abstract: Protracted Refugee Situations (PRS) are of serious concern due to their adverse impacts on human rights and stability in host countries. This thesis profiles three, so-called, durable solutions for refugees: local integration, third country resettlement, and voluntary repatriation. However, refugees living in PRS are not given any durable solutions, and they remain confined to refugee camps while the conflicts that forced them from their homelands continue. Refugees usually find themselves in PRS as a result of the restrictive policies of the country in which they have sought refuge. These conditions not only deprive refugees of basic human rights, but act as catalysts for political violence, insurgency, and radicalization. This thesis examines, in detail, one such case: Nahr al-Bared, a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon where refugees have been living in PRS for decades due to stringent refugee policies that contributed to violent clashes that took place in May 2007. The denial of human rights for Palestinians in Lebanon has effectively marginalized already disempowered refugee populations, thereby increasing the likelihood of instability and radicalization. The denial of rights, a lack of opportunities, and confinement to the poor conditions of the refugee camp, are driving forces of political violence and militant rhetoric. This situation can endanger the refugee host country as well as the refugees, who are civilians in need of international protection. Therefore, there is a strong connection between the inclusion of rights for refugee populations in a host country, and peace and security. The case of Palestinians in Lebanon is examined as a microcosm of the notion that human rights and state security are interdependent. Recognition of this interdependence necessitates a paradigm shift in perspectives and policies of international refugee protection and state security, from regarding PRS as an indefinite state of emergency to be contained, to acknowledgment that the indefinite duty to protect refugees in protracted situations simultaneously serves the host country's security concerns. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Social Justice and Human Rights 2010

In order to understand the role of discourse in a system of multi-level governance, this thesis performs a case study of Sweden’s response to the 2015-2016 refugee crisis. Initially praised as the European country who accepted the highest number of asylum applications per capita, by the end of 2015 Sweden had limited its asylum policy to the minimum levels under EU law. The abrupt policy change coincided with the emergence of two primary refugee discourses among media and politicians: a solidarity-oriented discourse and a problem-oriented discourse. While both discourses are visible at each level of governance, the national government expressed a commitment to solidarity through its humanitarian ideology while the local municipalities often described the challenges of accommodating the refugees as problematic. To analyze the impact of contrasting discourses at multiple levels of governance, a critical discourse analysis is conducted of news media in Sweden at the national level and the local level and discussed with reference to the theory of postcolonialism. The discourse analysis is then compared to the major changes to refugee policy at the national level and refugee reception at the local level. The results indicate a strong relationship between refugee policy/reception and media discourse at each level of governance, but a much weaker relationship between the levels of governance. This research provides new insight into the theory of multi-level governance and migration studies through its comparison of refugee governance at multiple levels.

This thesis focuses specifically on student media consumption around the Syrian Refugee Crisis at the Claremont Colleges through interviews and participant observation in order to understand the role of media photos in knowledge production around the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Looking at the role of photos in a cross-cultural understanding of the Refugee Crisis, this thesis analyzes the way individuals read and interpret these photos. I argue that photos have a vital role in knowledge production of the Syrian Refugee Crisis however their presentation and consumption occurs in a complex world without guidelines of what photos impact are and how they should be used. Finally, I aim to understand the potential for more ideal representation of the Syrian Refugee Crisis.

abstract: This research examined the perceptions of refugees towards social entrepreneurship in Arizona through focus group discussions with 77 members of the refugee communities that have been organized under nine groups. Business experience, problem solving experience, conception of social entrepreneurship, examples, opportunities, support, and needs emerged as the themes of the study. Available opportunities as well as barriers for refugee social entrepreneurship based on the views of refugees in Arizona were explained. The difference between commercial entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship was highlighted and some examples of refugee social entrepreneurship described. Qualitative data analysis revealed that refugees in Arizona have entrepreneurial characteristics such as risk taking, hardworking, problem solving, and determination. They also have a good understanding of commercial entrepreneurship but very little understanding of social entrepreneurship. The findings underlined that social entrepreneurship can be used as a helpful strategy for self-sufficiency of refugees residing in Arizona. Given their life trajectories, refugees in Arizona have high potential to be social entrepreneurs with the right exposure and training. If supported adequately and planned appropriately, the refugee social entrepreneurship project can lead to self-sufficiency and faster integration of participating individuals to the mainstream society. The findings may spark interest among practitioners, policy makers, and scholars. It may redefine refugee social work practices as the passion of enterprising empowers refugees and helps them to discover self-confidence and rebrand their image. Policy makers may consider incorporating refugee social entrepreneurship in to the current self-sufficiency plan for refugee resettlement. Future research needs to investigate how refugee social entrepreneurs can be successful and focus on the measurement of their success. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Social Work 2015

