Archive for category: Refugees

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Addressing the Neglect of Elderly Syrian Refugees’ Health

Elderly Syrian Refugees' Health
More than 5 million Syrian people fled their homes to neighboring countries, such as Lebanon and Jordan, due to mass displacement in the wake of conflict. Many of these refugees are older people with different health issues who seek assistance. Despite the best efforts of the humanitarian response, some elderly Syrian refugees’ health is neglected due to a lack of data, institutional biases and underfunding.

Identifying the Prevalence of Health Issues

As a result of the demands of the current Syrian refugee crisis, Lebanese health and social workers have identified the prevalence of non-communicable diseases among older Syrian refugees, such as diabetes, blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. Additionally, psychologists have observed that many people have to confine themselves to homes due to bone and joint complications, leading to social isolation and mental health problems. Elderly Syrian refugees’ health is neglected because of poor hygiene and access to clean water.

This, along with the fact that many people live in small, cold tents with many people living in it, leads to pulmonary complications and skin disorders like scabies. Additionally, lack of food causes malnutrition, which impairs their immune system, making them susceptible to diseases such as flu and diarrhea.

According to a 2014 Handicap International and HelpAge International report, many of their patients with Syrian refugee status suffer from mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis. HelpAge International’s Chief Executive Officer, Toby Porter, claims that the lack of psychosocial care for older people negatively impacts their family’s well-being.

Senior Refugees Face a Variety of Problems

In 2021, according to the Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon (VASyR), primary health care and hospital care were less accessible for households with the lowest expenditures. The study demonstrates that those with the least resources were the least likely to receive the necessary care, likely due to a lack of adequate insurance or the ability to pay out-of-pocket for medical care. Thus, this highlights the need for greater financial support for medical care so that those with the least resources can still access the care they need.

A 2022 Conflict and Health article suggests that there needs to be more awareness of the needs of older refugees in the aid sector, which focuses mostly on children, women and young adults regarding financial support and medical services. Providing assistance to older refugees should be a priority. Social workers have noted that even though hearing aid and eyeglass campaigns are often conducted, they benefit children and young adults.

According to social workers, donors should prioritize older refugees, allowing them to receive adequate medical care and assistance. A Caritas Lebanon Migrant Centre (CLMC) Board Committee member, Kamal Sioufi, commented: “Older refugees have so many needs, which are not yet a priority for the humanitarian aid actors responding to this crisis.”

Urgent Steps Needed for Improved Care

According to a Handicap International and HelpAge International report, it is also essential to improve the accessibility of health care for people with specific needs. It is crucial that psychological distress services are readily available and tailored to meet the needs of individual clients. The health care staff should have training in diagnosing chronic diseases and receive adequate consultation time. Providing complete information about how to manage patients’ conditions will enable them to help them more effectively. Health care professionals should receive essential psychological distress services as well as training on how to assist elderly individuals.

Since 2013, HelpAge International has been working with older Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Around 2,000 patients have benefited from health consultations, nutrition lessons, cooking classes and social events. Furthermore, HelpAge has trained humanitarian and government workers on older people’s health issues.

Working Together

Organizations like HelpAge International have been providing health consultations, nutrition lessons and training for humanitarian workers to better support the elderly Syrian population. Continued efforts and support can potentially improve their living conditions by providing them with the care and assistance they require.

– Simran Raghav
Photo: Flickr

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Rebuilding Refugee Identities One Art Project at a Time

Rebuilding Refugee Identities
Art for Refugees in Transition or A.R.T. is an organization that focuses on helping refugees maintain their culture and tradition within their camp community. Each program begins the process of rebuilding refugee identities. The goal of A.R.T. is to help refugee children connect with their elders and find a sense of belonging. In 2003, the first programs launched were in Myanmar and Thailand. The programs have reached camps across South America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Why Do Refugees Need Art?

Outside organizations, like A.R.T., play an important role in giving refugees opportunities to improve their livelihood in a camp. Refugees focus on survival, often losing their sense of identity and belonging. Through art, refugees have an opportunity to remember or connect with their roots.

Violence, economic instability and gang crime plague Venezuela leading many individuals to flee to neighboring Colombia. As of 2022, Colombia was home to 1.8 million Venezuelan refugees. Colombia’s refugee camps or communities do not always have access to services like schools. A.R.T. works to help youth learn about their culture, background and each other.

