Hopes and DreamsHopes and Dreams

Stories from Young Stories from Young RefugeesRefugees

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AlbertaCivilLibertiesResearch Centre

About UsAbout Us

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Alberta Civil Liberties Research CentreAlberta Civil Liberties Research Centre

Things we do:Things we do: Education: Education: civil liberties and human rights civil liberties and human rights

presentations.presentations. Human Rights Education ProjectHuman Rights Education Project speakers, speakers,

materials, in-services and teacher support. materials, in-services and teacher support. Research: Research: contemporary civil liberties and contemporary civil liberties and

human rights issues concerning Albertans. human rights issues concerning Albertans. Providing Information to the PublicProviding Information to the Public Research and Education - Not AdvocacyResearch and Education - Not Advocacy

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Some of our publications:Some of our publications: Sexual Harassment in SchoolSexual Harassment in School Discrimination, Human Rights and YouDiscrimination, Human Rights and You Freedom to Be: Understanding LGBT Freedom to Be: Understanding LGBT

YouthYouth Freedom of Expression and All that JazzFreedom of Expression and All that Jazz The Rights Angle: Human Rights Using The Rights Angle: Human Rights Using

the Newspaperthe Newspaper

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Alberta Civil Liberties Research CentreAlberta Civil Liberties Research Centre

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Hopes and Dreams: Stories Hopes and Dreams: Stories from Young Refugeesfrom Young Refugees

Table of ContentsTable of Contents1.1. Who are Refugees? Who are Refugees?

2.2. Why Refugees LeaveWhy Refugees Leave

3.3. Life in a Refugee CampLife in a Refugee Camp

4.4. Laws Governing and Protecting Laws Governing and Protecting RefugeesRefugees

5.5. Settling in Canada Settling in Canada

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Hopes and DreamsHopes and Dreams

Teacher MaterialsTeacher Materials Activity SheetsActivity Sheets HandoutsHandouts Teacher ResourcesTeacher Resources LegislationLegislation Alberta Curriculum SummaryAlberta Curriculum Summary ResourcesResources

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Hopes and DreamsHopes and Dreams

UNHCR Lego Campaign

Just like you and IJust like you and I

21.8 million refugees21.8 million refugees

50% are children50% are children

80% are women and children80% are women and children

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Who are Refugees?Who are Refugees?

A person who has “a well-founded fear of A person who has “a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, is outside social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country…”himself of the protection of that country…”

Refugee Convention / Immigration Act Refugee Convention / Immigration Act

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Definition of RefugeeDefinition of Refugee

Immigrants mostly choose to leave countryImmigrants mostly choose to leave country

Immigrants have job qualifications, family Immigrants have job qualifications, family members in Canada or money to investmembers in Canada or money to invest

Refugees leave out of necessityRefugees leave out of necessity

Refugees do not choose where to go and Refugees do not choose where to go and often lose family members along the wayoften lose family members along the way

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Refugees and ImmigrantsRefugees and Immigrants

Political and social contextPolitical and social context War, ethnic cleansing, genocideWar, ethnic cleansing, genocide Torture Torture Political upheavalPolitical upheaval Gender persecutionGender persecution Religious persecutionReligious persecution Persecution based on sexual orientationPersecution based on sexual orientation

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Why Refugees LeaveWhy Refugees Leave

After World War II many refugeesAfter World War II many refugees

United Nations devised the United Nations devised the Convention Relating to Convention Relating to the status of Refugees the status of Refugees in 1951in 1951

Spells out a set of basic human rights for refugeesSpells out a set of basic human rights for refugees

Recognizes need for international cooperation and Recognizes need for international cooperation and shared responsibilityshared responsibility

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The Refugee ConventionThe Refugee Convention

Creates an international duty to offer Creates an international duty to offer asylum to refugeesasylum to refugees

Canada was not always receptive to Canada was not always receptive to refugeesrefugees

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The Refugee ConventionThe Refugee Convention

How many refugeesHow many refugees

Estimated 17 million refugees in the Estimated 17 million refugees in the worldworld

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A young Congolese man happy to be back in his home village after repatriation from Tanzania. UNHCR is seeking funds for its DRC repatriation and reintegration programmes this year. © UNHCR/S.Schulman

To uphold its obligations Canada To uphold its obligations Canada took in 23,000 to 30,400 refugees in took in 23,000 to 30,400 refugees in 20022002

Canada came in 11Canada came in 11thth, internationally, , internationally, in terms of money contributed to in terms of money contributed to refugee-aidrefugee-aid

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How many refugeesHow many refugees

Refugees flee to neighbouring countries, often Refugees flee to neighbouring countries, often developing nationsdeveloping nations

Means the world’s poorest countries are Means the world’s poorest countries are harbouring refugeesharbouring refugees

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Life in a Refugee CampLife in a Refugee Camp

Government often puts refugees in a Government often puts refugees in a campcamp

Camp life often has authoritarian Camp life often has authoritarian administrationadministration

Restricted land use, shortage of foodRestricted land use, shortage of food

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Life in a Refugee CampLife in a Refugee Camp

Many different areas of law and Many different areas of law and policies govern rights of refugeespolicies govern rights of refugees

International lawInternational law

Canadian lawCanadian law

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Human Rights and Refugees Human Rights and Refugees

Right not to be held in slavery or tortured or be subject to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Article 4, 5)

Right not to be subject to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile (Article 9)

Right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution (Article 14)

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Universal Declaration of Human Universal Declaration of Human RightsRights

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 18)

Freedom of expression and opinion (Article 19) Right to peaceful assembly (Article 20)

Right to enough resources to feed, clothe and house one’s family (Article 25)

Right to free education in the elementary years (Article 26)

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Universal Declaration of Universal Declaration of Human RightsHuman Rights

Inherent right to life (Article 6)

Right not to be separated from their parents (Article 9)

Right not to be protected from physical or mental harm or neglect, including sexual abuse or exploitation (Article 19)

Right to free and compulsory primary education (Article 28)

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Convention of the Rights of the Convention of the Rights of the ChildChild

Thailand: A Karen refugee girl heads home after school inMae Sot camp. UNHCR / D. Lom

Right to be separated from adults if jailed or detained; right to not be tortured or suffer cruel or degrading treatment (Article 37 (c))

Right to not take part in hostilities and to receive special protection if exposed to armed conflict (Article 38)

Right to freely enjoy one’s culture, religion and language (Article 30)

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Convention of the Rights of Convention of the Rights of the Childthe Child

Shows unique experiences of refugeesShows unique experiences of refugees

Young people in video were between one Young people in video were between one year and sixteen years old when they were year and sixteen years old when they were forced to fleeforced to flee

From a variety of countries, some more From a variety of countries, some more industrialized and some developingindustrialized and some developing

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VideoVideo