Understanding Refugee Struggles for Asylum in the UK

2.  Why do refugees leave their homes to seek asylum? •  What conditions do asylum seekers face? •  Do you think the UK should be welcoming and supportive to asylum seekers?

4. Self Published Work/ CC-BY-SA-3.0 Public domain via Wikimedia CC-BY-SA-2.0CC-BY-SA-2.0 via Flickr NASA/Paul E via Wikimedia Neon TommyNeon Tommy/CC-BY-SA-2.0 What do they have in common?

5. What do you think all of these images have in common? In fact all of these images represent people who at one time were refugees (Albert Einstein, Prince Philip, Rita Ora, Michael Marks (who co-founded Marks and Spencer), Bob Marley and Fabrice Muamba (who played Premier League football). • You probably didn’t know this but refugees make a huge contribution to the UK. Many refugees are doctors, nurses or teachers, 18 refugees have become Nobel Laureates and 16 refugees have received knighthoods*. • Additionally immigrants, including refugees, pay more into the public purse compared to their UK born counterparts**.  • The way migration issues are presented by some politicians, public officials and the media has had a huge impact on how people view migrants. Migrants are often scapegoated by politicians or the media as “illegal immigrants”, “gate-crashers” – even “invaders” – who exploit host countries’ generosity. This creates the impression that migrants have no rights at all, and can lead to racism and discrimination.*** • Source: • *http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/Resources/RefugeeWeek2012/Documents%20old%20site/HistoryofContributions.pdf • **Institute for Public Policy Research, Paying their way: the fiscal contribution of immigrants in the UK, 2005) • ***https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/people-on-the-move/

6. Watch this video

7. https://vimeo.com/128124721 The message of this video was that young people are less quick to judge, find it easier to put themselves in other people’s shoes and are more likely to find our differences interesting and fun rather than something to be feared. We are the right age and the right generation to make a difference and to make sure that our school and community is welcoming as possible.

8. An asylum seeker is: someone who has asked to be allowed to stay in another country because they have had to flee from danger in their own country. N.B. claiming asylum is a human right A refugee is: someone who has got permissionto stay in another country because, if they return to their home country, they will be in great danger. Not to be confused with Economic Migrant/ Illegal Immigrant

9. One day everything has changed forever. A war started and no one could stop it. People died and a lot were injured. I felt miserable, sad and bad because I was going to leave my country, my family, and my friends. Food prices increased and there was less water and electricity. I had to leave the country. So we came to England. Esmail Alhajji, Year 9. Lawnswood School, Leeds.

10. Esmail Alhajji came to the UK from Syria when he was 13. He describes Syria before he had to leave as a lovely place where he had many friends, a large family and a nice house, car and neighbours. His parents had good jobs and he loved his school where he was a star student. But when war broke out he had to leave. Here he explains how it felt to leave his country (click to see quote). Esmail left his country to escape war. But you may ask more generally, why do people leave their country? Most of Britain’s asylum seekers come from just ten countries*. Three of the countries (Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan) are in the top ten least peaceful places to live in the world**. In fact none of these ten countries could be classed as very peaceful**. The situations in many of these countries is dire seeing people genuinely frightened for their lives. Can you imagine making the decision to leave friends and family and everything that is familiar? Not out of choice but because of a fears for your life if you stay. *Number of asylum seekers coming to the UK: Pakistan (3,343), Iran (2,417), Sri Lanka (1,808), Syria (1,669), Eritrea (1,377), Albania (1,326), Bangladesh (1,123), Afghanistan (1,040), India (965), Nigeria (915) according to www.unhcr.org.uk/about-us/the-uk-and-asylum.html **http://www.visionofhumanity.org/sites/default/files/2014%20Global%20Peace%20Index%20REPORT.pdf

11. In this picture 104 sub-Saharan Africans in a rubber dinghy await rescue off the Libyan coast.

12. Esmail’s family aren’t the only ones to face tough choices. Every day, all over the world, people make the most difficult decision of their lives; to leave their homes in search of a better life. In this picture 104 people await rescue in a rubber boat of the Libyan coast. The trip from Africa and the Middle East over to to Europe is the most dangerous border-crossing in the world*. In the months from January to April 2015, 1,750 people perished in the Mediterranean**. Put your hand up if you’ve seen anything in the news about this? People on the boats are fleeing from war, revolution, bad governance, climate change, poverty, and persecution***.  Most people are from Syria, Eritrea and Somalia where devastating wars are being fought.† The passengers on this boat, like many before them are literally risking everything for the chance of a better life. As well as the ultimate risk of drowning, the boats are overcrowded, there is very little food and drink on board and the whole operation is operated by people traffickers who take people’s money in exchange for a place on the boat, but who have little or no regards for the safety or welfare of the people on board.

