Refugee 101 Colorado Refugee School Impact Grant - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Refugee 101

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UN multimedia UN multimedia New York Times Muslimvoices.org UN multimedia GTZ.DE UNHCR

Colorado Refugee School Impact Grant

Who is a refugee?

contributed by LFS

Definition

Refugees

• People who must flee their

homeland fearing death or persecution because of their race, religion, or political

• views. These people must

leave everything behind, including family members, material possessions, and cultural identity for the chance to rebuild a life with personal safety, individual freedom, and peace.

• h"p://www.ersden.org/ ¡

UN multimedia

The progress of a refugee: from persecution to a camp

Persecution Flight Refugee Camp

UN multimedia

General Refugee Facts

Global refugee population of 15.1 million people

• 10.5 million get protection/assistance from the United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees

• at least 8.5 million have been without a home for more than 5 years

– Many live in camps waiting among crime, violence, drugs, limited access to work or education

Durable solutions for refugees

• 1. Safe, voluntary return to own country
• 2. Self-sufficiency and temporary/indefinite/permanent local integration into

country of asylum

• 3. Resettlement in a third country
• used particularly for those refugees for whom the other two solutions are not feasible

Source: FY 2012 Report to Congress ¡

U.S. Resettlement

HISTORY

• After World War II, the U.S. admitted over 250,000 displaced Europeans
• In 1948, the Displaced Persons Act passed, allowing 400,000 additional European

refugees to resettle in the U.S.

• Other laws allowed refugees from Communist countries to enter during the 1950s and

1960s

• In 1975, the Refugee Task Force admitted over 100,000 refugees from Southeast Asia
• Congress passed the Refugee Act of 1980 which is the foundation of the current

resettlement program The U.S. resettles 74% of people who opt for third-country resettlement = 54,077 refugees in 2010 Secretary of State Clinton:

• “The United States has a history of upholding human rights and humanitarian principles. For

decades we have led the world in overseas support for humanitarian protection and assistance, and we have provided asylum and refugee resettlement for millions. In doing so, we show through example our dedication to basic human decency, to our responsibilities under international law, and - along with the rest of the international community - to ensuring refuge when innocent lives hang in the balance. We do this because our country’s values must be a critical component of our foreign policy.” Source: FY 2012 Report to Congress ¡ Source: http://www.brycs.org/aboutRefugees/refugee101.cfm ¡

The progress of a refugee: from a camp to applying for a new home

Application for resettlement Wait Wait

contributed by LFS

In Colorado

Refugees Resettled 2008-2010

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDHS-SelfSuff/CBON/1251581469402 ¡

Country of Origin Number Resettled Bhutan 1455 Burma 1435 Iraq 844 Somalia 769 Democratic Republic of Congo 323 Eritrea 178 Ethiopia 157 Cuba 129 Burundi 114

Bhutanese Lhotsampa

People of the South

• Ethnic Nepalis whose ancestors

moved generations ago to Bhutan to farm

• Population grew; Bhutan’s king and

the Druk majority started to marginalize by promoting Bhutanization of systems

– Imposed Druk dress and customs – Outlawed Nepali language in schools – Changed citizenship eligibility, stripping many Lhotsampa of their citizenship/ civil rights

• Community protests led to violence

and, in December 1990, expulsion

http://www.cal.org/co/pdffiles/backgrounder_bhutanese.pdf ¡

http://www.wfp.org/countries/Nepal/Media/The- Forgotten-Refugees

Bhutanese Lhotsampa

Cultural Interactions and Customs

• Respect is shown to elders and

authority.

• Eye contact during conversation is

standard and is not a sign of disrespect.

• Family is one of the highest priorities,

and the community is very supportive.

• The caste system separates people

into different social levels and influences the choice of marriage and

• ther social relationships.
• Gender roles are distinct and clearly

defined.

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡ Denver Health

Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal

contributed by LFS

Burmese

Minority groups: Karen, Karenni, Kachin

Chin, Rohingya, Myanmar Muslims, Mon, etc.

• Fighting between government, ethnic
• pposition groups and pro-democracy

supporters has been ongoing for fifty years, but escalated in 1990s

• Many refugees fled between

1995-1997 after military offensives by government against opposition movements

– Ethnic groups/individuals in these states were forced to relocate or potentially face arrest, detention, forced labor, conscription – Cultural and religious identities repressed

UNHCR Quick Fact Sheet : Burmese Resettlement from Tham Hin Camp in Thailand ¡

http://www.elevyn.com/blog/?cat=5

Burmese

Cultural Interactions and Customs

• Respect for elders is important and males

have the highest authority in families, though, women still have rights.

