Refugees and asylum-seekers
A presentation for schools
WHAT IS AN
ASYLUM-SEEKER?
A person who has fled persecution in their country and has
made a claim to seek international protection (asylum)
somewhere else. (N.B. claiming asylum is a human right.)
WHAT IS A REFUGEE?
A person whose asylum claim was successful, because they have
“a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race,
religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or
political opinion”, if they go home. (They have been legally allowed to
stay in the country…)
If you had to leave your home suddenly,
what 3 things would you grab to take with you..?
What have you forgotten..?
Afghanistan
Iraq
Iran
Eritrea
China
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Somalia
Zimbabwe
Where do refugees and asylum-seekers in the UK come from?
Other definitions:
Economic Migrant
A person who chooses to leave their country to find a better paid
job. (e.g. people from EU countries coming to work in England)
Illegal Immigrant
someone who goes to live or work in another country when they do
not have the legal right to do this.
Refused Asylum Seeker
A person who hasn’t been able to prove that they would face
persecution back home and has had their application turned down…
N.B. There is no such thing as an “illegal asylum-seeker”.
Some opinions about refugees and asylum-seekers:
“so-called asylum-seekers…in
reality seek no more than
access to our welfare system”
“I feel asylum seekers like me should be
repaying through the tax system
everything that has been given us by the
UK…”
“We have no obligation to take
these people in”
Asylum- seekers are not allowed to claim
mainstream welfare benefits. If
supported, a single adult has to survive
on £38.26 a week, which is 30% below
the poverty line.
Asylum-seekers are not allowed to work.
Actually, we have a legal obligation
to do so - UN Convention 1951.
(145 countries have signed the 1951
Geneva Refugee Convention)
Some opinions about refugees and asylum-seekers:
Asylum-seekers take our housing.
Asylum-seekers have no right to
permanent housing. They are
usually housed in temporary,
sub-standard accommodation.
“One in five flock here. Asylum:
we’re too damn soft”
Not true. The number of asylum
applications to the UK is decreasing.
The UK only hosts 2% of the
world’s refugees.
Nobody is given more than 5 years
leave to remain.
Main host countries:
1. Pakistan
2. Iran
3. Syria
4. Germany
5. Jordan
6. Kenya
7. Chad
8. China
79% of people claiming asylum are
refused.
Are people confusing refugees/asylum-seekers
with economic migrants..?
“The problem is that these f******
people are rubbish in
their own country and they come over here; they bring nothing
except problems; they have no interest in learning about us or our
ways; they just live among their own.”
“They don’t exactly bring a load of money into our economy…
Have you ever got near them? They really must stink! …Their
economy is in a mess. They can’t make money, they have no jobs at
home, so they come over here to mess up our economy and to take
our jobs.
And why is there so much unemployment in their own country?
Because they’re a lazy lot, who don’t want to work. Well, let them be
warned they won’t be allowed to live on social security here.
Well readers, what do YOU think of these _____ who keep coming
Australia at all?”
here? Should we let them into __________
Q. How many British people work overseas?
A. 5 million
Contributions refugees can make:
In 1999-2000
refugees made
a net fiscal
contribution of
about
18 refugees
have become
Nobel Laureates.
16 refugees
have received
knighthoods.
£2.6 billion
Over 1000
refugees and
asylum-seekers
with medical
backgrounds (in
England)
Over 900
refugees and
asylum-seekers
with teaching
backgrounds (in
England)
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