Art Projects Rebuild Refugee Identities

Venezuelan refugees and displaced individuals live in communities throughout Colombia. Tintalito is a neighborhood in Bogotá, Colombia where A.R.T. began its first program. Tintalito is the home of 180,000 refugees. With the help of the University of the Andes and New Retreat Educational Foundation, A.R.T. implemented a traditional arts program for academic credit. The interdisciplinary program includes anthropology, psychology, literature and fine arts.

A.R.T. works with the Serena del Mar Foundation to bring art to a coastal refugee community in Colombia: Manzanilla. Here, A.R.T. provides a space for the community’s elders to share with the younger generation. The program fosters a community project for many generations. “The elders of the community recorded their thoughts on the sea, its importance in their lives as well as stories, folklore and their history with the sea.” The youth listens to the stories, translating the message into a mural. This art project preserves cultural traditions despite the uncertainty the community experiences. The art projects are also rebuilding refugee identities for both elders and children.

The Impact

Based on data from 2022, around 90,000 Burmese refugees fled Myanmar or Burma to escape persecution. Many of these refugees, primarily of the Karenni ethnic minority, live in temporary shelters throughout the Mae Hong Son Province in Thailand. Like many of the communities A.R.T. took its programs to, Burmese refugees can connect to their homeland and culture through art. A.R.T.’s programs are rebuilding refugee identities by giving them a space to honor their history and fight for the present.

In the Mae Hong Son Province in Thailand, A.R.T. visited two Burmese refugee camps. The initial program that A.R.T. started with the International Rescue Committee was in 2003. Each program starts small, but the idea quickly grows. Burmese youth learned traditional music and dance with their elders. The refugees reconnected with what they lost in fleeing their homes. Currently, the refugees teach these programs on their own. A.R.T. empowered the refugees to keep their traditions alive, passing on strength from generation to generation.

Looking Ahead

Through its programs, A.R.T. has been instrumental in helping refugees maintain their cultural identity and rebuild their sense of belonging. By providing opportunities for artistic expression and intergenerational connections, A.R.T. supports refugees in preserving their traditions and passing them on to future generations. These initiatives have had a profound impact on refugee communities, fostering resilience and empowering individuals to honor their history while embracing their present circumstances.

– Ellie Bruce
Photo: Flickr

How NetHope is Helping to Connect Rohingya Refugees

Rohingya RefugeesAs of 2023, roughly 1.27 million Rohingya people live as refugees or asylum seekers. Around 100,00 live in refugee camps within their native country of Myanmar while 900,000 are in camps in neighboring Bangladesh. Like many living in refugee camps, the quality of life for the Rohingya is extremely poor, with high rates of hunger and dehydration and limited access to health care and electricity. Amid the challenges, one organization, NetHope, continues working toward changing the situation by helping to connect Rohingya refugees to each other and the outside world.

The Current Situation

The Rohingya, an ethnic and religious minority, have long endured oppression in their native land of Myanmar. As early as 1978, the military perpetrated numerous atrocities against the Rohingya, including mass killings and arson, prompting the exodus of 200,000 individuals from the country. In 1982, the government formally revoked the Rohingya’s citizenship, rendering them stateless. In the early 1990s, another wave of Rohingya sought refuge in Bangladesh to escape forced labor and religious persecution.

Living as Muslims in a nation where a majority of the population practices Buddhism, the Rohingya have been victims of anti-Rohingya violence fueled by ultra-religious nationalism. Senior Buddhist monks even participated when the first wave of mass killings of Rohingya began in 2012 following clashes between Muslims and Buddhists.

However, in 2017, the anti-Rohingya violence escalated to a mass scale. Following an attack by a group of Rohingya militants, the government responded with brutal military force targeting the entire Rohingya population. This unleashed a series of mass killings, village burnings, lootings and even sexual violence, widely recognized as genocide. Within three months, these atrocities forced nearly 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Since then, the refugee population has continued to grow, and the dire situation remains unresolved.

Life in the Camps

The majority of Rohingya continue to reside in refugee camps in Bangladesh, enduring harsh living conditions and poverty. A study published by Burma Human Rights Network in February 2022 revealed that 93% of interviewed Rohingya reported inadequate access to food, while 50% expressed limited access to medical assistance. Furthermore, those interviewed highlighted the prevalence of crime within the camps, including arson, human trafficking and drug abuse.

Adding to their plight, the Bangladeshi government has displayed little to no cooperation and even oppression toward the Rohingya. Some refugees allege that the security forces responsible for safeguarding the camps themselves engage in abuse. Additionally, refugees face restrictions on employment and education outside the camps, as Bangladesh fears it may lead to their permanent settlement.

