Thursday, October 15, 2009
Students work with refugees in Egypt
Students at the American University in Cairo are doing fantastic work similar to STAR members in the UK. Find out about the situation in Cairo and what students are doing to help.
A few years ago STAR’s good work spread to Egypt, where students at the American University of Cairo began to work with refugees. Motivated by the activism of STAR students in the UK they have developed fantastic projects in a very different environment.
The STAR group at Cairo offer further proof that students are a vital part of the movement to support refugees and promote the importance of providing asylum.
Students at Cairo discuss the situation in Egypt below and describe the role they play in assisting refugees in their community.
History
Throughout its history, Egypt has hosted refugees from several countries: the Armenians in 1915, the Palestinians in the 1940s, and the Sudanese from 1983 onward.
In the past few years, Egypt has hosted large refugee groups mainly from Sudan, Iraq, Palestinian Territories, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea as well as other smaller groups who fled West Africa.
While African refugees fled to Egypt due to direct threat from militias, civil wars, and the general dire situation due to violence in their countries, refugees from Iraq mainly fled due to a direct threat to their lives because of their ethnic/sectarian identity or work.
Current Situation
As a signatory to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, Egypt acknowledges the right of refugees to seek asylum.
Refugee Status Determination is conducted by the Cairo Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Upon registering with UNHCR, refugees are given a yellow card until a decision is made regarding their case.
If the case is accepted, a blue card is given and one of the durable solutions is implemented: resettlement to a third country or integration in Egypt. If the case is rejected, refugees are left in limbo in Egypt.
It is interesting to note that Iraqi refugees are the only group that is not provided a blue card; they are given a yellow temporary card even if their case is accepted.
Even though a signatory to the 1951 convention, Egypt has made reservations to few clauses relating to public services, labor market, social security and food rationing.
Refugees in Egypt, even the blue-card holders, have no access to the public health and education services; they are not allowed to work and are treated like foreigners in terms of access to the labor market or public services.
They therefore resort to the informal sector or to services provided by NGOs and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in Cairo: community schools, literacy classes etc.
UNHCR, through its implementing partners, provide limited educational subsidies, health services and financial assistance. Iraqi refugees (a very unique urban educated group) count on depletive savings and remittances and refrain from working in unskilled labor.
Despite the fact that resettlement is one of the durable solutions offered to some refugees, the procedures are very complex leading to a waiting duration that may reach more than 2 years.
Refugees who are granted a local integration in Egypt still suffer the conditions of Egypt being a refugee-unfriendly country.
The most vulnerable are those whose cases are rejected and who are in limbo, unable to leave the country or go back to their country of origin for fear of danger. This vulnerable group remains marginalized in Egypt socially and economically.
The major problem most refugees suffer from in Egypt is the lack of means for a permanent life in Egypt. African refugee groups also suffer from a high degree of racism and lack of positive relations, especially with low-income Egyptians.
What students are doing
It is in this sense that STAR aims at helping refugees live a better journey in Cairo.
Recognizing education as a basic right for all people, as guaranteed under international human rights law, STAR’s primary mission is to provide educational support to refugees of all nationalities in Cairo by organizing English, Arabic, music, and handicraft classes.
A bazaar is held twice a semester in order for refugee women to exhibit their handicrafts, which is a way of raising their income.
In terms of raising awareness, we are planning to hold legal training sessions in order for refugees to know their rights and to familiarize themselves with the type of services they could get.
Ms. Sara Sadek and Marwa Fikry
STAR
American University of Cairo
Posted by STAR team on 15/10/2009 at 04:03 PM
