Hearing individual refugee stories makes children more compassionate toward new arrivals, suggests a new study. Refugees are our neighbours. They revitalise our economies. They are in frontline jobs like healthcare, teaching, and the food industry that have kept our country afloat through out the COVID-19 Pandemic. Their efforts can help create jobs, raise the productivity and wages of local workers, lift capital returns, stimulate international trade and investment, boost innovation, enterprise and growth. Welcoming refugees generally implies an initial investment, typically of public funds. The U.N. Security Council has also affirmed “the right of refugees and displaced persons to return to their homes”. Thus a refugee has the right to return to his or her country and enjoy his or her basic human rights. So that is why we as a team have chosen this topic so that we can get to know more as well as make people aware of this.
Today, the world is dealing with the highest level of displacement on record, reasons of which include both severe climate change and armed conflict. Major ostracisation faced by refugees during this period has become a real issue. Looking at the sheer amount of problems faced by immigrants in these recent times has made us choose this topic to seek the attention of the youth all around the world towards this grave issue.
This piece is a work of fiction written by Sejal Agarwal that aims to portray the thoughts of a young, teenage refugee who has experienced exponential loss and is struggling to fit in her new life. From identity loss to survivor's guilt, emotions are constantly clawing on her brain as she fails to get motivation for her life. She hopes the readers get an insight into the mind of such a child through this story and establishes a connection with Arezo. FROM HOUSEHOLDS TO ASYLUMS By- Sejal Agarwal “ Arezo Sayed. 16 yrs. Refugee.” This was my identity now. A refugee. An escapee. Homelessness, pain, trauma, pity, and empathy were the only words that were associated with my personality now, and yet none of them went any closer to what I used to be known for. __________________
I was getting restless sitting inside my room for a week now. The windows were shut close and the curtain is drawn out tight. Arya was sleeping beside me. Her soft snores were so prominent in the quiet of my surroundings that I started counting their rhythm in a minute. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than the disruption of that newfound peace so that the voices inside my head could get inaudible. __________________
The splitting voice of the front door being kicked open and the roaring cries of my baby sister as they took her away was tattooed inside my brain, etched inside my ears to its depths and nothing could make them stop like the one plot of a murder mystery I couldn’t forget. It should have been me.
I had gotten up way before the sun even hit my eyes. After putting away the mattress and cleaning my small space, I made my way to the communal bathroom. A luxurious shower wasn't really a staple for refugees so I got myself the usual bucket of water to clean myself. The distribution center was where the real struggle came into play. Thousands of refugees like me rush to the place every morning just to fill their stomachs. Some go back with the occasional bread in their hands and some empty-handed. People around me said things would get better but I had grown up in the house of a meat merchant and never once thought that life could get this worse. My 16 yr old self dreamed of parties and friends and stressing over college applications but with how things were going, it was hard to hold on to the hope of school.
Novels by Jane Austen were replaced with buckets to fetch water and all the fellow humans inside my camp were my only family now. Somehow, learning about their stories made me forget mine and sometimes relive mine. We are all prepared for losses in our life but everyone around me has lost everything at once. Shelter, family, country, luxury. Identity. We were just refugees now. __________________ They steal, they kidnap children, they could be terrorists, they are untrustworthy. It was amusing what the world believed. They were convinced that we were the bearers of the violence in our homeland and disrupting their safe existence with it. But we are escapees, not bearers. Statistics proved that immigrants committed crimes at lower rates than natives but human emotions don't interpret numbers, they interpret feelings and nothing conveyed more feelings than stories. In fact, isn't literature in its greatest form said to be as powerful as human interaction? __________________
“Who am I?” “Arezo Sayed, 26 yrs. Writer, Philanthropist, Influencer.
Translation of "Kabuliwallah" By Sejal Agrawal
কাবুলিওয়ালা By Rabindranath Tagore
সে কাবুলিওয়ালা, রহমত সম্পর্কে সন্দেহমুক্ত ছিল না এবং তার প্রতি সজাগ দৃষ্টি রাখতে আমাকে বিরক্ত করেছিল। যখনই আমি তার সন্দেহ দূর করার চেষ্টা করেছি, তিনি আমাকে কয়েকটি সূক্ষ্ম প্রশ্ন জিজ্ঞাসা করেছিলেন: 'শিশু অপহরণের এমন কোন ঘটনা কি নেই? আফগানিস্তানে কি এখনও দাস-বাণিজ্য চালু নেই? একজন দৈত্যাকার আফগানের পক্ষে একটি ছোট্ট শিশুকে অপহরণ করা কি একেবারেই অসম্ভব?