NetHope Steps In

NetHope, a “consortium of over 60 leading global nonprofits,” is trying to help the Rohingya by bringing them safe and reliable power and internet. The organization’s overall goal, both in this endeavor and in general, is to utilize modern technology to provide innovative solutions to humanitarian and development problems.

Member participants of NetHope have been operating in the Bangladesh/Myanmar region since 2017 to assess the Rohingya situation, formulate solutions and implement change. These participants found that improving internet access to the camps would, “have a deeply beneficial effect on the humanitarian response and can help responding agencies to overcome a number of critical challenges.” This conclusion came about after realizing that better internet access could help in managing the camps, as well as create better communication with NGO agencies and foreign governments.

Fortunately, NetHope and its acting partners have made some headway in achieving some results. In early 2020, workers on the ground constructed “eight wireless base station towers” to support a network for better communication among aid workers.

Looking Ahead

NetHope noted there is still room for much work in the effort to connect Rohingya refugees to the rest of the world. So far, the organization has formulated several possible solutions to building a wider, more accessible internet network inside the camps. However, these would require cooperation from the Bangladeshi government, as well as a stable power supply among other things. But with more diplomatic effort, there is hope for a brighter future for the Rohingya.

– Jonathon Crecelius
Photo: Flickr

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Substance Abuse Among Refugees

Substance Abuse Among RefugeesRecent studies show that poverty and substance abuse have a strong correlation. Research from 2021 has found that people who experienced poverty during childhood are more likely to develop drug use disorders later in life. The mental health disorders, low self-esteem, stress, hopelessness and lack of access to healthcare that come with poverty also increase the risk of substance abuse.

Refugees and other immigrants are at higher risk for substance abuse due to the poverty they experience, regardless of the region they come from. More than 100 million people worldwide are displaced and 85% live in developing host countries that already struggle with high poverty rates. This reality puts refugees, especially the young, at a greater risk of developing substance use disorders.

Poverty as a Risk Factor

Poverty is one of the greatest risk factors for substance use and addiction. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), poverty and belonging to a disadvantaged community make young people more vulnerable to substance abuse and mental health issues. 

Researcher and UNODC adviser Maria Melchior confirms that people’s development of substance use issues and mental health disorders usually begins during childhood, and those from less advantaged backgrounds are at a higher risk. These individuals often struggle with substance use issues throughout parenthood, negatively affecting their children and causing them to develop similar habits.

Substance Use Prevalence

Studies have revealed elevated levels of substance abuse rates among refugees, given the high rates of poverty in refugee groups. A 2021 study on refugee youths in Serbia found that among the respondents, over a quarter regularly smoked tobacco, 13% consumed alcohol and many others tried marijuana, LSD, various forms of cocaine and other substances. The study also found that nearly half of the respondents demonstrated significant difficulties in peer relations and about 30% demonstrated emotional distress and issues of conduct. 

High rates of substance use and addiction can be found among refugees in developed countries as well. Due in large part to abuse, trauma and mental health challenges, many refugees cope by turning to alcohol and/or illicit drugs. For example, in the United States, more than one-third of Burmese refugees were found to have consumed alcohol in hazardous amounts, with similarly high rates among Ugandan and Nepalese male refugees as well.

Similar issues persist in Germany, a country that leads all developed countries in the number of refugees hosted. A study on refugees in Germany found that living conditions for refugees generally were dominant in refugees’ substance use habits and the availability of certain drugs. The data conveys the impression that most refugees who misuse substances live in refugee shelters. Along with living conditions, social relations with peers and families were also identified as important factors.

Prevention and Treatment

Experts have hope for potential solutions to substance abuse among refugee communities. A 2018 report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) suggests that community-based, peer-led programs and training healthcare workers in substance use treatment may be effective in low-resource and refugee settings. While more research is needed, similar approaches have proven to be successful in fighting diseases like HIV.

One successful program is Strong Families, which was launched in 2010 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The program aims to support caregivers in becoming better parents and strengthen positive family interactions. It helps families develop communication strategies around the issue of substance abuse to prevent coercive parenting. This approach was initially implemented in four Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh and is now being used in 22 countries.

Some of the results from this program have been very promising. For example, a 2020 study found that a Strong Families pilot program implemented in Afghanistan had a 93.1% retention rate and resulted in a 5% increase in the behavioral, emotional and social issues among enrolled children after several weeks. Parents in the program also demonstrated notable improvements in parenting skills.

