The "Aiming High" campaign, which aims to increase enrolment in higher education by young refugee women and men, has kicked off in the kingdom, says Giuseppe De Vincentiis, UNHCR Representative in Thailand.
Mr De Vincentiis said more than 82 million people worldwide were driven by weather, wars and conflicts to flee their homes and ended up as displaced persons or refugees last year. "We believe higher education can be a chance for refugees to take control of their futures and give back to their communities. We can help make those opportunities more widely available for them to become vital contributors to local economies," he said.
UNHCR launched the campaign globally to raise funds and build partnerships with various sectors to bridge the education gap, enabling talented refugees to get into higher education by funding scholarships for university and technical skills training.
The UN agency recently launched the "Aiming Higher" campaign for the first time in Thailand with activities to raise funds supporting refugee scholars around the world.
"This campaign gives an opportunity for refugees to continue higher education and receive a second chance to be a valued global citizen," Phra Medhivajirodom said.
According to UNHCR, the enrolment rate of refugees in higher education is 3%, a stark contrast to the global average of 37%. Higher education is a critical link between learning and earning, allowing young people to thrive and transition to the pursuit of sustainable futures, it said.
Fundraising activities will carried out in the next two years to support refugee scholarships and build partnerships to bridge the education gap. The campaign targets to fund additional 1,800 refugee scholars across the globe and needs a further US$23 million (about 750 million baht) by 2023 to bridge the funding gap in higher education.