Forced Migration, Older Refugees and Displacement: Implications for Social Work as a Human Rights Profession (original) (raw)
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Social Work With Migrants and Refugees
Advances in Social Work
This special issue of Advances in Social Work focuses on current challenges and best practices with migrants and refugees, in an increasingly difficult global context. Over the past decade, forced migration and displacement reached record numbers, while complex geopolitical, economic, and environmental factors contributed to escalating current challenges. International human rights and migration laws provide a framework too narrow and too limited for these recent developments. Political pressure and a growing identity crisis add to the xenophobia and climate of fear, in which security has in some cases become the primary rationale underpinning rapidly changing migration policies. Social work as a profession – in education and practice – has an important (if largely unfulfilled) role to play in advancing the human rights of migrants and refugees. In this commentary, we outline the macro contexts that shape social work practice with migrants and refugees, highlighting the great potent...
Refugee as a human displacement has gained greater worrisome prominence in the internationaldiscourse as the number of refugees and internally displaced persons in the today's world continues to rise with newer experiences and challenges. At the local and international levels, people have been forced to flee as a result of natural and man-made factors. The objectives of this research were: to review and analyze the knowledge and thinking about refugees and displaced persons through existing research and experience , to highlight the reasons for this mass movement of people , to look at the plight of these refugees , suggest that social workers can do to ameliorate the plight of refugees and recommend strategies for mitigating migration generally as guide for future work and implementation for refugee services.The methodology adopted in the research includes, structured interview,literature review and analysis and focused group discussion (FGD). The finding arising from this research showed that people have been displaced due to environmental/ecological factors, socioeconomic depression, political stability, violence/war, terrorism,persecution, growth in population, ethno-political conflict/tension, breakdown of state structures an institutions among others.Also, findings showed that refugees ad IDPs face pitiable physical,emotional,psychological tension/trauma, economic resources lack and human rights abuse which shows that social workers role in stemming and mitigating migration and the plight of refugees cannot be over emphasized.Against this backdrop, the researcher recommends that government at all levels should provide for the human and materials need of the people, ensure peace and harmony, integrate policy thrust, resources and needs of the refugees into all aspects of national development planning. Also, nations should be alive to the protection, support and assistance programmes for the refugees and internally displaced persons as relief officials and agencies become more dedicated and committed to their duties and responsibilities of providing professional services and support good for the refugees, displaced persons and society.Similarly, more social workers should work in refugee and IDPs camps to provide professional services and support beneficial to those vulnerable persons as well as to see to the strict enforcement and implementation of the 1995 UN convention and the 1967 protocol among signatory nations.
European Journal of Social Work, 2020
Social work with displaced people has an extended background in the history of the profession. Yet, it has taken different forms and remits over time, parallel to the evolving legal and political definition of refugee themselves. Inside Europe, in particular, social work with forced migrants has gained new visibility and increasing complexity after the so-called refugee crisis. Aspects like people's limited visibility and eligibility towards formal welfare services, their uncertain legal status, their temporal "liminality" and their non-linear patterns of mobility have all major consequences for social work practice, research and education. In discussing them, we highlight the need to invest in students' (and practitioners') reflexivity, given both the complexity of building up trustbased relationships with forcibly displaced people, and the risk of cultivating essentialized, stigmatizing or nativist representations about them. In all of these respects, our introduction provides a conceptual basis for this Special Issue of EJSW, and for the broader debate in social work across Europe.
European Journal of Social Work, 2020
Social work with displaced people has an extended background in the history of the profession. Yet, it has taken different forms and remits over time, parallel to the evolving legal and political definition of refugee themselves. Inside Europe, in particular, social work with forced migrants has gained new visibility and increasing complexity after the so-called refugee crisis. Aspects like people’s limited visibility and eligibility towards formal welfare services, their uncertain legal status, their temporal “liminality” and their non-linear patterns of mobility have all major consequences for social work practice, research and education. In discussing them, we highlight the need to invest in students’ (and practitioners’) reflexivity, given both the complexity of building up trust based relationships with forcibly displaced people, and the risk of cultivating essentialized, stigmatizing or nativist representations about them. In all of these respects, our introduction provides a conceptual basis for this Special Issue of EJSW, and for the broader debate in social work across Europe.