Looking Ahead

While poverty and substance abuse demonstrate a strong correlation, there is hope for addressing these challenges, particularly among vulnerable populations such as refugees. Research and programs highlight the importance of early intervention and community-based approaches. Initiatives like the Strong Families program provide support to caregivers, empowering them to become better parents and fostering positive family dynamics. These efforts have shown promising results in improving parenting skills and the well-being of enrolled children. By focusing on prevention and treatment, there is potential to break the cycle of poverty and substance abuse, providing a brighter future for individuals and communities worldwide.

– Adam Cvik
Photo: Flickr

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Addressing the Syrian Refugee Crisis

Syrian Refugee Crisis
More than 10 years of conflict in the Middle Eastern country of Syria has led to the world’s largest refugee crisis. Since the onset of the crisis in March 2011, more than 14 million Syrians have had to flee their home country in hopes of finding refuge elsewhere, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency. Addressing the Syrian refugee crisis is a priority for Syria’s neighboring countries and humanitarian organizations.

Tension at the Border

Syria has approximately a 100-mile-long coastline on the Mediterranean Sea and is bordered to the north by Turkey, to the east by Iraq, to the south by Jordan and Israel and to the west by Lebanon. Militias, smuggling, the return of refugees and Syria’s 11-year war are the primary issues that the nation’s neighbors, like Jordan, are hoping to resolve for the safety of the region. Jordan has welcomed around 675,000 Syrian refugees since the conflict began but lacks the resources to adequately accommodate this high number of people.

In 2021, the Jordanian government opened a crucial border crossing and now hopes to strike a deal with Syria to declare a general amnesty that will allow Syrian refugees to return to their homeland and live in security and dignity. This will benefit surrounding countries that are struggling to care for refugees and face economic setbacks due to the ongoing war in Syria.

Important Statistics

According to the World Bank, Syria’s GDP decreased by more than half between 2010 and 2020 due to destruction in Damascus, forced relocation, casualties and economic strain — a situation that the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated.

On the other hand, Jordan’s economy is recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, with its real GDP growing by 2.2% in 2021. However, labor force participation, especially among women, is among the lowest in the world and the recent inflation problem has harshly hit already impoverished households.

According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, roughly 92% of refugees who have sought refuge in neighboring countries reside in both urban and rural settings while only about 5% live in refugee camps. However, the U.N. Refugee Agency states that “living outside refugee camps does not necessarily mean success or stability” as “more than 70% of Syrian refugees are living in poverty, with limited access to basic services, education or job opportunities and few prospects of returning home.” These statistics serve as an important reminder that efforts to combat the Syrian refugee crisis are crucial for the Middle East.

Assisting Syrian Refugees

Established in 2011 by two Syrian Americans, Syria Relief and Development (SRD) is a nonprofit organization that offers humanitarian relief to Syrians who have been affected by hunger, injury, poverty, violence and mass displacement. The instability in Syria has prompted an urgent need for resources to meet shelter, food and medical needs. SRD is based in the U.S. but also has offices in Amman, Jordan, and Gaziantep, Turkey. From 2018 until 2023, SRD has provided more than $50 million worth of humanitarian aid to more than 3.3 million Syrians.

The U.N. Refugee Agency, noting that the crisis in Syria has now reached year 13 and the earthquakes occurring in February 2023 have exacerbated the crisis, is providing relief to Syrians in need.  By the end of March 2023, the U.N. Refugee Agency had provided “core relief items,” such as sleeping bags, thermal blankets and solar lamps, to 168,000 Syrians affected by the recent earthquakes. Furthermore, under the Agency’s usual winterization initiative, more than 560,000 Syrians received “winter core relief items” from November 2022 to March 2023. During this period, about 17,700 Syrian refugees and asylum-seekers received cash-based assistance to make it through the harsh winter.

With continued support from Syria’s neighbors as well as organizations like the SRD and the U.N. Refugee Agency, there could be visible regional economic and social shifts in the near future and the Syrian refugee crisis may see relief.

– Stella Tirone
Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Empowerment in Kakuma Refugee Camp

Women’s Empowerment in Kakuma Refugee CampThe Kakuma Refugee Camp, located in Kenya, was originally established for young children who escaped war in Sudan and Ethiopia. Today, the camp is home to about 200,000 people and facilitates access to education, health care and housing. The efforts of organizations enable and empower women in the camp to learn skills and secure income-generating activities. The women in the camp are pushing against stereotypical gender norms while working to support their families. Their stories and success are a reflection of the progress toward women’s empowerment in Kakuma Refugee Camp.