আমি তার উপর খুব ছোট হাতের ছাপ দেখতে পাচ্ছিলাম; কোনো ছবি নয়, কোনো চিত্রকর্ম নয়, হাতের তালুতে পোড়া কাঠকয়লা দিয়ে তৈরি একটি ক্ষুদ্র হাতের চিহ্ন। প্রতি বছর রহমত কোলকাতার রাস্তায় তার মেয়ের সেই স্মৃতিচিহ্ন পকেটে নিয়ে ব্যবসায়িক পণ্য চালাতে আসতেন, যেন সেই ছোট্ট হাতের কোমল স্পর্শ তার বিশাল, একাকী হৃদয়কে ভালবাসা এবং সুখে ভরিয়ে রাখে। কাগজের টুকরো দেখে আমার চোখ জলে ভরে গেল। তিনি কাবুলের একজন সাধারণ ফল-বিক্রেতা এবং আমি একজন সম্ভ্রান্ত বাঙালি পরিবারের সদস্য, এটা আমার কাছে আর গুরুত্বপূর্ণ নয়। এক মুহুর্তের মধ্যে আমি বুঝতে পারলাম যে আমরা দুজনেই একই ছিলাম - তিনি একজন বাবা এবং আমিও। তার পাহাড়ে বসবাসকারী কন্যার হাতের ছাপ আমাকে আমার নিজের মিনির কথা মনে করিয়ে দিল। আমি তাকে অবিলম্বে অধ্যয়ন থেকে বেরিয়ে আসার জন্য শব্দ পাঠালাম। অনেক মহিলা আপত্তি করেছিল, কিন্তু আমি কোন কর্ণপাত করিনি। তার ব্রাইডাল ড্রেস এবং আনুষ্ঠানিক মেকআপে, মিনি ভেতরের কোয়ার্টার থেকে বেরিয়ে এসে কোমলভাবে আমার পাশে দাঁড়াল। কাবুলিওয়ালা মিনিকে দেখে বিভ্রান্ত হয়ে গেল; তাদের পুরানো সভ্যতার রসিকতাও কাজ করেনি। এটা তার কাছে স্পষ্ট হয়ে উঠল যে তার নিজের মেয়েও বড় হয়েছে এবং তাকে আবার তাকে জানতে হবে। সে সেই মেয়ে হবে না যা সে রেখে গিয়েছিল। তিনি এমনকি নিশ্চিত ছিলেন না যে গত আট বছরে তার সাথে কী ঘটতে পারে। সেই শরতের রৌদ্রোজ্জ্বল সকালে উঠোনে মৃদু মৃদু বাজতে থাকল বিয়ের বাদ্য, আর কলকাতার এক গলিতে আমার বাড়ির মেঝেতে বসে রহমত আফগানিস্তানের শুষ্ক, পাহাড়ি অঞ্চলের ছবি কল্পনা করতে থাকল। কিছু টাকা বের করে তাকে দিলাম। ‘তুমি আফগানিস্তানে তোমার মেয়ের কাছে ফিরে যাও, রহমত, এবং তোমার মিলনের সুখ যেন আমার মিনির জন্যও আশীর্বাদ নিয়ে আসে,’ আমি বললাম। সেই টাকা উপহার দেওয়ার জন্য আমাকে উৎসবের ঘর থেকে দু-একটি জিনিস কেটে ফেলতে হয়েছিল। উদাহরণ স্বরূপ, আলোক সজ্জা ততটা সুন্দর ছিল না যতটা আমি চেয়েছিলাম, এবং ব্যান্ড পার্টি বাতিল করতে হয়েছিল। এটি মহিলাদের বিচলিত করেছিল, কিন্তু একটি হিতৈষী মনোভাব দ্বারা উজ্জীবিত হয়ে আমার শুভ অনুষ্ঠানটি আরও উজ্জ্বল হয়ে ওঠে।
A still from the movie adaptation released in 1957
Translation into English:
She was not free of suspicion about the Kabuliwala, Rahamat, and nagged me to keep a watchful eye on him. Whenever I sought to make light of her suspicions, she asked me a few pointed questions: ‘Are there no such instances of child abduction? Isn’t slave-trade still in practice in Afghanistan? Is it altogether impossible for a giant Afghan to kidnap a little child? _________
I could see the impression of a very small hand on it; not a photograph, not a painting, but the trace of a tiny hand created with burnt charcoal daubed on the palm. Every year Rahamat came to peddle merchandise on the streets of Kolkata carrying that memorabilia of his daughter in his pocket, as if the soft touch of that little hand kept his huge, lonely heart fed with love and happiness. My eyes filled with tears at the sight of that piece of paper. It no longer mattered to me that he was an ordinary fruit-peddler from Kabul and I belonged to an aristocratic Bengali family. In a moment I realised that we were both just the same – he was a father and so was I. _________ The print of his mountain-dwelling daughter’s hand reminded me of my own Mini. I sent word for her to come out to the study immediately. Many of the women objected, but I paid no heed. In her bridal dress and ceremonial makeup, Mini came out from the inner quarters and stood beside me coyly.The Kabuliwala saw Mini and became confused; their good-natured humour of old also didn’t work out. _________
It became obvious to him that his own daughter had grown up as well and he would have to get to know her all over again. She would not be the same girl he had left behind. He was not even sure what might have happened to her in the past eight years. The wedding music continued to play softly in the courtyard on that autumnal sunny morning, and sitting there on the floor of my house in an alley in Kolkata, Rahamat continued to envision the images of the arid, hilly terrains of Afghanistan. I took out some money and gave it to him. ‘You go back to your daughter in Afghanistan, Rahamat, and may the happiness of your union bring blessings for my Mini too,’ I said. I had to cut out one or two items from the éclat of the festivities for gifting that money. For example, the lighting decoration was not as gorgeous as I had wanted it to be, and the band party had to be cancelled. This upset the women, but buoyed by a benevolent spirit, my auspicious ceremony became more luminous. - Translated by Sejal Agrawal
Translation of “Mānuṣa yāhārē tumi tāhārē” By Anushka Banerjee
Nurun Nahar (1924-1992) was born in Tangail, Bangladesh. She wrote this poem in her youth. This poem was written by her during the partition of India, where many from the country were migrating to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) from India and vice versa. This poem is a reminder for mankind to be warmer and compassionate towards one another.
মানুষ যাহারে তুমি তাহারে মানুষ যাহারে ব্যথা হানে বুকে, তুমি দাও তারে স্নেহ! মানুষ তাহারে ঘরছাড়া করে, তুমি দাও তারে গেহ ! মানুষ যাহারে ফেলে দেয় দূরে তুমি তাহারে কাছে টান ! মানুষ যাহারে ভুল পথে নেয়, তুমি তারে টেনে আন ! মানুষ যাহারে কাঁদায় হেলায় তুমি দাও তারে হাঁসি ! মানুষ যাহারে করে তানহারা, তুমি দাও তারে বাঁশী ! মানুষ যাহারে কাঁটা দেয় বুকে , তুমি দাও তারে ফুল ! মানুষ যাহারে অকুলে ভাসায়, তুমি দাও তারে কুল ! মানুষ যাহারে করেনা পরশ, তুমি তারে লও বুকে ! মানুষ যাহারে দেয় দুখজালা, তুমি তারে রাখ সুখে ! মানুষ যাহারে করে দেয় মুক, তুমি দাও তারে ভাষা ! মানুষ যাহারে আশা নাহি দেয়, তুমি দাও তারে আশা ! -By Nurun Nahar
Translation into English:
Mankind Has No Borders-
Humans are the ones who cause pain, but you shall treat them with affection!
Humans are the ones who are causing others to destitute, But you shall bestow them shelter!
Humans are the ones who abandon and exile their fellow personage, but you must lend a hand!
When a fellow mate goes astray, you shall be the guiding light!
When a fellow being is in tears, you much shall cause them laughter!
When people lose their harmony in life, you shall cater them with glee!
When a man thrust's thorns into another's chest, you shall give them a flower!
When a man dislodges another off the coast, you shall show them the shore!
When humankind considers someone untouchable, you shall treat them with compassion!
When a man hurts a fellow man causing them despair, you shall bring them happiness!
When one cannot raise their voice, you shall be their voice!
When a fellow man is in sheer state of hopelessness, you shall be the beaming light of hope!
-Translated by Anushka Banerjee
Translation of "Refugee" By Aadit Gaur The poem "Refuge" by JJ Bola, depicts the unchosen life of a refugee and the unjustified hardships they have to face in thier lives. This poem gives a first hand experience of a refugees condition.
Imagine how it feels to be chased out of home. to have your grip ripped. loosened from your fingertips something you so dearly held on to. like a lovers hand that slips when pulled away you are always reaching. my father would speak of home. reaching. speaking of familiar faces. girl next door who would eventually grow up to be my mother. the fruit seller at the market. the lonely man at the top of the road who nobody spoke to. and our house at the bottom of the street lit up by a single flickering lamp where beyond was only darkness. there they would sit and tell stories of monsters that lurked and came only at night to catch the children who sat and listened to stories of monsters that lurked. this is how they lived. each memory buried. an artefact left to be discovered by archaeologists. the last words on a dying family member’s lips. this was sacred. not even monsters could taint it. but there were monsters that came during the day. monsters that tore families apart with their giant hands. and fingers that slept on triggers. the sound of gunshots ripping through the sky became familiar like the tapping of rain fall on a window sill. monster that would kill and hide behind speeches, suits and ties. monsters that would chase families away forcing them to leave everything behind.
i remember when we first stepped off the plane. everything was foreign. unfamiliar. uninviting. even the air in my lungs left me short of breath. we came here to find refuge. they called us refugees so we hid ourselves in their language until we sounded just like them. changed the way we dressed to look just like them. made this our home until we lived just like them and began to speak of familiar faces. girl next door who would grow up to be a
mother. the fruit seller at the market. the lonely man at the top of the road who nobody spoke to. and our house at the bottom of the street lit up by a single flickering lamp to keep away the darkness.
there we would sit and watch police that lurked and came only at night to arrest the youths who sat and watched police that lurked and came only at night. this is how we lived.
i remember one day i heard them say to me they come here to take our jobs they need to go back to where they came from not knowing that i was one of the ones who came. i told them that a refugee is simply someone who is trying to make a home. so next time when you go home, tuck your children in and kiss your families goodnight be glad that the monsters never came for you. in their suits and ties. never came for you. in the newspapers with the media lies. never came for you. that you are not despised.
and know that deep inside the hearts of each and every one of us we are all always reaching for a place that we can call home. - JJ Bola
Translation into Hindi: कल्पना कीजिए कि घर से बाहर निकाले जाने पर कैसा महसूस होता है। अपनी पकड़ ढीली करने के लिए। आपकी उँगलियों से छूटी हुई कोई चीज़ जिसे आप बहुत प्यार से पकड़े हुए हैं। एक प्रेमी के हाथ की तरह जो खींचे जाने पर फिसल जाता है, आप हमेशा पहुंच रहे हैं। मेरे पिता घर की बात करेंगे। पहुँचना। जाने-पहचाने चेहरों की बात लड़की अगले दरवाजे जो अंततः बड़ी होकर मेरी माँ बनेगी। बाजार में फल विक्रेता। सड़क के शीर्ष पर अकेला आदमी जिससे कोई बात नहीं करता था। और गली के तल पर हमारा घर एक ही टिमटिमाते दीये से प्रकाशित जहाँ परे केवल अँधेरा था। वहां वे बैठकर कहानियाँ सुनाते थे उन राक्षसों के बारे में जो दुबके हुए थे और रात में ही उन बच्चों को पकड़ने के लिए आते थे जो बैठे थे और राक्षसों की कहानियाँ सुनते थे जो दुबके हुए थे। इस तरह वे रहते थे। हर स्मृति दफ़न पुरातत्वविदों द्वारा खोजे जाने के लिए छोड़ी गई एक कलाकृति। मरने पर अंतिम शब्द परिवार के सदस्य के होंठ। यह पवित्र था। राक्षस भी इसे कलंकित नहीं कर सके। लेकिन राक्षस थे जो दिन के दौरान आए थे। राक्षसों ने परिवारों को अलग कर दिया अपने विशाल हाथों से। और उंगलियां जो ट्रिगर पर सोती हैं। आसमान से गोलियों की आवाज सुनाई दे रही थी, जैसे खिड़की पर बारिश का झोंका गिर रहा हो। राक्षस जो भाषणों, सूटों और संबंधों के पीछे छिप जाएगा और छिप जाएगा। राक्षस जो परिवारों का पीछा करते हैं और उन्हें सब कुछ पीछे छोड़ने के लिए मजबूर करते हैं।
मुझे याद है जब हमने पहली बार विमान से कदम रखा था। सब कुछ विदेशी था। अपरिचित। बिन बुलाए। यहां तक कि मेरे फेफड़ों की हवा ने भी मुझे सांस से वंचित कर दिया। हम यहां शरण लेने आए हैं। उन्होंने हमें शरणार्थी कहा इसलिए हम उनकी भाषा में तब तक छिपे रहे जब तक कि हम उनकी तरह नहीं लग रहे थे। हमने उनके जैसे दिखने के लिए जिस तरह से कपड़े पहने थे, उसे बदल दिया। इसे तब तक अपना घर बना लिया जब तक हम उनकी तरह नहीं रहते और जाने-पहचाने चेहरों के बारे में बात करने लगे। पड़ोस की लड़की जो बड़ी होकर एक होगी
मां। बाजार में फल विक्रेता। सड़क के शीर्ष पर अकेला आदमी जिससे कोई बात नहीं करता था। और हमारा घर अन्धकार को दूर रखने के लिथे गली के तले में एक ही टिमटिमाते हुए दीपक से जगमगा उठा।
वहाँ हम बैठकर पुलिस को देखते थे जो दुबकी हुई थी और रात में ही आती थी उन युवकों को गिरफ्तार करने के लिए जो बैठे थे और पुलिस को देखते थे जो रात में ही आती थी। इस तरह हम रहते थे।
मुझे याद है एक दिन मैंने उन्हें मुझसे कहते सुना था वे यहां हमारी नौकरी लेने आते हैं उन्हें वापस वहीं जाना होगा जहां से वे आए थे मैं यह नहीं जानता था कि जो लोग आए उनमें से एक मैं भी था। मैंने उनसे कहा कि एक शरणार्थी सरल है कोई है जो घर बनाने की कोशिश कर रहा है। तो अगली बार जब आप घर जाएं, तो अपने बच्चों को अंदर ले जाएं और अपने परिवारों को चूमें शुभरात्रि खुश रहें कि राक्षस तुम्हारे लिए कभी नहीं आया। उनके सूट और टाई में। तुम्हारे लिए कभी नहीं आया। अखबारों में मीडिया झूठ बोलता है। तुम्हारे लिए कभी नहीं आया। कि तुम तिरस्कृत नहीं हो।
और हम में से प्रत्येक के दिल के अंदर गहराई से जानो हम सभी हमेशा एक ऐसी जगह की तलाश में रहते हैं, जिसे हम घर कह सकें। -Translated by Aadit Gaur
Tears of My People ByHaspreet Kaur This poem is written by Haspreet Kaur to highlight a few of the injustices faced by the refugees due to their forced dislocation. The poem has been written from the viewpoint of a grieving mother who compares past Syria and the one after the war. She is grieving for her husband, who lost his life trying to save his child. She is also unhappy because her child is now living in a difficult situation without his father. In the end, she prays to God for making everything right.
The sun is setting and I haven't had a meal yet. Every day someone is crying over the loss of a dear one. Poverty, starvation, and death is now our silhouette. Isn't there a way it can be outrun?
We used to be such a happy and loving community, Now into wars we are being thrown. I never thought this would go on daily, What has happened to my home?
He died trying to save his child, But was it worth it? In a country that is so defiled, People would rather have their throats slit.
Oh, almighty! I pray for your mercy! Let my child have a joyous future. Let us have a pleasant journey, Because now we can only be saved by the divine. -Haspreet Kaur
Trauma and growing up By Riya Pande Refugees are people who have fled war, violence, conflict or persecution and have crossed an international border to find safety in another country. They often have had to flee with little more than the clothes on their back, leaving behind homes, possessions, jobs and loved ones.
The 1951 Refugee Convention is a key legal document and defines a refugee as: “someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.” By the end of 2017, there were 25.4 million refugee men, women and children registered across the world.
Imagine how it feels to be chased out of the home. to have your grip ripped. loosened from your fingertips something you so dearly held on to. like a lover's hand that slips when pulled away you are always reaching. my father would speak of home. reaching. speaking of familiar faces.
