THE REFUGEE CRISIS
1. DEFINING THE CRISIS
Differentiate (explain the difference between) the following terms:
(a) asylum seeker and refugee
An asylum seeker is a person who has sought protection as a refugee, but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been assessed. Every refugee has at some point been an asylum seeker. Those asylum seekers who are found to be refugees are entitled to international protection and assistance.
(b) migrant and refugee
A refugee is a person who has had to flee his or her country of origin because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. A migrant makes a conscious choice to move to a country.
(c) voluntary and forced migration
Forced migration is a negative form of migration, often caused by persecution, development, or exploitation. Voluntary migration is migration based on one's free will and initiative. People move for a variety of reasons, and it involves weighing options and choices
2. THE EXTENT OF THE CRISIS
Research statistics, figures or facts that outline the extent of the refugee crisis around the world.
Summarise your findings below:
The conflict in Syria continues to be by far the biggest driver of migration. But the ongoing violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, abuses in Eritrea, as well as poverty in Kosovo, are also leading people to look for new lives elsewhere. Although not all of those arriving in Europe choose to claim asylum, many do. Germany received the highest number of new asylum applications in 2015, with more than 476,000. But far more people have arrived in the country - German officials said more than a million had been counted in Germany's "EASY" system for counting and distributing people before they make asylum claims. Hungary moved into second place for asylum applications, as more migrants made the journey overland through Greece and the Western Balkans. It had 177,130 applications by the end of December. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 1,011,700 migrants arrived by sea in 2015, and almost 34,900 by land. This compares with 280,000 arrivals by land and sea for the whole of 2014. The figures do not include those who got in undetected. The EU's external border force, Frontex, monitors the different routes migrants use and numbers arriving at Europe's borders and put the figure crossing into Europe in 2015 at more than 1,800,000. Most of those heading for Greece take the relatively short voyage from Turkey to the islands of Kos, Chios, Lesvos and Samos - often in flimsy rubber dinghies or small wooden boats.
3. DEALING WITH THE CRISIS
Research the organisations below and outline how they assist refugees.
Answer in the table below:
ORGANISATION
WHAT DO THEY DO?
UNHCR
During times of displacement, UNHCR provides critical emergency assistance in the form of clean water, sanitation and healthcare, as well as shelt...