Breaking Stereotypes

CARE tells the story of Jackiline Amina who has lived in the Kakuma Refugee camp since she fled her home in Tanzania and sought refuge in Kenya in 2013. Amina now works as an auto mechanic in the camp. Before she became an auto mechanic, she would work small jobs, including providing laundry services to other refugees and fetching water for people in the camp, to make ends meet. After the father of her youngest child left the family, Amina had to find a sustainable and profitable job to enable her to care for her children. To achieve this, she knew she had to learn a new skill.

Prior to becoming an auto mechanic, Amina tried her hands at welding but did not make much progress as the men in the trade refused to train her, saying “the work was not appropriate for women,” according to the CARE website. Eventually, she got in touch with the owner of a small garage that agreed to train her as a mechanic.

In Amina’s current line of work, she regularly faces gender discrimination and many males undermine a female’s ability to be a competent mechanic. Her fellow male auto mechanics, however, have accepted her into the auto mechanic community and treat her “like one of the guys.” Amina has aspirations of enrolling in an official training program or mechanics school so she can secure higher-paying jobs in the future.

Entering a Male-Dominated Field

In another CARE story, Lucy Nyanga Joseph left Sudan in 2019 and joined her sister, nieces and nephews at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. In 2022, she learned of an opportunity to become a solar engineer in the camp. She was one of three women who enrolled in the program and the only woman to begin working after completion.

Despite many people saying her career path is ill-suited for women, she has gone on to inspire 20 of her friends in the camp to enroll in training for traditionally male-dominated fields. Before becoming a solar technician, Joseph relied on aid from the U.N. Refugee Agency, receiving a total of $11.75 per month. This was barely enough to afford the quality of care she desired for her children. Her new job, however, enables her to provide better for her children.

Stepping out of Gender Roles

In 2019, U.N. Women told the story of Nyamam Gai Gatluak. At the time, Gatluak was a student of the Angelina Jolie Primary School in Kakuma Refugee Camp and a member of the IT club that has participated in several events aiming to empower girl children. She is one of 60 girls who received a place in the boarding school out of nearly 500 who applied. Gatluak has aspirations of becoming a software engineer as a result of the school and IT club empowering women within the refugee community.

She and other young women still face great challenges in pursuing education and career paths. In some cases, these women are not even able to attend school. Even for those who are able to attend, gender-prescribed household duties often prevent girls from fully concentrating on their studies. Typically, household and caretaking responsibilities do not affect young men as society considers this a female role.

Despite the challenges, Gatluak aspires to develop an app that can teach young girls, including those in refugee camps around the world, how to code. She also dreams of developing another app that teaches parents and young women their rights in different local languages. Gatluak understands that many parents and young girls do not know their rights and, as a result, are taken advantage of — a problem that Gatluak aims to alleviate.

Women Empowerment in Kenya (WEIKE)

Women Empowerment in Kenya (WEIKE) is a nonprofit in Kenya that helps vulnerable young women access education and funding to secure a better future for their families. Founded in 2017, WEIKE runs several women’s empowerment initiatives, including a soap-making project, economic education for women and agriculture projects. About 20 women participate in the soap-making project, producing multi-purpose soap for their personal use and selling the rest to bring in an income.

Looking Ahead

Organizations like WEIKE contribute to women’s empowerment, education and economic security in Kenya. Women’s empowerment in the Kakuma Refugee Camp enables them to work toward educating themselves, learning new skills and obtaining high-paying, in-demand jobs to support themselves and their families. The efforts in the camp and results so far help to pave the path to a future of freedom, equity and equality for the next generation of women.

– Ronni Winter
Photo: Flickr

Fishermen to the Rescue: Refugees in Indonesia

Indonesian FarmersIndonesia is estimated to currently host 9,991 refugees and 3,158 asylum seekers, with 57% from Afghanistan, 10% from Somalia and 5% from Myanmar. During 2022 alone, more than 2,000 people are thought to have taken the dangerous journey across the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal in the hope of reaching Indonesia. In 2022, almost 200 individuals reportedly died on this journey. But despite this tragedy, there is an underlying story of hope and humanity from the people of Indonesia. A report from the United Nations showed that in the last six weeks of 2022 alone, Indonesians helped save 472 people from four boats.

In a collaborative effort between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Indonesian Government, other U.N. agencies and local people, the country has attempted to protect refugees and asylum seekers by identifying solutions for their situation. This has included provisions for emergency assistance and attention to the specific needs of individuals arriving on their shores.

