Poll Finds Much of the World Would Welcome Refugees Into Their Homes

Impact

Finally, some good news for refugees. About four out of five people said people fleeing persecution should be offered refuge in other countries, according to a global Amnesty International poll published Wednesday. 

The human rights non-profit organization polled 27,000 people across 27 countries, posing various questions about refugees and the individuals' willingness to help those seeking asylum. Two out of three participants said their governments should be doing more to help out. 

Amnesty International

Overall, in order of receptivity, the top three countries in favor of offering support to refugees are China, Germany and the United Kingdom. Russia came at the bottom of the list as the least welcoming country. 

Amnesty International

Also promising is the number of respondents who said they would personally welcome refugees into their homes. The Chinese were most welcoming, with approximately half of its respondents saying they would themselves take in refugees and people who have fled persecution or war, and around one-third of Brits responding in kind.

Yet, despite an overwhelming number of people favor of supporting those in need of refuge, many countries are falling short when it comes to institutionalized assistance. 

Humanitarian organization Concern Worldwide released a report Friday, which revealed just a sixth of the money governments pledged to the refugee crisis at a summit in February has been used. 

"Our survey results are overwhelmingly positive — but most governments still just aren't listening," Amnesty wrote in its coverage of their global poll. "Only nine of the 27 countries covered by our survey have committed to taking in any of Syria's 4.8 million refugees. But they have only agreed to share fewer than 174,000 people between them."

With roughly 20 million refugees worldwide — and nearly 60 million forcibly displaced — aligning an international response with public opinion could not be more needed.