Hope and Integration: Embracing Refugees on World Asylum Day
by Friba Quraishi
Afghan judge with fourteen years of experience in the different courts of Afghanistan. She has been a family court judge for nine years and a terrorist crimes appeal court judge for three years. In addition, she was president of the appeals court for cases of violence against women. She was among the women judges evacuated by the IAWJ after the fall of Kaboul in 2021.
As a prominent advocate for Afghan women's rights, Friba Quraishi has achieved significant milestones after immigrating. She serves as a member of the board of directors for the Association of Afghan Women in Spain (AMAE), playing a crucial role in supporting and empowering Afghan women in the diaspora. Additionally, she is a key member of the leadership team of the Parliamentary Network and Women's Leadership of Afghanistan, where she contributes to shaping policies and initiatives for women's leadership. Her influence extends to the media as a member of the editorial board and writing team of Hoqooq TV, a law-focused television channel. Through her dedicated work, she steadfastly defends the rights of Afghan women and lawyers, making a lasting impact on their lives and advocating for justice and equality.
A desire in a new land, sprouts
Like migrant birds, but in doubts
Far flying to a world anew
Filled with ideas bright and agile
I wend my way down this alley
In hopes of a gracious destiny
Asylum is a broad concept that has existed throughout history in different forms and conditions. From Ancient time, people have migrated to other places for a better life due to various reasons such as war, ethnic and religious conflicts, violation of their personal security, and such in the hope of a better life. In today’s world, refugees’ rights are regulated by international laws which support the individuals and their families who have fled from their countries as refugees because of security threats that loom over their lives.
The World Asylum Day was first celebrated in 2001 and is being celebrated every year on June 20th around the world. United Nation also commemorates this day to bring attention of the world to the refugees and their needs, as well as showing unity and solidarity with refugees.
Commemoration of World Refugee Day shows the impact and importance of human rights and respect for human dignity.
The main purpose of recognition of this day is to bring awareness about the refugees’ problems and convince the international community to accept and support the refugees. The events held on this day is an opportunity to spread the vison of global empathy, solidarity, and indeed bring hope to improve the situation of refugees around the world.
Refugees’ needs include the basic necessities of life such as security, human rights, water and food, housing, healthcare, education, and other accommodations necessary to continue life in a new location. Social and cultural support as well as job opportunities and education are among the needs of the refugees while providing up to date information on refugees’ rights including the resettlement process, housing and path to citizenship are essential at least in the first three years of an immigrant’s life until they can function on their own. Refugees encounter many different challenges including adapting to a new culture and language, instability and uncertainty, attaining new job skills and education with respect to the job market in their new location. Subsequently, the reintegration of the refugees in the host country is an important process to encourage the refugees to integrate in the new society and start a new life.
To mitigate the challenges in this process, the following considerations can be effective:
A. Responsibilities of the host countries towards the refugees:
1. Acceptance and protection of the refugees for their physical security and assisting them with basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, housing, access to healthcare services and education, as well as human rights of refugees.
2. Providing social services such as counselling, social support, cultural activity opportunities so they can adapt to their new society.
3. Offering language learning and life skills courses
4. Providing job opportunities and professional development opportunities for the refugees so they can gain financial independence and provide added value to the host country.
5. Host countries must work together to solve the refugees’ problems. They need to collaborate and facilitate a balanced distribution of the refugees in different countries and provide financial and humanitarian aid to the countries that have the highest burden of refugees.
All the above strategies can assist in creating a positive and successful integration process for the refugees in any given host country.
B. Responsibilities of the refugees towards the host countries:
1. Compliance with the laws and regulations, as well as the culture of the host country.
2. Learning the local language as a priority in their immigration plans
3. Fulfilling financial and economic responsibilities. Refugees must get involved in various financial and economic entities and contribute to the development of the host country. This includes paying taxes and actively looking for jobs to earn a living income.
4. Efforts must be made by the refugees to integrate with the host country’s society and take responsibility on this matter so that they can participate in the social and cultural activities to create a positive relationship with the members of the society in the host country. Furthermore, the refugees must help with their own growth and development in their own community for gradual integration in the host society as an influential and respectful citizen.
With the hope that the future is filled with humanity and empathy, and tomorrow is bright for every person who dreams about their sovereignty and freedom from any prejudice against them, refugees can follow the path to prosperity and security for themselves and their families. I hope all refugees can achieve peace and security in any country that they choose to live in.
Let’s celebrate the occasion of June 20th, the World Refugee Day, and hope that the international community keeps its pledge to continue their respect and support to the refugees by creating opportunities and humanitarian aids to the refugees for a dignified life. I hope that with the effort and empathy from all citizens of the world, prejudice and tension will be replaced with cooperation and unity so the refugees can live a happy life in their adopted country like any native citizen of the host country.