Today, two of my friends (Lexie and Francesca) and I had an incredible opportunity to represent SYA and partake in a panel discussion through a pilot program News-Decoder on the issue of Europe's refugee crisis. We had two amazing speakers with us, Søren Jessen-Petersen, a professor and former senior UNHCR official, and Adrian Edwards, UNHCR spokesman, to whom we asked six questions about the refugee crisis (they are listed below).
After listening to Petersen and Edwards for an hour, I was very inspired. They emphasized the importance of education and how dissemination of correct information can effectively combat the prejudiced policies against migrants. Therefore, my GIN group (Global Issues Network) decided to focus on this topic: how we can help our small migrant community in Viterbo. More information about GIN will follow as the date of the conference (in March) approaches.
One thing that struck me the most from the discussion was the comment the speakers made on the title of the webinar: “European Immigration Crisis.” The media, of course, focuses on how many Syrian refugees are coming into Europe. In reality, however, this issue is not restricted to one continent. Most Syrian refugees seek shelter in its neighboring countries like Turkey, Lebanon, or Jordan. Some cross the Sinai Peninsula to go into Northern African countries like Egypt. Only some “fortunate” refugees take on the risk of sailing across the water and enter Europe. So is this truly a European immigration crisis? They argue no, it is not. It is a crisis that involves and necessitates cooperation of countries all over the world.
Below is a list of questions Lexie, Francesca, and I asked during the webinar:
What is the role of the UN in this crisis and at what point do these refugees become just too much to add to the load of an already overburdened organization? The UNHCR already has 60 million people under its protection.
Do you think that we need to limit the people who come in based on their age, sex, sexual orientation, and/or educational backgrounds? For example, Canada has recently decided to limit the number of incoming heterosexual single adult males due to the increasing percentage of adult male migrants.
Do you fear that violence and rioting such as what occurred in Kosovo in 2004 could erupt with this immigration crisis as a result of differing demographics? If so, how could it be prevented?
Many refugees arrive by paying criminal networks. Should human smugglers be punished even though they are providing one of the few ways to flee?
What are the daily struggles that a woman faces as a refugee? Are there any actions set in place to promote women’s rights in the current refugee crisis?
Are there any measures or organizations that address the mental health of refugees?
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