Legal rules regarding unaccompanied refugee children in the European Union (EU) are closely related to the refugee crisis and the community’s asylum policy. This study aims to investigate how the best interests of the unaccompanied refugee child is being ensured under EU law. Dworkin’s theory and various methods are used to answer the research question. Firstly, the focus is, with the use of the chosen theoretical framework and international legal method, on the interpretation of the principle of “the best interests of the child”. Secondly, the thesis studies how this principle is reflected in the EU law in relation to unaccompanied refugee children, by applying EU legal method. This study shows, on the one hand, that there are a few anomalies in the EU legislation in the area of asylum that arise with regard to the best interests of the unaccompanied refugee child. It is argued that the European Union’s restrictive asylum legislation leads to conflicts between the international law and the EU law. On the other hand, the thesis demonstrates that the EU law has continuously improved, and the international child rights principle was adopted in it. It will be shown in this study that despite the common asylum policy and the community acquis, the EU Member States’ domestic law enables different assessments of the best interests of the unaccompanied child. The solution of normative conflicts is also in the hands of the EU countries, since the status determination of refugees and the assessment of the child’s best interests are carried out by the EU Member States. This will be confirmed by analysing the most important applicable EU laws, particularly the Proposal for a Regulation establishing a Union Resettlement Framework. The Proposal is chosen for discussion, because this is an essential part of the Common European Asylum System and is consistent with two packages of legislative proposals to reform it. The conclusion of this thesis is that the best interests principle is guaranteed in the EU law, but it is not guaranteed in the spirit of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and further improvements are needed in the EU legal framework.

in English - The Status of Child Soldiers in International Refugee Law The main aim of this thesis is to investigate to what extent the international refugee law protects children who flee from armed forces recruitment. The chosen problem was solved using the question whether it is possible to grant a refugee status according to the 1951 Refugee Convention, or a status complementing the refugee status according to regional regulatory instruments, to a child who flees from armed forces recruitment. The conception of the refugee status was divided into constituent elements and it was considered whether children who flee from recruitment into armed forces and former child soldiers comply with attributes of these elements. The first examined element is the inclusion clause. In this part, the thesis examined the following questions: Is recruitment of children into armed forces and their use in hostilities a form of persecution? Can such children be considered a particular social group? Can rejection of participation in armed forces by such children be considered holding a political opinion? Is there a causal link between persecution and membership to a particular social group or between persecution and holding a political opinion in the context of children who flee from recruitment into armed forces?...