Rohingya Refugees in Indonesia

A huge proportion of those refugees reaching Indonesia are Rohingya men, women and children. In 2017, nearly 800,000 Rohingya fled persecution from their homeland of Myanmar, where they experienced segregation, discrimination and removal of their citizenship. Since then, thousands of refugees make the perilous journey to reach Muslim-majority regions like Malaysia, Bangladesh and Indonesia. While residing in these Bangladeshi refugee camps, the Rohingya face overcrowded, unsanitary and crime-ridden conditions, which is resulting in greater numbers taking the extremely dangerous trip across the sea, where the likelihood of death increases.

Since November 2022, there were 918 Rohingya refugees registered in Indonesia, in comparison to 180 in the entirety of 2021. In a case from December 2022, over 180 Rohingya refugees arrived in a wooden boat on the shore of western Indonesia, supposedly from Bangladesh, including a pregnant woman and children. These journeys are made in poor-quality boats and often increase between November and April when the seas are supposedly calmer. The UNHCR described 2022 as “one of the deadliest years at sea in almost a decade for the Rohingya” which is predicted to continue into 2023.

Generosity of Indonesian Fishermen

Despite the increasing numbers of refugees making this journey, there is an underlying story of hope and kindness in the actions of some Indonesian fishermen. At the end of 2022, Indonesian fishing crews were praised for their part in rescuing over 200 people adrift at sea, in what has since been described by the UNHCR as an “act of humanity.” In doing so, they have provided urgent medical care for survivors suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. The compassion of these Indonesian fishermen has, according to UNHCR Indonesia Representative Ann Maymann, undoubtedly helped to save people from “certain death, ending [the] torturous ordeals for many desperate people.”

In a case from late June 2020, 99 Rohingya asylum seekers arrived on the shore of Aceh after being stranded at sea for more than 120 days, and local fishermen from nearby villages were quick to help them to safety. The Rohingya have been welcomed by the Indonesian people, even being invited to participate in festivities celebrating the 75th anniversary of Indonesian independence.

There have been numerous explanations as to why the people of Indonesia, particularly the Acehnese residents, have demonstrated such acceptance and humility toward those in need, when so many others have refused to act. For example, the Acehnese people abide by the customary maritime law called Panglima Laot, which obliges all fishermen in the region to help those in distress at sea. This is a central part of village life in coastal communities across Indonesia. Similarly, they honor the cultural tradition of Peumulia Jamee, which encourages them to demonstrate kindness and hospitality, particularly towards children.

Supporting the Humanitarian Effort

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has supported the Indonesian Government along with their humanitarian partners, by aiding the huge numbers of Rohingya refugees arriving on the coast. This includes provisions for water, health care and COVID-19 testing. Moreover, the IOM has worked with local authorities to obtain approval to transfer refugees to a new site in Peunteut, Lhokseumawe, which will greatly improve safety and security. The assistance provided by the IOM to the Rohingya refugees is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

Steps are being taken to help the Indonesian people assist those arriving on their shores, but it is indicative of a much larger problem. Nevertheless, Indonesian fishermen are aiding refugees by showing kindness.

– Bethan Marsden
Photo: Flickr

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Netflix’s “The Swimmers” Fights Stigma Against Refugees

Stigma Against Refugees
“The Swimmers” is a 2022 Netflix production telling the remarkable true story of two sisters, Sara and Yusra Mardini, as they flee the war in their hometown of Damascus, Syria, in search of a better life in Germany. Inspired by true events, the movie captures the harrowing journey refugees undertake in their pursuit of safety and a brighter future, and in doing so, fights stigma against refugees by allowing the audience to empathize and relate to the characters.

The characters first journey to the Greek island of Lesbos, risking their lives in the open sea on an overcrowded boat. To prevent the boat from sinking, Sara and Yusra jump into the water and swim for the remainder of the journey. What follows is their arrival in Berlin and the path that led Yusra to compete for the refugee team in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

The Realities Refugees Face

A strong script and good production capture the journey and realities that the refugees face across the sea and once in Europe. The contrast between friendship and life in Damascus with a near-death experience in open sea creates enduring empathy and humanizes the characters involved as the audience witnesses them separate from their families and the place they once called home.

The detail of the account makes the film an educational experience, outlining the process involved in accommodating such numbers of people and the lengthy bureaucratic procedures necessary to obtain official documentation. The scenes after the refugees’ arrival in Berlin are hauntingly endearing. The movie also highlights the susceptibility of refugees to exploitation and abuse along the journey.

