fair treatment towards refugees was seen most in Indonesia, Poland, Peru, Germany, Turkey, Thailand, and Canada.
Lastly, the survey shows that urban Indians have taken action to support refugees in various ways, such as donating funds/goods, volunteering, posting social media messages, contacting government officials or signing petitions advocating for refugees, and offering refugees a place to stay in their home.