"The plight of refugees is becoming more prevalent in Africa with the intensification of conflicts in most countries in Africa especially the Great Lakes region. This means that there are more people fleeing from the conflicts. How refugees are identified and accorded status is very crucial to the protection of their rights. There have been serious complaints and cries from refugees and human rights organizations on the treatment of refugees by the state in Kenya and the UNHCR in Egypt. This study seeks to discuss the refugee status determination practice in Kenya and Egypt and how it affects the rights of refugees within their jurisdiction. This will give an insight in the protection of refugees’ rights in both countries. There is need to research on the possibility of an effective regime on status determination. Asylum seekers are vulnerable and have continued to suffer for lack of a proper framework to seek protection. The lack of specific refugees policies and laws have also put the refugees at the risk of being mistreated and their rights infringed upon with impunity by security agents and agents who should otherwise protect them. Protection of refugees’ rights involves first of all legal protection, i.e. seeking to ensure that refugees are treated in accordance with internationally accepted standards including protection against refoulement, freedom from discrimination and the enjoyment of economic and social rights. Secondly, it entails action to promote the development of standards for the treatment of refugees through the adoption of appropriate legal provisions in national legislation and efficient and effective practices by the states. ... Chapter one will set out the content of the research, identify the problem and outline the methodology. Chapter two will discuss the international and regional refugees’ standards on status determination. The chapter will also discuss the role of the UNHCR and obligations of host governments in granting refugee status. Chapter three will discuss the case studies. It will compare the refugee status determination regimes in Kenya and Egypt. This chapter will discuss what UNHCR and the government are doing on RSD. It will explore the underlying reasons they are done that way. Chapter four will analyse the extent to which Kenya and Egypt have complied with international and regional refugees’ standards on RSD and the way forward. Chapter five will draw a conclusion and recommendations." -- Chapter 1. / Mini Dissertation (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/academic_pro/llm1/dissertations.html / Centre for Human Rights / LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)

In October 2019, thousands of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers took the streets in Cape Town and Pretoria to publicly express their dissatisfaction with their living and protection conditions in South Africa. The protests erupted one month after a series of xenophobic incidents in several urban areas. While Pretoria protests dissolved quickly, the Cape Town sit-in protests were only cleared in early 2020. In both cities, protesters claimed that poor living conditions, a lack of access to services and a constant fear of xenophobic violence and harassment had made it unbearable for them to sustain their lives in South Africa. Refugees and asylum-seekers therefore demanded improved protection and the resettlement to a safer third country. Third country resettlement forms one of the three durable solutions for refugee situation as defined by the UNHCR, besides local integration and voluntary repatriation. The South African government and the UNHCR, however, made it clear that third country resettlement could not be considered a solution for a majority of South Africa's refugees and asylum-seekers. With local integration equally failing the forced migrants in South Africa, voluntary repatriation may by default be their only option left. This study aims to explore the relation between xenophobia and voluntary refugee repatriation in a South African context. The fear of xenophobic violence that was expressed by the 2019 protesters raises doubt about South Africa's ability to meet the UNHCR's standards of refugee protection. At the same time, it compromises the protection measure of temporary local integration as outlined in the South African 1998 Refugee Act. This study will therefore explore he connection between conditions of asylum in South Africa and the decision-making process on repatriation by refugees and asylum-seekers. This study aims to contribute to better the understanding of conditions and dynamics that lead to spontaneous voluntary repatriation in refugee situations.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka ensamkommande barns upplevelser och erfarenheterav integrationsprocessen bland ensamkommande som har erfarenhet av att bo på ett HVB-hem.Semistrukturerade intervjuer gjordes med fem unga vuxna män som kommit till Sverige somensamkommande barn från Afghanistan. Materialet utmynnade i sju teman: boende ochutslussverksamhet, relation, språk och utbildning, integration, känslan av ensamhet ochutanförskap, psykisk ohälsa under asylprocessen samt i väntan på uppehållstillstånd.Resultaten visar att respondenterna upplevde att språket var viktigt för att komma in i detsvenska samhället och att det blev lättare att få ett arbete. Andra faktorer som de upplevdeviktiga för en lyckad integration är bland annat att skaffa svenska vänner, lära sig regler, densvenska kulturen och ett bra mottagande. Resultatet visar även det att respondenterna uppleveratt det har varit svårt att få svenska vänner både i skolan och i samhället, vilket bidrar tillutanförskap och ensamhet. Vidare visar studien att respondenterna tycker att socialarbetarebehöver mer utbildning i arbetet med ensamkommande barn för att få en bättre förståelse förderas kultur och vad barnen bär med sig. Intervjupersonernas upplevelser ger en beskrivning avhur de har haft det som ensamkommande barn, men det går inte att dra generella slutsatser tillen större population av ensamkommande. Sammanfattningsvis kan denna studieförhoppningsvis bidra till att förbättra förståelsen för ensamkommande barns behov undervistelsen vid HVB-hem.

No description available.