World Refugee Day- June 20, 2009

Background
Imagine being forced to leave your home and rebuild your life in a new country.  A refugee has done just that.  By definition, a refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence. In order to gain refugee status, a person must prove that he or she has a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.  Refugees can be granted refugee status in a country of asylum, from which they can then be resettled into a third country, such as the U.S.  For example, a Sudanese refugee here in the U.S. may have fled Sudan and lived in a refugee camp in Kenya, from where he was interviewed, granted refugee status and admitted to be a refugee in the U.S.

World Refugee Day, established in 2000 by a special UN General Assembly Resolution, is an opportunity to honor the strength and courage that refugees show throughout their daunting journey.  It is also an occasion to recognize and celebrate the richness and diversity that refugees add to our societies.  On and around June 20, the UN and many non-profit organizations all over the world will host demonstrations, conferences, festivals and exhibitions in support of refugees.  An exciting way to involve students is the World Refugee Day Poster Contest, which invites elementary, middle and high school students to submit posters representing this year’s theme of “Real People, Real Needs.”

The Role of Social Workers
Social workers play a key role in assisting refugees both overseas and in the U.S.  For example, social workers overseas may work with a humanitarian aid organization and coordinate psychosocial programs for children in refugee camps or work for an organization such as UNICEF or the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to affect policy and design programs.   In the U.S., social workers assist newly arrived refugees as resettlement caseworkers or job developers.  They may also design and coordinate community support programs for refugee families, advocate for stronger refugee resettlement services or carry out research.   World Refugee Day offers social workers a reminder to continue efforts to address the root causes of refugee flight and to support programs that provide asylum, ongoing protection and psychosocial care to refugees.

Take Action

Get informed!

Click here or here for further information

Click here for information on NASW’s Policy Statement on Immigrants and Refugees

Click here for the International Federation of Social Workers’ International Policy on Refugees

Watch a video on Darfur refugees in Chad here

Get involved!

Click here or here for ideas about how to get involved

Click here for more details on the World Refugee Day Poster Contest

National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest organization of professional social workers in the world. NASW social workers provide humanitarian assistance for communities in transition, and develop policies to protect human rights both domestically and in international settings.