Girl next door, who would eventually grow up to be my mother. the fruit seller at the market. the lonely man at the top of the road who nobody spoke to. and our house at the bottom of the street, lit up by a single flickering lamp where beyond was only darkness. There they would sit and tell stories of monsters that lurked and came only at night to catch the children who sat and listened to stories of monsters that lurked. This is how they lived. Each memory is buried. An artifact left to be discovered by archaeologists. the last words on a dying family member’s lips. This was scary. not even monsters could taint it. But some monsters came during the day. monsters that tore families apart with their giant hands. and fingers that slept on triggers. The sound of gunshots ripping through the sky became familiar like the tapping of rainfall on a window sill monster that would kill and hide behind speeches, suits, and ties. monsters that would chase families away forcing them to leave everything behind. I remember when we first stepped off the plane. everything was foreign. unfamiliar. uninviting. even the air in my lungs left me short of breath.
We came here to find refuge. They called us refugees so we hid in their language until we sounded just like them. changed the way we dressed to look just like them. Made this our home until we lived just like them and began to speak of familiar faces. Girl next door who would grow up to be a mother. The fruit seller at the market.The lonely man at the top of the road who nobody spoke to. and our house at the bottom of the street lit up by a single flickering lamp to keep away the darkness.
There we would sit and watch police that lurked and came only at night to arrest the youths who sat and watched police that lurked and came only at night. This is how we lived. I remember one day I heard them say to me, they come here to take our jobs, they need to go back to where they came from not knowing that I was one of the ones who came. I told them that a refugee is simply someone who is trying to make a home. So next time when you go home, tuck your children in and kiss your family's goodnight be glad that the monsters never came for you. in their suits and ties. Never came for you in the newspapers with the media lies. Never came for you.
That you are not despised and know that deep inside the hearts of each and every one of us. We are all always reaching for a place that we can call home.
Translation of "No Refugee" By Zainab Hussain the poem "No Refugee" by Dr Jadia Hasmukh tells us how the beautiful earth belongs to us all.
He is no refugee but you have refused decent living on the earth and threatened him with death
his life was a great bloom, and always blossomed with the fragrance of a flower the world was no stranger
what did you do? made him pass-through a living hell to tell the world about miserable plight
the earth that had provided him shelter that has made him flee somewhere for the want of safety and the safe human journey
he is never to be condemned or damned but softened to live with and take a calm breath
love is all that we can give affection is what we can relive with this holy place is for us to enjoy take a stand and remain joy ridden
-Dr Jadia Hasmukh
Translation into Hindi
वह कोई शरणार्थी नहीं है पर तुमने मना कर दिया पृथ्वी पर सभ्य जीवन और जान से मारने की धमकी दी
उनका जीवन एक महान खिल गया था, और हमेशा खिले फूल की महक से दुनिया कोई अजनबी नहीं थी
आपने क्या किया? उसे पास-थ्रू बना दिया एक जीवित नरक दुनिया को दयनीय दुर्दशा के बारे में बताने के लिए
पृथ्वी जिसने उसे आश्रय प्रदान किया था जिससे वह कहीं भाग गया है सुरक्षा की चाह में और सुरक्षित मानव यात्रा
उसकी कभी निंदा नहीं की जानी चाहिए या शापित लेकिन साथ रहने के लिए नरम और शांत सांस लें
प्यार वह सब है जो हम दे सकते हैं स्नेह वह है जिसके साथ हम फिर से जी सकते हैं यह पवित्र स्थान हमारे आनंद लेने के लिए है एक स्टैंड लें और आनंद में डूबे रहें -Translated by Zainab Hussain
AN IN-DEPTH STUDY ON NADIA MURAD: A SMALL STORY FEATURING NADIA MURAD IN FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW “Being a refugee is never a choice.” “Where are they now?” That question caught me off guard. I couldn't realise if the president hadn’t heard me or what I said was just overlooked. ______________________________
I am Nadia Murad, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and refugee of the Yazidi region of Iraq. I had personally asked President Donald Trump to help my community. After recounting how although ISIS is gone, the Kurdish and Iraqi governments are fighting to control the region indigenous to the Yazidi people, I called on Trump to intervene between the two governments.
I have survived sex slavery and torture from ISIS in my mid-20s and am an advocate ending sexual violence in war and armed conflicts.
I told Trump, "Today, you can solve our problem. Now there is no ISIS, but we cannot go back because the Kurdish government and the Iraqi government are fighting each other (over) who will control my area," I explained. "And we cannot go back if we cannot protect our dignity, our families."
My pride for our homeland couldn’t just be extinguished over a power control between two governments. But what I did understand was to break a power struggle, you need a bigger power to conciliate.
"But ISIS is gone," Trump replied. What the President couldn't fathom were the memories of my six dead brothers and my mom that would never be gone.
He clarified that he now understands that the Kurdish and Iraqi governments are the issue. Explaining how 95,000 other Yazidis and I became refugees due to the area still being in turmoil despite ISIS being gone was a process that never got any less difficult.
"They emigrated to Germany through a difficult way. Not because we want to be a refugee, but we cannot find a safe place to live," I elucidated. My comments came in as Trump tried to limit the number of migrants coming to the United States, mainly from Central America.
"All this happened to me. They killed my mom, my six brothers. They left behind them- ," Murad said. "Where are they now?" Trump asked.
"They killed them," Murad quickly replied. "They are in the mass grave in Sinjar, and I'm still fighting just to live in safety. Please do something.” “I want to be the last girl in the world with a story like mine”
_______________________________
SIMPLE FACTS REGARDING NADIA MURAD:
Nadia Murad Basee Taha is an IraqiYazidihuman rights activist who currently lives in Germany. In 2014, she was kidnapped from her hometown Kocho and held by the Islamic State for three months.