The Social Worker\u27s Role in the Context of Forced Migration: A Global Perspective
2016
It has become increasingly more difficult to encounter news of today’s events and not become aware of the people who are suffering behind the scenes unfolding on our television sets, radio newscasts, screens and newspapers. Due to the multitude of media reports, we are more aware of what is happening in the remote corners of our world than we were only a few years ago. This awareness includes the fates of the people suffering from displacement due to conflict and violence. This paper seeks to explore available professional literature and present an exploratory study of the issues faced by today’s displaced populations as well as potential ways in which social workers can play a pivotal role in responding to these issues
The Social Worker's Role in the Context of Forced Migration: A Global Perspective
2016
It has become increasingly more difficult to encounter news of today’s events and not become aware of the people who are suffering behind the scenes unfolding on our television sets, radio newscasts, screens and newspapers. Due to the multitude of media reports, we are more aware of what is happening in the remote corners of our world than we were only a few years ago. This awareness includes the fates of the people suffering from displacement due to conflict and violence. This paper seeks to explore available professional literature and present an exploratory study of the issues faced by today’s displaced populations as well as potential ways in which social workers can play a pivotal role in responding to these issues.
2024
Unaccompanied refugee children are one of the most vulnerable categories within the refugee population. They face inexhaustible risks from the start of their journey until its conclusion; being exposed to various forms of violence, assault, and exploitation during the transit phase. Objective This study was aimed to discern the challenges faced by unaccompanied refugee children in Jordan, as perceived by social workers. Additionally, to uncover the role of the social work profession in helping these children in confronting and alleviating these challenges. Participants and Setting. Ten social workers working with unaccompanied refugee children in the International Medical Corps in Jordan were selected to take part in the study. Methods The study adopted a qualitative research approach to achieve its aims. Semi-structured interviews served as the primary method for data collection. Data analysis used inductive thematic analysis, and ethical considerations were consistently observed throughout the study process. Results The study revealed significant social challenges, including strained alternative familial relationships and difficulties in social integration. Psychological struggles were clear in enduring loss, separation, and suicidal thoughts. Economic hardships manifested in meeting basic needs and child labor. School dropouts appeared as a prominent educational issue. Social workers are primarily engaged in case management, providing psychosocial support, and easing referrals. Conclusions Adverse living conditions profoundly affect children, affecting their psychological, physical, and social development. This leads to the emergence of deep psychological traits such as sadness, hostility, anxiety, and behavioral disintegration. Consequently, many children experience social disconnection and struggle to adapt to their environment effectively.
Practice, 2019
In recent years, the numbers of refugees and migrants moving across borders has been unprecedented, with more than 68.5 million people around the world leaving their countries as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Their journeys are perilous, crossing dangerous waters, often leading to death of family members. Upon arrival in Europe they continue to struggle, often living in detention-like conditions, unable to access basic protection and being vulnerable to traffickers. Most European governments offer emergency relief, without a common framework for legal protection or a clear vision of what statutory social services should provide. Like many other European countries, in the UK, designated social services are also limited and formal efforts to support refugees arriving in the UK remain uncoordinated, mostly provided by volunteers and non-governmental organisations. Drawing on the theoretical framework of social movements, this article offers a critique to current social work practices for refugees in the UK. Using the case of resettlement policies, it argues that sustainable social services to protect this vulnerable group could develop through the political opportunity structures created by non-governmental organisations. It concludes that community mobilisation can influence social work practice to better support the refugees.
The Role of Social Work in the Context of Refugess and Asylum Seekers Rights in Indonesia
The plight of refugees and asylum seekers has been a trending issue of critical importance for social workers in Indonesia. At the end of February 2018, the public was overwhelmed by mass media coverage of a large number of refugees living on the streets in front of the Immigration Office in Jakarta. Their existence needs to be noticed by the government in particular and all parties in general, as it may create a new social problem. Many of the difficulties experienced by them, but the most felt is due to the issue of legal status and language barrier; they can not access public services such as healthcare, education, work, and others. Social workers work to uphold the dignity of all those refugees and asylum seekers including unaccompanied minors (UAM) and to work with them for successful social functioning. This paper explores available integrative literature, quantitative document analysis, and presents mixed methodology through individual interviews and an exploratory study to analyze social workers' role to respond the various issues faced by today's refugees and asylum seekers rights as well as potential way for being supporting document as a policy framework for Indonesian government to ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention.