The benefit of hosting refugees

Simon Mone

The number of people entrapped in displaced settlements of our global village is rapidly increasing.

Estimates have risen to about 20 million refugees. Forty million people are also internally displaced, while around 5 million are asylum seekers. It is also approximated that 86% of the world's refugees were hosted by developing countries by 2015.

And 26% of refugees accommodated by least developed countries. The numbers could easily surpass the biggest number of displacements recorded since the end of World War II.

Now we wonder how our global village will be on top of the growing numbers. And the effect of the pressure it creates on host communities. As most escapees upon fleeing their homeland command shelter, and all other needs that must be availed to enable them live decent lives.

It effectively calls on host countries to play huge responsibilities. To ensure that immediate needs of displaced communities are met. Least developed and developing host countries, will find it a big task because their own citizens are also vulnerable.

Their very own citizens also stare in wait for support, to be beneficiaries of governments' mandate to take care of them. So host countries have an added ‘burden' of trying to cope with demands to provide services in addition to those of their own citizens.

Therefore, how are governments going to overcome the demands of large numbers of displaced people? How will they manage extra competition for scarce; economic, institutional and social resources? Many efforts have attempted to offer solutions.

Solutions include the following three temporary, conventional ones. First; host governments are trying hard to return refugees to their home states. But they continue to come back.

Secondly, some host governments are re-settling displaced people in ‘a third safe country'. And refugees still return to places they think is best for them.

Other governments have experimented on integrating refugees and asylum seekers in their communities. Of the three, this solution looks to be better as it seems the more durable.

But as expected, solutions can only go so far in trying to ensure that displaced people get consolation to their deplorable welfare. But as the saying goes, ‘home is best', nothing compares to home. So we await long-term answers.

Therefore, yet again, we continue the brainstorming game, to try and find more sustainable alternatives to turn around the wellbeing of displaced people. Already, discussions are starting, aimed at reaching such good solutions.

Talks on whether allowing talented and skilled refugees to integrate with host communities are helpful. As it is a good starting point. So that refugees can re-build lost lives. And their lost hope. And most importantly, they should re-discover their lost livelihoods. Should the talks happen, it will make refugees economically stronger while in displacement.

Enhancing their economic resilience would reduce pressure on governments to provide hand-outs. It will ease pressure on governments to give relief items to refugees. It is a welcome solution.

As economically empowered refugees eases the burden on host governments to take care of displaced communities and also their own people. Economic empowerment also reduces tension between communities. It eliminates the possibility of conflict due to scarcity.

Without sustainable answers to displacement, negative impacts of refugees will remain enormous. And eventually take a toll on host communities.

Refugees need to be empowered to enhance their professional skills. So they are able to utilise their skills to benefit their communities.

Rather than focusing on their negative effects, exploring ways to make refugees useful creates lasting positive impacts. It is a good beginning.

Let us see refugees as people who have valuable skills and knowledge that if tapped, can have benefits.

Writer is a civil engineer