• It is considered improper to lose one’s

temper or show much emotion in public.

• Do not touch people on the head, which is

considered the spiritually highest part of the body.

• It is disrespectful to point your feet toward

a senior person, since the feet are regarded as the least noble part of the body.

• Use both hands to give something to, and

receive something from an older person.

• Traditions and religious beliefs play

important roles in family life.

– Religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam,

Hinduism, Animism

http://www.elevyn.com/blog/?cat=5

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Karen

Cultural Interactions and Customs

• Some Karen do not want to be referred to as Burmese
• Traditionally, Karen do not shake hands or bow.
• Avoid walking in front of others; go behind those who

are seated.

• Direct eye contact is sometimes not considered polite.
• Pointing with the feet or showing the bottoms of one’s

feet and touching the head is disrespectful.

• Karen do not pick up something that belongings to

another person.

• When handing something to someone, it is respectful

to use two hands.

• Being direct is culturally considered rude and

confrontation is avoided.

• Many Karen have a cultural value of not imposing on
• thers or being quiet or less talkative. Saying “no” is
• ften a way to be modest, even when an affirmative

answer might seem more appropriate.

http://www.elevyn.com/blog/?cat=5

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Karenni

Cultural Interactions and Customs

• Karenni is a religious and ethnically

diverse territory.

• Communities highly value their traditions

and independence.

• Karenni hold a strong sense of ethnic

identity and social cohesion.

• Traditional identity is found in clothing.
• Once young people have their own

nuclear families, they will still take care

• f the elderly.
• Karenni are not accustomed to saying

“thank you”

http://www.elevyn.com/blog/?cat=5

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Mae La Refugee Camp: Thailand

contributed by LFS

contributed by LFS contributed by LFS

Congolese

Tutsi and Hutu Conflict

• In 1994, the Rwanda genocide spread to

DRC when Hutu extremists fled across the border and incited local Congolese to attack Tutsi.

• After the 2003 peace agreement Tutsi

hoped that discrimination and violence against them would stop, but the government conspired with extremists to increase hostility towards them.

• In 2004, a refugee camp holding many

Tutsi refugees was attacked and out of the 760 camp occupants 152 were murdered.

welt.de

http://www.cal.org/co/pdffiles/backgrounder_tutsi.pdf

Congolese

Cultural Interactions and Customs

• Handshakes are an important part of

greetings.

• A typical greeting might start with

“Peace be unto you” or “Thanks be to God”, and continue with inquiries about the family, health, work and so on.

• Care of sick, disabled or elderly family

members is shared by the extended family.

• The culture is matrilineal and children

are considered a symbol of wealth.

• Historically, men have been given

positions of authority and leadership.

http://www.elevyn.com/blog/?cat=5

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Gihembe Refugee Camp: Rwanda

http://aeglenn.blogspot.com/2009/10/ refugee-project-in-rwanda.html

Eritrean

Kunama and Tigrinya Refugees

• Kunama are located near the border
• f Ethiopia and are farmers and

pastoralists

• Tigrinya make up the largest ethnic

group

• Both have fled Eritrea because the
• utbreak of war in 1998 between

Ethiopia and Eritrea

– Kunama left to escape persecution by the government which accused them of siding with Ethiopia in the war – Tigrinya fled to escape harsh required enrollment in Eritrean national service

http://www.cal.org/co/pdffiles/backgrounder_kunama.pdf and http://www.cal.org/co/pdffiles/backgrounder_shimelba.pdf

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Eritrean

Cultural Interactions and Customs

• Greetings are elaborate and include

shaking hands with each person, and asking about their health and family.

• Close friends of the same gender greet

each other by kissing several times on both cheeks.

• Boys and men frequently hold hands as a

sign of friendship.

• Respect for elders and authority is deeply

rooted.

• Children are highly valued.
• Care for elders by family members at

home is viewed as an important duty.

• Eritreans do not expect to be thanked for

small favors; they consider it their duty to help friends.

http://www.elevyn.com/blog/?cat=5

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

farajat.net

A refugee camp south of the Eritrean border

Wikimedia Commons/Reinhard Dietrich

Iraqis

Those associated with the U.S.

