According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which is responsible for protecting refugees, the number of people displaced from their homes due to conflict and persecution as of the end of 2020 is about 8,240 million. It tends to increase year by year.Approximately 58% of the internally displaced persons who were forced to move within the country account for about 86%, but developing countries account for XNUMX% of the "refugees" who have fled across borders.Protecting a large number of refugees in a poor country is a heavy burden that cannot be handled by one country alone.
In order to ensure the safety of everyday life not only for refugees but also for people in the countries concerned, external assistance is indispensable.Various human resources from various nationalities, including those from United Nations agencies, will gather, and there are high expectations for the activities of medical professionals in particular.
Refugees are "forced to move" out of their familiar lands in fear, not only because their livelihood is in danger, but also because their lives are in danger.
Some people lose their lives while evacuating, and others die there because the place they evacuated to is in poor condition.It cannot be said that happiness always awaits you when you settle down.It can be said that the power of nursing can be demonstrated only by those who live with pain and suffering both physically and mentally.
It is a commitment to sustain life, remove hunger, cold and filth, prevent disease, enable health care, and restore self-dignity.
What are the sufferings of refugees and what are the specific functions that nursing can provide?
They do not have access to enough food, are malnourished and susceptible to infections.Some people have pre-existing medical conditions, others suffer serious injuries from conflicts and violence, and others continue to have deep scars in their hearts.Once you escape from your home country, you risk your life by continuing to walk long distances or capsizing when crossing the sea.Even when you reach your destination, you are exhausted.
Sadako Ogata, who served as the 8th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, chairman of the Commission on Human Security and is still a respected Japanese woman around the world. “Human Security” focuses on each human being, protects them from wide-ranging and serious threats to their survival, livelihood and dignity, and enables them to realize their full potential in a sustainable way through protection and empowerment. Based on the concept of encouraging the independence of individuals and the creation of a society, we aim for "Freedom from want, Freedom from fear."
I believe that this philosophy is consistent with the philosophy of "nursing," which aims to provide safety and comfort while relieving and eliminating pain, maintaining and improving health, and supporting daily life to satisfy the needs of patients. I have continued.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to realize a world in which no one is left behind.I would like to enter among the refugees who are forced to live a harsh life, and practice nursing that embodies the concept of "human security."
Naoko Ito, Professor, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences
