Refugees

WeForum

When someone is stereotyped, it can be detrimental to the way others see them and the way they see themselves. One group of people that is commonly incorrectly stereotyped is refugees. The destruction of these people's livelihoods has caused them to flee from their homes and seek refuge in other countries. By looking closely into the identity, diversity, and justice surrounding refugees, we’ll be able to break down some of the stereotypes surrounding them.

As the conditions in Syria become more unstable, countries like Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan have been taking in refugees, as well as the United States and Canada. Due to conflicts in their countries, worldwide there are 19.5 million refugees and 60 million have been displaced.

Refugees are often confused with migrants and asylum seekers. A migrant is someone who chooses to leave their home, possibly is search for better opportunities, but altogether makes the decision to leave. An asylum seeker is someone who is not yet classified as a refugee, and is trying apply for international protection from another country. A refugee is someone who’s been forced to leave their home because of conflict and persecution.

Although recently there has been a surplus of Syrian refugees, a large sum of them are from Syria. Millions of people are leaving countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Myanmar, Somalia, and Venezuela. Just because someone is a refugee does not mean they’re from Syria. All refugees have different experiences and come from countries with different cultures.

Politico

Contrary to their stereotypes, refugees are generally very driven people who are just in need of a second chance. Often people, especially Americans, believe refugees are weak, afraid, don’t pay taxes, steal jobs from citizens or even receive money from the government. No, refugees are not given special privileges or money and they work hard to provide for themselves and their families. Refugees have a very high employment rate, as about 67 percent of male refugees in the United States are employed. They are extremely valuable members of our communities and contribute widely to the economy. Stereotyping this group of people can be very harmful. It brings negative light onto people who have already struggled to make new lives for themselves. If the citizens of countries that are hosting refugees have incorrect stereotypes, it can create a hostile environment for them.

The best ways to support refugees are to donate and raise awareness. One great place to donate is to the UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency). Not only can you donate money, but school supplies, furniture and other household goods are welcomed as well. Volunteering is another great way to get involved.

NPR

Therefore, it’s important to look at different aspects of a person before coming to a conclusion about them. Refugees are different from immigrants or asylum seekers. They’ve all had different experiences and come from different countries. Refugees don’t deserve to be stereotyped, and there are plenty of ways to support them. Stereotyping only causes people to be misled and we should all work to become more open minded.