• After Iraqi conflict was underway, people

working with the U.S. troops and their families were increasingly under threat

• Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act

– employees of the U.S. government – a U.S. government-funded contractor or grantee, – U.S. media and NGOs working in Iraq

• certain family members of such employees

– Beneficiaries of approved immigrant visa petitions

• Conflicts between Sunni and Shia are

also causes of fighting and forcing people to flee

FY12 Report to Congress ¡

http://www.usmilitary.com/8212/interpreter-mask-ban- recinded-again/

Iraqis

Cultural Interactions and Customs

• When greeting, men commonly hold

hands or kiss each other, and say Salaam Alaykom (Peace be with you).

• Shaking the head from side to side

means lack of understanding, not disagreement.

• Iraqis consider family unity and honor

extremely important.

• Women in general are subservient to

male authority, however, women wield power over their children and household affairs.

• A man usually does not shake the hand
• f a woman, but does give up his seat

especially if the woman has children.

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

jonvidarphotography.com

Grdasin IDP Camp: Akre District, Iraq

Somalis

• In January 1991 the military regime

under Major General Mohammed Siyaad Barre collapsed.

• Civil war resulted when different factions

starting fighting for power

• Drought, famine and continued fighting

result in Somali refugees to continue to flee their country

http://worldrelief.org/page.aspx?pid=1162 and http:// www.unhcr.org/pages/49e483ad6.html ¡

http://abcnews.go.com/International/response-somalia- refugee-camp-ambulance-driver-pregnant-refugees/story? id=14109630

Somalis

Cultural Interactions and Customs

• The common way to greet someone is to

share a long handshake.

• Women greet one another informally and

may hug and kiss one another on the cheek.

• The right hand is considered the clean and

polite hand to use for daily tasks.

• Men and women do not touch each other.
• Somali culture is male centered in public.

Children and elders share mutual respect.

• Somalis generally do not express their

appreciation verbally.

• Elders are treated with respect.
• When addressing Somali culture, it is

considered disrespectful to refer to ‘clan’ or tribes’.

• Somali women generally do not socialize with

men in public places.

Denver Health Refugee Clinic ¡

http://www.kpbs.org/photos/galleries/ 2010/sep/27/somali-refugees/

Kakuma Refugee Camp: Kenya

contributed by LFS

Other countries

Ethiopia, Cuba, Burundi, etc.

• The U.S. resettled people from
• ver 50 nationalities in 2010

based on the greatest need

• Most in need refugees include

stateless people, victims of violence/war, and those suffering from political repression and religious freedom abuses.

FY12 Report to Congress ¡

sadiahaidarig.wordpress.co m UNHCR

The progress of a refugee: to a new home

Assigned to a Voluntary Agency Travel A New Home

clpmag.org

Refugee Resettlement Agencies in Denver (VOLAGs)

Responsible for the initial reception and core services to refugees, including:

• Case management
• Employment assistance
• English language acquisition
• Housing: placement & furnishing
• Cash assistance
• Some immigration legal services
• Tutoring, financial literacy, and other classes
• Volunteer support

The Refugee’s Responsibilities

Work toward self-sufficiency:

• Refugees are eligible to work lawfully on arrival and

those who are fit and able to work are expected to find a job as soon as possible

• All adult refugees qualify for five years of free English

classes at or through Emily Griffith Technical College so they are supported to learn the language

• After a year in the U.S., refugees should change their

status to lawful permanent resident

• Refugees must pay back the travel loan that the IOM

gives them for their international travel within 46 months

Challenges

Many and varied:

• physical, emotional, mental problems: PTSD
• limited access to education; possible illiteracy

in their first language

• few transferrable skills to an urban job market
• limited English skills
• very limited money and access to

transportation

• cultural differences

Services for Schools

Refugee School Impact Grant

• Participating agencies

– Colorado African Organization

Lisa Bright 303.953.7060

– Jewish Family Service

Mirjana B. Olujic 303.597.7777 ext. 343

– Lutheran Family Services

Erin Kimmel 303.217.5187

• How we support schools

– Support for Refugee Parents – Additional trainings for teachers – Direct support for refugee students

Sources/Resources

• Helpful websites

– Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services (BRYCS) – Colorado Refugee Services Program – Center for Applied Linguistics – United Nations High Commission on Refugees – International Rescue Committee – Independent School District of Boise City (http://www.sd01.k12.id.us/ ell/)

• Clips of interest:

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKKB7NnqTHg – http://www.unhcrwashington.org/site/c.ckLQI5NPIgJ2G/b.7519897/k. 9DB8/Refugee_Congress.htm

Questions?

refugeeeducation.com