Norway's Refugee Secretary-General accuses the world community of lack of compassion or outrage

We are witness to all manner of horrors around the world. They seem to be ever-more prevalent at the moment. However, the media reports on it - well, most times - and then the "caravan" moves on and we are confronted with the next crisis or human outrage.

Norway's Refugee Secretary-General issues a blunt assessment of the world community in this interview on ABC Radio.

"The secretary general of Norway's Refugee Council says the refugee crisis is now worse than at any time since World War II but that, chillingly, the response of the world community is no longer one of compassion or even of outrage.

Jan Egeland is calling for a new approach to the international refugee response and says he wants to see Australia return to its once generous approach.

He spoke me this morning from New York.

Jan Egeland, how does the refugee situation you and your staff confront now compare to when you began your work?

JAN EGELAND: It is worse now than at any other time in the 35 years whether I have been in and out of humanitarian work.

And last year we broke the 50 million record - altogether 51 million people displaced by war and conflict in the world.

Even more people are displaced by natural disasters. It is like no other time in displacement and forced displacement.

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