13. Every migrant on the crossing has a story to tell. A recent Channel 4 documentary told Doaa’s story, a Syrian girl of 19 years old. She rescued two babies, by holding onto them in the water for four days. She says: ”I drew my strength from the two babies I had with me. They were under my protection, entrusted to me, I wanted them to live, I prayed for them and played with them to keep them awake. By Friday nearly all the people in the sea were finished, they started to die in front of me.” When Doaa was rescued she explains how her rescuers called out to her in the darkness, found her and took one of the babies. She then describes how: “I told them there's another baby, the man said 'bravo', smiled and took the child. I was relieved because I had managed to protect them.” †† *Source: http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32387224: 79% of all migrant deaths in the world occurred in the Mediterranean***. **Source: International Organisation for Migration via a Telegraph article April 2015 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11548995/Mediterranean-migrant-crisis-hits-Italy-as-EU-ministers-meet-live.html ***http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/20/-sp-migrants-tales-asylum-sea-mediterranean

14. People arriving at the world’s largest refugee camp in Kenya

15. But globally where do most refugees go? In fact 86% of all refugees are taken in NOT by the richer more industrialized countries, but by LESS economically developed countries*. • The previous picture showed new arrivals coming to the world’s largest refugee camp which is in Dadaab, Kenya. Refugees are mainly coming to escape conflict in the neighbouring Somalia. • What percentage of refugees come to the UK? In fact, the UK provides sanctuary to only 1% of refugees globally**. Which leads to a question (NEXT SLIDE):Sources: • *http://www.unhcr.org.uk/about-us/key-facts-and-figures.html • **UNHCR Global Trends 2012 – See http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/assets/0002/8644/Tell_it_like_it_is_Refugee_Council_2013.pdf

16. Do you believe that vulnerable people should be protected? 82% of British people believe protecting the most vulnerable is a core British value.

17. A survey by the Refugee Council in 2011 found that 82% of British people believe protecting the most vulnerable is a core British value*. The UK has a long tradition of giving refuge to those escaping persecution, and this has saved the lives of many thousands of people who would otherwise have been killed. The right to seek asylum is set out in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights**. • We already know that refugees make a valuable contribution to society. But it can also be argued that providing sanctuary for asylum seekers and refugees is the right thing to do. • But although we in the UK have a moral duty to provide sanctuary what is the reality for those who come to the UK?

18. Seeking asylum in the UK

19. In the picture: Sara a refugee from Ethiopia with her son. She is a trustee for the maternity stream of sanctuary and recently shared her experiences of giving birth at an international conference for nurses and midwives in Ireland. She has done voluntary work supporting asylum seekers and refugees because she didn't want other people to suffer as she had suffered. Seeking asylum in the UK

20. As an asylum seeker your destination country will be totally new to you. You may not speak the language, and you will be at risk of discrimination and possibly hate crime. • In all likelihood you will be placed in sub-standard housing* and you will have no idea about where you will be sent and what will happen to you. • In addition to housing you will also be entitled to £5.23 per day for everything you need*. As a result you will probably be living in poverty and experience poor health and hunger.** • You will not have the right to work, not unless your case to seek asylum is successful and you gain refugee status.

21. 50% of refugees globally are children under the age of 18*. For many, this can be a very difficult and scary time. • Settling into school can be challenging. Here are some quotes of asylum seeking children attending school in the UK for the first time.

22. Quotes from young asylum seekers I had to sit all by myself. People did not play with me because if they asked me questions I didn’t know how to answer. (Fatia, Somalia) In Afghanistan I was like, a bit more confident, I was like one of the big girls that did the most things but here when I came I got quieter. (Zakiah, Afghanistan) At the start I wasn't confident because of my English. However the school helped to improve my English and get friends quickly. I am happy because I have found someone to help me. I also got the student of the year certificate; I was very happy because I have achieved something and now I'm aiming to get A* in my GCSEs.

23. What can we all do to create a more welcoming school for everyone? We can show an interest and be friendly to new comers. We can keep our friendship groups open. Even if someone doesn’t speak English, they will soon learn if they are included. We can ask students who are learning English if they would like to work on homework together We must always report bullying to teachers. Don’t turn a blind eye.