How Can We Make Sure Refugees Have Access to Safe Living Conditions in the Future?
The EU’s response to the refugee crisis has been criticised as inadequate and ineffective. This article examines the experience of Germany in resettling refugees, and discusses how eHealth records can help to ensure a refugee’s safety.
EU’s mechanisms for responding to refugee crisis as not fit for purpose
The Commission has identified the EU’s mechanisms for responding to the refugee crisis as “not fit for purpose”. The current asylum process in the EU is not fit for purpose. The EU’s Screening Regulation creates a new pre-entry screening process for irregular migrants, which involves fingerprinting, registration, and health, security, and vulnerability checks. This is done in order to determine the likelihood of a successful asylum claim. The authorities then refer applicants to the normal asylum procedure or the border procedure, if necessary.
The EU’s existing mechanisms for responding to the refugee crisis must be improved. It must avoid employing containment measures and implement coordinated responses that protect refugees and protect EU citizens. It must ensure that the asylum procedures are fair and accessible to asylum seekers. It must also address the human rights violations that occur at EU borders.
EU Member States must act now and ensure that refugees are adequately protected and given sufficient assistance. As many volunteers have already indicated, the need for systematic support for refugees is urgent. As more people arrive in Europe unaccompanied, the need for help will only increase. The IRC has identified eight priority actions to ensure the EU’s refugee response is effective.
The EU must create a permanent, resilient, and sustainable solidarity mechanism. It must also ensure the right support for individual states and regions in their response to the refugee crisis. This should include financial contributions from the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, and civil society. States should also explore ways to provide emergency cash to refugees and migrants in need.
The EU has committed to building Multipurpose Reception and Identification Centres with EU funds to replace camps that are mostly made up of containers and tents. These new permanent facilities promise to be better than the current temporary arrangements. However, plans to restrict entry and exit from these facilities raise concerns about restricting the freedom of movement of individuals and limiting the work of NGOs.
Iran’s refugee population has access to safe living conditions
Iran has increasingly implemented measures to limit the access of refugees to free and subsidized resources, including energy, education, and healthcare. These policies are counterproductive and should be reversed. Iran must provide refugees with the same rights and opportunities as native citizens, including equal wages. The country should ensure that refugees enjoy freedom to travel within the country and choose where they want to live.
Since the Taliban re-took power in Afghanistan, an influx of Afghan refugees has poured into Iran. The UNHCR estimates that nearly 20,000 refugees arrived in Iran during the first three months of Taliban rule. The true number, however, may be even higher. In the past, Iran was a liberal, pro-refugee country, but the recent change in government has shifted that policy significantly. Today, there are more than three million refugees living in Iran. The vast majority of these are Afghans.
Iran has adopted several education policies for Afghan refugees. These policies include free primary and secondary public schools. They also provide literacy training. In 2015, the Supreme Leader ordered that children from refugee families be permitted to attend school. Since then, more than one-third of these children have had access to public education. In 2016, Iran abolished school fees for refugees. As a result, the literacy rate of Afghan refugees has risen from 6% to 65%.
Iran has a history of welcoming refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan. The Iranian government welcomed the first wave of Afghans in the 1970s and granted them a blue card, which gave them similar rights to Iranian citizens. However, the government later voided this privilege and replaced it with temporary documentation. The government has also begun to restrict subsidized services for refugees in 2009.
Germany’s experience with resettling refugees
A recent report published by the Carnegie Corporation explores Germany’s experience with resettling refugees. It highlights the country’s efforts to integrate Syrians into German society and the economy. The report also examines the role of vocational schools in integrating refugees into the workforce, and the efforts of volunteer organizations and civil society to assist refugees. The authors also examine common themes that emerge from interviews with German and Syrian refugees.
For instance, Syrian refugee Wafaa Farok, who has come to Germany with her husband and two young daughters, faces a variety of challenges as they adjust to life in Germany. She has trouble finding independent housing, and she struggles to get her daughter ready for kindergarten. They share a two-bedroom apartment with another Syrian family.
In the federal quota system, refugees are allocated to the individual states in the country, according to a well-established formula. This method aims to distribute refugees evenly among the various regions and cities in the first phase of integration. However, it does not account for the fact that individuals may try to settle in a location other than their assigned one. Also, it does not account for the special housing conditions and population density of urban communities.
While the German government has made a significant effort in integrating refugees, the process is far from perfect. In order for long-term integration to occur, refugee children must be placed in classrooms where they are likely to learn German. However, few refugees arrive in Germany with prior knowledge of the language. This means that the burden of instruction often falls to civic groups or nonprofits.
Germany’s federalist framework has been tested during the refugee crisis, and it has proven its resilience. For example, in Hamburg, the city government has twice changed national housing codes in order to accommodate new refugee housing centers despite local opposition. This process has helped the city overcome opposition and successfully placed refugee centers in underutilized commercial buildings and open sites in residential neighborhoods. As a result, the cities’ role in resettling refugees is special, and must be addressed through new policy reforms and institutional practices.
eHealth records
Refugees are often screened for health issues before they leave the country. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) provides health information packets for refugees prior to departure. These packets include information on vaccinations and medical screening. The information is collected and reported to the UNHCR’s Health Information System.
The CDC recommends screening refugees within 30 days of arrival. These screenings introduce refugees to the US healthcare system and identify health conditions that are not diagnosed during the overseas medical examination. The US Department of State selects panel physicians who perform these screenings. The CDC provides technical and regulatory oversight for these physicians. The CDC also reports screening data to EDN. States where refugees are resettled can use the data to help refugees.
Background security checks for refugee applicants
Background security checks for refugee applicants are a common part of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. These checks are conducted by various governmental entities, including the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, to ensure that applicants are not involved in terrorism or other criminal activity. They also ensure that the immigration process does not allow anyone who is not eligible to be in the United States to obtain permanent residency or citizenship.
In addition to completing these checks, U.S. Customs and Border Protection also conducts additional background checks for refugees. Upon referral, refugees undergo the most stringent background security checks. In general, it takes between eight and ten weeks for refugees to be processed through the refugee resettlement process.
Applicants must submit fingerprints for fingerprint screening against FBI biometric databases and U.S. Department of Defense biometric databases. These databases include fingerprint records that were captured in Iraq and other locations. Refugees may also be evaluated for certain medical conditions, including asthma and communicable diseases. If there is any doubt about a refugee’s identity, USCIS will notify IC partners.
Background security checks for refugee applicants are conducted multiple times throughout the immigration process. These screenings require a Police Clearance Certificate. If a refugee applicant has a criminal history, a preliminary background check will be conducted. This will assure the government that the individual is not a threat to the country.
Refugees may be denied admission if they are involved in terrorist activities. If the consular officer and attorney general believe that a refugee is involved in terrorist activity, he or she may be inadmissible. An applicant may also be inadmissible if they have committed crimes abroad, or have provided material support to terrorist organizations. However, there are certain exemptions to these rules.