She is the founder of Nadia's Initiative, an organization dedicated to "helping women and children victimized by genocides, mass atrocities, and human trafficking to heal and rebuild their lives and communities".
In 2018, she and Denis Mukwege were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict".She is the first Iraqi and Yazidi to be awarded a Nobel Prize.
Presently, she is an advocate for Sustainable Development Goals appointed by Secretary-General of the United Nations.
On 16 December 2015, Murad spoke to the UNSC about conflict in human trafficking. It was surprising to know that this was the first time the Council was ever briefed on human trafficking. As part of her role as an ambassador, Murad will participate in global and local advocacy initiatives to bring awareness of human trafficking and refugees. Murad has reached out to refugee and survivor communities, listening to testimonies of victims of trafficking and genocide.
_______________________________
A Messiah for Human Trafficking All Over The World Sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict constitutes both a war crime and a threat to peace and security. Nadia Murad is a member of the Yazidi minority in northern Iraq, and in 2014 the Islamic State (IS) launched a brutal attack on her home village. Several hundred people were massacred, and girls and young women were abducted and held as sex slaves. While a captive of the IS, Nadia Murad was repeatedly subjected to rape and other abuses. After three months she managed to flee. She now works to help women and children who are victims of abuse and human trafficking.
_______________________________
Some words by Nadia Murad that show her bravery: “You know, I …when I decided to share my experience, it wasn’t easy. But I did it because I wanted more than anything to seek justice for my community, for my family, for… for my mother. I wanted the world to know what happened to us and to help our community recover and to take some steps to make sure that what happened would never happen again in Iraq or anywhere else in the world. I’m…I’m grateful that my words have reached so many people around the world. Before that… Not many people knew who the Yazidi were. And now they know … they know what has happened and what has been done to my community. But unfortunately, like many vulnerable communities, once our story disappears or once they said ISIS was defeated. The world leaves us behind and my community continues to suffer, as you know, to this day. They still need help.”
Is Nature Disowning its Own? By Anushka Banerjee We often hear how climate change affects many places on earth, but we do not realize the gravity of the problem and how it's affecting humans. Climate change is the defining crisis of our time, and disaster displacement is one of its most devastating consequences. The entire world population is already suffering from the consequences. Still, the poorest and most vulnerable communities, those contributing the least to global warming, are paying the price and hit hardest by this crisis.
Refugees, internally displaced people, and the stateless are on the frontlines of climate emergencies such as Volcanic eruptions, floods, forest fires and more. Many live in climate "hotspots", places which typically lack the resources to adapt to a negatively changing environment.
Climate refugees – The third world others? The media primarily broadcasts stories concerning refugees caused by the militia as the world's population is unaware of how climate change can displace people. Hence, these victims' stories are left unheard.
For years, climate migrants have gone unnoticed in the migration and climate debates. For more than a decade, IOM (International Organization for Migration) research has concentrated on bringing climatic and environmental elements to light and establishing a body of evidence indicating that climate change affects human mobility both directly and indirectly. As a result, it may appear illogical in this context not to advocate the formation of a climate-specific legal status, in addition to the current refugee status.
However, while the evidence on how climate change and environmental degradation affect human mobility is growing and undisputed, the current debate on establishing a climate refugee status can lead to a narrow and biased discussion that provides only partial solutions to the complexity of human mobility and climate change.
Data on climate refugees shows that those forced to flee due to natural disasters and the everchanging weather are very low and hence referred to as "forgotten victims of climate change". Many data shows that by 2050 around 1.2 billion people will be displaced by climate change if no action is taken.
"Climate change [is] now found to be the key factor accelerating all other drivers of forced displacement. These persons are not truly migrants, in the sense that they did not move voluntarily. As forcibly displaced not covered by the refugee protection regime, they find themselves in a legal void." UN Secretary-General, António Guterres
Although we refer to climate refugees, this concept does not exist in international refugee law. Victims who leave their countries in the context of climate change do not qualify for protection under international law. Refugees are offered when they have fled from wars and conflict and face persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. This means a Bangladeshi family will be displaced across borders by a disaster. The subsistence farmer in Chad will have no option but to leave his country because he lacks water for farming. A mother will be forced to flee her country because of climate change as they are legally left unprotected.
A Climatic Refugee Epidemic Has Begun- The notion of "climate refugees" resonates metaphorically with everyone since it reflects current images of those fleeing wars and crises. With the threat of climate change, it can be predicted that millions of people will become refugees in the future.
Many people in underdeveloped nations are already suffering from unprecedented droughts and windstorms, depriving them of daily food and other necessities. Many migrants from the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, ravaged by two massive storms last November, streamed across the border into Mexico and proceeded for the US border.
Today's climate refugees are displaced within the borders of their own country, whereas the new agreements focus exclusively on cross-border movement. And for Pacific island nations that face a truly existential threat from sea-level rise, there's no legal precedent to guide how they might relocate to new territory in another country if they even want to move.
"When the grass is not enough, movement increases. In the spring, many migrants moved from the south to the north. There is no other way to overcome climate change. All the people wish to survive with their animals and come to a place where they can fatten their livestock," said Mr Chinbat, a herder of Sergelen soum in Mongolia, where the adverse effects of climate change are impacting the migration of herders.
