What is a refugee?

A refugee is someone who has to leave their home and even their country because they don’t feel safe.

Often it’s dangerous because the country is at war.

Holding certain political or religious ideas, or belonging to an ethnic group can also put people’s lives at risk.

The number of men, women and children who need to seek shelter from war, intolerance or poverty is constantly rising.

But what happens to them when they leave their country?