What Are the Challenges for Refugees?
Many challenges face refugee families. These include navigating the complexities of new environments and navigating various situations with their children. The parent-child dynamic is constantly in flux, and a refugee parent’s language skills will not always be sufficient to understand their child’s concerns. In addition, refugee children often lack educational support from their parents and are left to rely on schools for their education. Furthermore, refugee parents who do not speak English are more likely to be ignored when they complain about their children. These systematic differences place children at a disadvantage.
Health
Refugees face a wide range of health challenges. Compared to detention centres, health services are a much safer place for refugees. Yet they are still relatively limiting spaces for healthcare and assistance, particularly for those with limited freedom. In this article, we will discuss the health issues facing refugees, their experiences in health services and what can be done to improve access to them.
The road to appropriate healthcare for refugees is a dynamic process informed by the refugee’s pre-migration and migration experiences. As a result, it is essential to identify and understand the barriers that refugees face and how they can overcome them through a trusting relationship with the healthcare system. Using the Migrant Sensitive Access Model, we will explore some of the key factors that shape the refugee’s health experience and how the healthcare system can improve it.
Health care provision for urban refugees poses a range of challenges, including geographical, cultural, and financial barriers. Public health services in host countries tend to be overstretched and low quality. In addition, refugees are more financially disadvantaged than urban citizens. As such, it can be difficult to access private health care facilities.
Discrimination is another major factor that influences adverse health outcomes among refugees. Recent studies show that discrimination during the resettlement period can lead to substitution of health care services by refugees. Furthermore, it can increase distrust and lead to inappropriate care. In such a scenario, it is essential to develop the skills and resources necessary to improve the health status of refugees.
Lack of employment opportunities is another common challenge faced by refugees. Many have lost their jobs, and several key sectors have stopped hiring refugees. While many would like to work, their lack of opportunity can adversely affect their mental health. Refugees often report experiencing anxiety and insomnia.
Education
One of the biggest challenges for refugees in the United States is adjusting to a new school system. The recent surge in the number of refugees in the country has resulted in more diverse classes and increased diversity in school settings. This increase in diversity necessitates culturally responsive and effective instruction. Educators must also be aware of the potential challenges posed by cultural illiteracy, which can impede refugees’ academic progress.
The first step is to understand the causes of this problem. Refugees are often exposed to violence and persecution, which can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can manifest in many ways, including excessive vigilance, nervousness, frequent startle reactions, and even depression. Refugee students may also be misdiagnosed with learning disorders or may not even have a diagnosis. Fortunately, there are many programs that can help displaced students transition into local schools and universities. One example is the Lynke program, which will train Syrian refugees in app-building and provide them with an internationally recognised qualification.
Another approach to understanding refugee students is to study the experiences of their second generation. This second-generation experience can provide valuable insights into immigrant students, as their experiences are often decades-old. Even though their education may be limited in scope, the lessons learned can be applicable to current situations.
Another approach is to offer a comprehensive information package to the refugee families and their children. NGOs are working to provide information to refugee families. Some cities have even set up specific information centres for refugees.
Employment
The international community and governments must address the employment challenges of refugees in a systematic manner. It is not enough to provide refugee employment; they also need to engage the private sector in this process. Incentives can be designed to provide skills training and establish a pipeline of talent to help the host nations create jobs.
One of the challenges facing refugees is their unfamiliarity with the labour market of the host country. Studies have indicated that this gap can be overcome by introducing refugees to people who have been successful in their fields. In addition, they can seek the advice of successful individuals to help them integrate more quickly into the labour market.
For refugees, it is crucial to provide them with skills that will enable them to find sustainable employment in the long run. This will enable them to achieve their goal of re-establishing a new life while earning wages that are commensurate to their skill levels. As a result, European governments have created a wide range of support measures to help these people find work. These include language and orientation courses, vocational training and education, bridging measures, traineeships and economic incentives for employers.
Despite the obvious challenges, there are also many opportunities for refugees to find employment. Remote working, for example, could provide a dignified livelihood for many refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. This is a positive step in the right direction, and it could also be a win-win for host governments. In addition to creating a secure income, remote working could also boost the local economy.
The most significant obstacle for refugee job placement is language proficiency. A recent study found that language skills are the biggest barrier for refugees to find a good job. Even refugees who have degrees can find it difficult to find a job.
Safety
There are several different ways in which refugee populations perceive safety. Perceptions of safety are influenced by individual characteristics, such as ethnicity, household size, and marital status. Refugees from Syria and Somalia have lower safety perceptions at home than do people from the DRC, Iraq, and Bhutan.
A lack of safety can harm both mental and physical health. Without reliable access to water and sanitation, refugees are vulnerable to illnesses and develop mental health disorders. Furthermore, they are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress and anxiety. According to a World Health Organization survey, the uncertainty that refugees face has an adverse impact on their mental health. Increasing access to safety can help refugees improve their health and rebuild their lives.
The right to seek safety is a basic human right. However, it can be difficult to achieve. The United Nations Refugee Agency reports that over 100 million people around the world are displaced at this time. However, refugee rights to safety are guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to the UNHCR, this right should not be hindered by discrimination.
Perceptions of safety are influenced by individual, environmental, and social factors. Participants who attended events related to their culture or those of other cultures were more likely to feel safe in their neighborhoods. Moreover, participants who experienced discrimination in their home country were less likely to feel safe in their new country. These factors highlight the need for more research.
Language barrier
Language barriers can make it difficult for refugees to access quality primary care. This can result in missed opportunities for proactive, appropriate care. Furthermore, language barriers can persist even when refugees have settled in the host country. This can lead to misunderstandings, misdiagnoses, and even accusations of negligence. As a result, healthcare providers need to take steps to reduce the risk of language barriers.
One way to eliminate language barriers for refugees is to provide education in the local language. For example, refugee communities in Lebanon may provide education to Syrian children through public schools. Although Syrian refugee children are now able to attend school, this is not the case for all children. More than half of school-age Syrians do not attend school, and only 2% continue on to secondary education.
The language barrier causes many refugees to feel anti-social and isolated. This can lead to depression and lowered self-esteem. In addition, refugees are more likely to face bullying if they cannot communicate in their native language. Ultimately, this can cause them to miss out on opportunities. The impact of language barriers on refugee children is particularly severe for the younger ones. Many children serve as interpreters for their parents.
While language barriers aren’t the only barrier for refugees, they are often the biggest hurdle for them when trying to get settled in a new country. Other challenges can include family separation and trauma. Learning English is one of the biggest challenges, as it can make it difficult to find a job. Luckily, job training can help these people learn English faster.