How can you help with this? We can help the climate refugees by reducing our carbon footprint by using reusable shopping bags and avoiding products with excessive plastic packaging. Limiting meat consumption and eating more natural foods. Investing in sustainable clothing can help reduce carbon emissions. Using public transport or carpooling can contribute to reducing global warming. Supporting refugee-led organizations and helping create more awareness about "Climate Refugees" through social media.
Though "Climate Refugees" is not a widely recognized concept, the term is being used to provoke conversation amongst the masses. To contribute, encourage and challenge policy. To Highlight the need by giving voice to those affected and helping them obtain legal refuge. Lastly, to present this as a challenge to human rights.
Foni Joyce: In 1991, Foni Joyce and her family fled South Sudan. Foni, now 25, grew up in Kenya and refused to allow the label of "refugee" to hold her back. Foni wants people to hear the narrative behind the title on World Refugee Day.
I'm not merely a displaced person. I am a person with hopes, dreams, and ambitions. Every refugee has a name, a storey, and a person behind them. We may have relocated to a different country, but we are still the same individuals. We may not be able to return to our own countries due to fear of persecution or ongoing wars and disasters. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, physicians, teachers — we all have names and identities that extend far beyond "refugee," but we're too often viewed as a faceless inflow. Ms Joyce has utilised her experiences to lobby for refugee rights and better outcomes from UN high-level summits on refugees and migrants, such as the recent UN high-level summit on refugees and migrants.
"I'd want to see more chances for young people," says the author. More chances for them to express themselves. They will have more opportunities to take on leadership roles and develop their abilities. Because if they're given a chance, they grow into leaders," she remarked of her participation in the UN's Global Refugee Youth Consultations. It's been incredible to witness young people we've supported take on new roles as mentors or to see people recognise a need in their community and feel empowered and secure enough to address it.
As a young woman, I've experienced several obstacles due to my gender and refugee status. I've met people who don't believe women can actively participate in their communities. I've been informed that "women are too soft" and shouldn't be included in the South Sudanese peacebuilding process. However, the conflict had an impact on more than simply men. It had an effect on everyone. Having said that, I've noticed a significant movement in the last several years, with more women's opinions being heard. I interact with the UNHCR Global Youth Advisory Council on problems concerning the protection and development of young people, especially those who are internally displaced or stateless. One of the ways I've made my personal voice known is by attending a high-level meeting focused on the South Sudanese peace process.
Foni Joyce has been involved in humanitarian work since she was 20 years old when she joined a refugee student organisation to help refugees get their views heard. Foni was born in South Sudan and raised as a refugee in Nairobi, Kenya. "I first define myself as a human being who has been uprooted," she says, making it clear that "refugee" is only a legal designation. "Numbers are useful to convey the severity and impact of a crisis," Foni adds, "but when we talk about 70 million refugees, most people think about 70 million people taking up resources or opportunities." We forget that every number represents a human being. A mother, a father, a brother or sister whose voice, regardless of their standing, needs to be heard."
Foni defined herself by her abilities and accomplishments rather than as a "refugee." And her achievements are impressive: she began local advocacy work in Nairobi and progressed to worldwide campaigning at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva. Foni co-chaired the UNHCR Global Youth Advisory Council from 2017 to 2020, seeking to increase young people's representation, meaningful participation, and leadership in formulating solutions to the refugee crisis.
“As a young person, and on top of that as a woman, it can be difficult to participate in projects in a meaningful way because older generations often don’t take you as seriously. Young people are often used as tokens, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we had an influence. Just because young people were present doesn’t mean we were listened to,” Just because there were young people present doesn't mean we were heard," Foni explains. In her view, refugees face a general lack of genuine inclusion and participation. She witnessed how quickly local refugee-led organisations adjusted to shifting conditions and needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In contrast, many international organisations needed more time to adapt their service delivery to the community. “Giving people the power and dignity to solve their own problems would really be the best. It is much more sustainable if people really own their solutions, so moving forward post-COVID, we should develop this," Foni argues, addressing international actors.
Foni, who is familiar with both grassroots and international humanitarian work, finds it distressing to see how slowly change is achieved, especially when she sees individuals of her community suffering. It is, however, what drives her to continue advocating for human rights and keeping those in positions of power accountable. She wants to contribute to a society of dignity, peace, and harmony — a world where human rights are respected – even if she may not benefit personally. “This ideal world keeps me going. Not for myself, because I know I cannot personally enjoy it, but really for the people who will be there after us.”
By- Riya Pande and Anushka Banerjee
Top 3 + Motivation (Activity 2) 1) Le droit d'être différent (Right to be different)- Eva 2) Gender Equality- Hana Issac, Déborah Maillot 3) Right to Abortion- Alix
The texts written by our peers were surely very enlightening. The personalized touch in every article could be seen very carefully as they gave their insightful opinions on their chosen right and provided a very different perspective to all the issues. The articles were definitely original seeing their individual insights on the topic. Human rights were very clearly presented and wisely chosen.
