REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION

1. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION 12th World Congress April 27 – May 1, 2009 Source: http://ashleycecil.com/paintings/Refugee%20Day%202007.jpg Veronica P. Fynn BSc (Hons), BA, MPH, LLM (Candidate)

2. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION Who is a refugee? Xenophobic attack on Mozambican refugees According to the 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is a person who is outside his /her country of nationality or habitual residence ; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her nationality, religion membership of a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail herself/himself of the protection of that country or to return there, for fear of persecution. (UNHCR, 1951 Refugee Convention) Source: World Prout Assembly

3. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION There is a strong correlation between the number of refugees and violent conflicts. No continent has been affected other than Africa – it houses 75% of the world’s 14,000 refugees. Between 1990 AND 2000 a total of 21 countries in Africa experienced some form of war, internal conflict and/or political crisis. As well as the human tragedy, armed conflict costs Africa around $18bn per year. IANSA, OXFAM, and Safer-World, Africa's missing billions: International arms flow and cost of conflict, (IANSA: London, 2007) at 38.

4. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION Did you know… Democratic Republic of Congo The UNHCR estimates that 67 million people have been forcibly displaced by the end of 2007. But of these, only 13.7 million IDPs and 11.4 million refugees under UNHCR mandate have been assisted? WHY? Source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide UNHCR, UNHCR Global Trend 2007 (United Nations High Commission for Refugees: Geneva, 2007)

5. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION Who suffer most doing war and conflicts?

6. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION Did you know… Democratic Republic of Congo The war in DR Congo (Africa’s World War) has claimed over 5.4 million lives mainly fueled by blood diamonds and coltan (use in cell phones)? For example, in the province of North Kivu, sexual violence has become the weapon of war as hundreds of women and girls are sexually violated on a regular basis. MSF. Conflict in Eastern DRC. 2008 [cited 2009 January 14]; Available from: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/allcontent.cfm?id=167&ref=tag-sidebar. Source: Allison Kilkenny, Worldpress

7. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION IS EDUCATION TRULY FOR ALL? Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: [e]veryone[including refugees] has the right to education. Education shall be free [even during violent conflict], at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory [for all refugee children]. Source: UNESCO, Education for All

8. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION Global Survey on Education in Emergencies conducted on ten conflict areas showed that 27 million children and youth affected by armed conflicts were found not to have access to formal education. Only 6 per cent of all refugee students were enrolled in secondary education with even fewer opportunities available to internally displaced youth. Overall, adolescent females have the least access to formal education. BUSH SCHOOL IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Women Refugee Commission, Global survey on education in emergencies. (Women Refugee Commission : New York., 2004 at 156. Source: The Guardian, UK

9. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION DOES HEALTH EXIST FOR ALL? Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “[e]veryone[including refugees] has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family,… motherhood and childhood [of refugees] are entitled to special care and assistance.

10. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION Major health concerns of refugees • Disability due to intentional decapitation and landmines; • Unwanted pregnancies and complicated child birth; • High prevalence of preventable disease e.g., measles, malaria, cholera, and dysentery; • Mental illness and trauma resulting from rape and torture; • Incurable sexually transmitted diseases (STD) such as HIV/AIDS; • Socio-cultural problems e.g., forced marriages, prostitution, enslavement and trafficking. Cholera outbreak hits Rwandan Refugees Source: BBC, UK

11. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION Did you know… Central African Republic children in bush school Traditional humanitarian emergencies responses (food, shelter, physical health) usually lack strategic plans to provide long-term [mental] health and education for refugees. Source: The Guardian, UK

12. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION “While every refugee's story is different and their anguish personal, they all share A common thread of uncommon courage – the courage not only to survive, but To persevere and rebuild their shattered Lives.”Antonio Guterres, UNHCR High Commissioner, World Refugee Day, 2005

13. REFUGEES RIGHT(S) TO HEALTH & EDUCATION veronicafynn@osgoode.yorku.cawww.evresearch.ca THANK YOU Much gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Benjamin Richardson and Professor Susan McGrath, Director of the Centre for Refugee Studies, York University.