Democracy Matters - Episode 62: Moving Beyond the ‘Band Aid on Wound’ Approach to Refugees
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SUMMARY: For World Refugee Day, we talk with Jana Mason, Senior External Relations Advisor at the Washington, D.C. office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR—the UN Refugee Agency) about the root causes of forced migration and the global refugee crisis, and what we can do to take action on important issues facing refugees.
What do you know about refugees, the challenges they face and the contributions they make? World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for the plight of the world’s more than 80 million forcibly uprooted individuals and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.
In this episode, we talk with Jana Mason, Senior External Relations Advisor at the Washington, D.C. office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR—the UN Refugee Agency). Jana discusses the root causes of forced migration and the global refugee crisis, building empathy and understanding for the challenges refugees face, what policymakers should take into consideration when designing and implementing policies to address refugee and asylum seekers, and what individuals can do to take action on these important issues.
Links in this episode:
- World Refugee Day
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- United Nations Relief and Works Agency (provides assistance and protection for 5.7 million Palestinian Refugees)
- Special Immigrant Visa Program
- As U.S. Withdraws, Afghan Interpreters Fear Being Left Behind, New York Times
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