The German government under Angela Merkel admitted more than 1 million refugees into the country in 2015. The movie depicts this once the sisters and their cousin process their photos and fingerprints, after which authorities separate them into male and female shelters. The identical dorms are scattered across a massive floor plan of what appears to be a warehouse, offering beds and storage space, but little to no privacy and personal space for the people inside. A beautiful scene, in the recognition of the government’s investment and efforts to accommodate the asylum seekers, with the somber aftertaste of realizing that many refugee needs still go unmet.

The Refugee Journey

As much as the story focuses on the journey and relationship of Sara and Yusra Mardini, the movie has a split dynamic, dancing on the line that separates the collective from the individual. This cleft dynamic is a central theme. The plot follows the story of the two sisters and is set against the backdrop of millions who have undertaken the same treacherous journey, with continuous reminders of the fortune of those who survived and succeeded in obtaining refuge.

According to data by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of mid-2022, there were more than 100 million forcibly displaced people globally, 32.5 million of which are refugees, with 6.8 million having fled Syria.

The outcome of the split approach the movie adopts highlights the collective plight of refugees and the far-reaching impacts of mass forced displacement while emphasizing the individuality of every person undertaking the difficult journey in search of refuge.

Changing Perceptions Through Information and Education

The efficacy of movies in conveying complex issues and situations is irrefutable. Sensory targeting of the auditory and visual imaginations transports the audience into the character’s shoes, creating empathy and understanding. Yusra emphasizes the importance of the education system in addressing the stigma against refugees by disseminating information and dispelling myths. Yusra, since her appearance at two back-to-back Olympic Games, has become a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and states that the movie will have a strong impact on fighting the stigma against refugees, enabling people to discuss displacement more openly and gain a better understanding of it.

This is a crucial step to take in addressing the stigma against refugees. The prerequisite to changing perceptions of refugees is understanding and acknowledging their struggles and their human need for safety and a stable future. People flee from war and poverty in search of better conditions to live their life. The harsh reality is that for many, conditions do not improve much. Globally refugees struggle to meet their basic requirements for health care, education and sustenance. UNHCR data outlines that four in five Syrian refugees in Jordan lived below the national poverty line prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the movie, Yusra struggled with being unable to represent her birth country, Syria, at the Olympic games. Initially fearing earning her Olympic place due to pity, her experiences eventually amalgamate into a sense of pride at representing the Refugee Olympic Team and turn her into a voice of inspiration and advocacy for all those experiencing what she went through.

Effectively capturing the plight of refugees in a movie fights the stigma against refugees by providing the foundation for this education to begin. This is a story of struggle, hardship and love, the intensities of which many cannot hope to fathom, condensed into a runtime of two hours and 15 minutes.

– Bojan Ivancic
Photo: Flickr

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India’s only Afghan High School educating Refugee Children

 Afghan School
Despite the ban on education for girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, India’s only Afghan educational institution, Sayed Jamaluddin Afghan High School, is providing quality education to the refugee children of Afghanistan. Located in Delhi’s Jangpura Extension, the Afghan high school runs on a rented building with more than 30 teaching and non-teaching staff members, most of which are women.

Challenging the Taliban ban on girls’ education, the Afghanistan Ambassador to India, Farid Mamundzay, said in a tweet, “Young Afghan girls who want to be educated will not be stopped, at least in New Delhi. These girls will one day contribute to a stronger and more prosperous Afghanistan. Women share this planet 50/50 however over the past 15 months harsh and unnecessary restrictions have been put on.”

Sustaining Since 1994

Women’s Federation of World Peace, a women’s nonprofit organization, set up the Sayed Jamaluddin Afghan High School in 1994 for refugee children from Afghanistan living in New Delhi. The then government of Afghanistan, Prime Minister Ashraf Ghani, started funding the school at a request from the center. This educational center expanded to become a primary school in 2008 and then a high school in 2017. The school is a hope for more than 250 students, of which 65% are girls, according to India Narrative.

The medium of instruction comprises three different mediums, namely, Farsi, Pashto and English. The school is culturally rich and provides the students with all necessary extracurricular activities. It has more than 10 clubs that work to enrich the knowledge and intelligence of students with practical skills and experience.

The Taliban Takeover and Pandemic Setback

The Afghan high school struggled with funding when the pandemic hit the nation in 2020 and imposed a country-wide lockdown. The Taliban overtake in Afghanistan affected the high school in Delhi enormously as the newly built government of the Taliban stopped the smooth flow of funds. The school failed to pay rent for the school premises due to which they had to vacate the space and hold classes online. They were out of salaries to pay to the teaching staff, The Indian Express reported.

