Who are asylum seekers?

To explain why people are forced to seek asylum

To understand the effects asylum seeking has on the UK

Key terms: Immigration, asylum seeking, country of origin, destination country

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Can you interpret this scene?

Where? Who? When? What? Why?

An Iraqi rebel

An Iraqi army officer

Iraq, 1991

In 1991 Iraqi rebels tried to overthrow Saddam Hussein and his army. This village was home to many rebels. The Iraqi army raided it and murdered many of the villagers.

Over the past decade 2 million Iraqis have fled

their country.

Can you define the term asylum seeker?

A person who, from fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, social group, or political opinion, has crossed an international frontier into a country in which he or she hopes to be granted refugee status.

FACTIraqis are the largest group seeking asylum (or safety) within the European Union today.

Abdullah’s Story

Some questions to discuss...

• Was the UK right to allow Abdullah to stay here as an asylum seeker? Why?

• Was Abdullah right to flee his home country? Why?

• Should we always allow people like Abdullah to stay in our country? Why?

• How else could we help people like Abdullah?

Questions1. What is the country of origin? (2 marks)2. What is the destination country? (2

marks)3. Explain three advantages that asylum

seeking or immigration brings to the destination country (6 marks)

4. Explain three disadvantages that asylum seeking or migration brings to the destination country (6 marks)

5. What effect can migration have on the country of origin? (2 marks)

How should the UK government and general public treat asylum seekers?

• In pairs or individually reflect on the asylum seeker debate

• Come up with the 10 commandments for the UK government when dealing with asylum seekers

• E.g. ‘The UK should always carry out medical checks on any asylum seeker wishing to stay in the UK’