and 2. IN-DEPTH REFLECTION -
In-depth reflection on the article “Abortion should be a right” by Alix
An abortion is when the pregnancy is ended so that it does not result in the birth of a child. It is the choice of a mother if she wants to have an abortion or not. It cannot be forced on her. As written rightfully by Alix, “Abortion is not a murder.” Being pregnant, being a mother is a huge responsibility and can’t be taken on without being prepared for it. The child, if not taken care of properly and can have many issues when they grow up. The concept of abortion is not given much importance in the society. Even though the society is changing now, and accepting things like abortion, there are still many who think that it is a sin. But we believe it would be a greater sin to give birth to a child that isn’t wanted. Not only is it taxing on the parents to raise him, but the child might also go through some mental trauma as he grows up. We feel that most of the time people become pregnant because they are forced by their relatives and the society. Having a proper family and kids is something that we have all seen people being nagged about. There are also times when they compare them to others which might lead to anxiety. All this forces them to have kids even if they aren’t prepared for it. Sometimes, pregnancy is a mistake. It is found that condoms, if perfectly used, are 98% effective. But if not, it is only 85% effective. This can easily lead to pregnancy if contraceptives aren’t used. In cases like these, abortion should be a choice. If the couple is ready to have and raise a child, then they need not go through abortion. But if they think that they aren’t ready or capable enough to raise a child, they have every right to get an abortion. Abortion is not a crime and it should not be considered one. Instead of giving a child an unhappy and traumatic childhood, it is better if you don’t bring the child to this world. A child is brought up by two parents – a mother and a father – and so the decision of abortion should also be made by the couple together. If either one of them is unwilling to have the child, they should go through abortion. Now that being said, just giving the right isn’t enough. Along with making abortion a right, there should also be clear and well thought restrictions laid down to help make it useful only in the very needed situations and avoid its misuse. There should also be a lot of awareness spread about how to use it and how not to, and resources and help must be made available for them. Abortion is a very sensitive and complicated topic that needs to be handled with academic, intellectual, emotional and social intelligence.
By- Sejal Agarwal, Anushka Banerjee, Riya Pande, Aadit Gaur, Zainab Hussain and Haspreet Kaur
2. COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION- Meeting the students from the other school via Google Meet was probably the most fun part of the entire project. We had been waiting for a few days and were finally very happy to get this opportunity. The meeting started with awkward introductions and shy smiles but we eased into it as we progressed. A problem we soon identified was the language barrier as we realized that most students of the other school couldn’t keep up with our pace and were thus hesitant to speak so we decided to follow a more informal and casual discussion about our different cultures and then on our views about the different human rights and their implementations in our respective cultures and society.
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS- 1. Sejal Agarwal: The entire project went really well and was a very enjoyable process as a whole. I really liked the topic of this year, having an interest in both literature and human rights as a whole. I was extremely glad and satisfied with our work and especially think that the right that we chose was very unique yet important, and think that writing the initial texts on this topic was done very beautifully. We decided to hold team meetings and work together to make the execution smooth and fun. Something we would have preferred to do was physically meet each other but we understand the circumstances weren't suitable. The collaboration with our partner school was very exciting and went really great
2. Riya Pande : The entire project was very important since the topic that we had was as a whole that is HUMAN RIGHTS embody key values in our society such as fairness, dignity, equality and respect.Most importantly, these rights give us power and enable us to speak up and to challenge poor treatment from a public authority and the subtopic the this group had chosen that is REFUGEE CRISIS are some of the topics that not only India but the entire world has to work on and give importance to . We as a team have worked very hard and effectively towards this project and will continue to do so . Since i have already been a part of this when i was in 9th and the fun we had that was something that i wished to have it this year also but unfortunately COVID - 19 came up and everything got ruined . But after all , This year's Eumind project is also gonna be remembered as the best because the best teammates that I had and the teacher in charge were also very awesome . The collaboration school was also good .
3. Haspreet Kaur: I completely enjoyed the whole eumind project. It gave me a deeper insight on the rights that we have and how important they are. All the articles were very well written. What was more enjoyable was the process – getting into meetings, discussing our views, writing the articles together. Even though we had a few delays when meeting the partner school, when we did it was really delightful talking to them and seeing them laugh. I feel that it would have been much more exciting to meet them in person, but I also understand the circumstances and know it wasn’t possible. Nevertheless, if I get an opportunity to participate in a program like this in the future, I would definitely be up for it.
4. Aadit Gaur: This is the first time that I have participated in a concept like Eumind and it was a very good learning experience and it had a lot of opportunity to network and connect with souls like us from different places, backgrounds and upbringings. The diversity of both the groups provided innumerable topics to talk about and moreover the creation of a common group with all of us gave us a chance to connect on a lighter note and get to know each other as people. I would definitely participate in Eumind again and am looking forward to the exchange program when things around the world are better.
5. Anushka Banerjee: This entire project was very significant since the topic we had chosen, Human Rights, exemplifies critical values in our society, such as fairness, dignity, equality, and respect. Most importantly, these rights give us the power and speak up and challenge poor treatment from a public authority. We, as a team, had chosen Refugee Crisis as our subject matter as it is one of the most critical topics that entire world has to work towards. I have participated in Eumind in 9th and 10th Grade before, and it always has been a wonderful experience. I am really happy that I could continue my trend of participating in Eumind. This experience would have been surreal if we had met in person, but we must adapt to the situation and make the best out of it. Lastly, I would also like to add how outstanding our team was, the teachers in charge were also excellent and very well connected with us, students.
6. Zainab Hussain: I thoroughly enjoyed the whole Eumind project. It gave me a deeper insight into Refugee life and how they survive. The main highlight of this entire project was getting to collaborate with such amazing and talented individuals and discussing different viewpoints and opinions, writing pieces together. We had a few delays when it came to the meeting and communicating with the member school. It was lovely talking to them and seeing them laugh when it did take place. This experience would have been better if it had taken place offline, as we could connect with the students on a deeper level. I want to thank the teachers in charge as they were the reason for this project's success.