However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stepped in and helped the school in times of difficult situations. Afghan Ambassador Mamundzay expressed gratitude towards the Ministry of External Affairs on Twitter.

Looking Forward

Currently, the Afghan school holds offline classes in two shifts as the space does not allow all the students to study at the same time. The school successfully conducted its mid-term exam for the academic year 2022-23 in December 2022. The school is also looking for various private and municipal schools which can provide them with 14 to 15 classrooms to hold evening batches.

– Aanchal Mishra
Photo: Pixabay

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The Partnership of Nottingham Forest and the UNCHR

Nottingham Forest and the UNCHR
Across Europe, the world’s finest football teams often sport morally reprehensible betting companies and loan sharks abreast their jerseys. Fans across Europe not only accept but also expect trading moral integrity for financial gain. In December 2022, Nottingham Forest Football Club decided that its football players would wear the crimson-red Garibaldi symbol of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) on their shirts in the premier league to advocate for global change. Nottingham Forest and the UNCHR have forged a partnership that could raise expectations of sporting institutions across Europe.

About the UNCHR

Since its foundation in 1950, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has provided aid to refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people and those without a state to call home. The UNCHR is the largest and most significant NGO to wage war against the displacement of the persecuted.

The Issue of Displacement

Despite forward momentum in many socio-economic issues across the globe, there is unprecedented displacement in both the developed and undeveloped worlds. For the first time in recorded history, approximately half of the displaced individuals reside in urban areas.

Displacement occurs due to conflict, violence and persecution, which are all abundant in the modern world. There are active armed conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine and Afghanistan, mass human rights violations in Myanmar and ongoing genocide in China. Consequently, 2021 yielded the highest number of forcibly displaced people the world has witnessed since World War II. Indeed, 89.3 million people forcibly fled their homes in 2021.

How the UNCHR Provides Shelter

As of 2022, more than 6.6 million refugees are living in camps, demonstrating how homelessness manifests as a result of displacement. Whilst camps can provide decent emergency shelters, issues such as isolation, aid dependency, disease, fire, sanitation and personal safety arise.

When all other solutions have been exhausted, the UNCHR constructs settlements for displaced individuals. The UNCHR has formulated a master plan approach, which strives to provide shelter that does not fall foul of the previously stated risks. Well-planned settlements are not prone to fire or disease outbreaks, as sanitation and spacing are well-managed. Food, water, toilets and medical care are all within walking distance of a resident of the ideal settlement. Footpaths should always be well-lit, as there is also a particular emphasis on safety for women.

To avoid the risks that encumber vast refugee camps and settlements, the UNCHR distributes tents and materials from centers in Dubai, Copenhagen and Durban. It also invests in communal shelters and new homes. Furthermore, the UNCHR provides self-help schemes that assist displaced individuals in reconstructing and constructing new homes.

The UNCHR in Pakistan

When a barrage of severe flooding struck Pakistan in late 2022, the UNCHR sprung into action. The enormous monsoon impacted the lives of 33 million Pakistani people, killing more than a thousand. Those who remained faced the grim prospect of homelessness during a natural disaster, as the flood destroyed 300,000 homes and damaged 650,000 more.

During the aftermath, the UNCHR coordinated closely with Pakistani authorities. Tireless UNCHR volunteers helped distribute some 10,000 tents to the devastated Khyber Pakhtunkwa and Balochistan regions. The UNCHR has pledged to assist 50,000 households by providing shelter, food and clean water to the most vulnerable victims of this disaster. In addition to providing immediate relief, the UNCHR is liaising with local authorities to build up stockpiles of essential amenities should the flooding escalate.

Why the Partnership Between Nottingham Forest and the UNCHR is One to Celebrate

Fans of Nottingham Forest should be proud of their club. Sitting in the Trent End or the Brian Clough Stand, they will see the UNCHR featured on red banners, screens and flags. They will hear the announcer pay tribute to the refugees of Pakistan and elsewhere. But most importantly, the 4.7 billion fans who tune in to watch the premier league will see a football club that proudly uses its enormous platform to fight against poverty. If every football team in team Europe were to trade a sponsor for a charity of the UNCHR’s merit, billions of people would have exposure to charitable causes daily. Indeed, if every team in every sport were like-minded, the televised sport could become a vehicle for enormous social change. In the meantime, fans of positive change can celebrate that Nottingham Forest and the UNCHR are making a start.

– David Smith
Photo: Flickr