Theme 2017 - Immigration, Migration and Refugee Issues
In lieu of recent world events, the topic of immigration, migration and refugee issues is widely discussed in the international news today. This is a complex topic and when approaching the research, it is vital to remain open-minded. Immigration, migration and refugee issues affect every single country worldwide, therefore each and every government has their own unique perspective.
To access a plethora of theme-related information, visit this link:
http://www.rcs-ottawa.ca/immigration-refugees
Many thanks to RCS Ottawa for the creation of the theme package.
To access a plethora of theme-related information, visit this link:
http://www.rcs-ottawa.ca/immigration-refugees
Many thanks to RCS Ottawa for the creation of the theme package.
ImmigrationImmigration is the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country. An immigrant is a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country. Conversely, emigration is the act of leaving one's resident country with the intent to settle elsewhere, and an emigrant is someone who leaves their own country to settle permanently in another.
The big question surrounding this theme is whether or not migrants hurt or help a country. It is the belief of some countries that migrants hurt or threaten their country on many fronts. What is worse is that some countries create the situations that force people to flee their country, becoming refugees.
It is interesting to explore the different push factors for refugees and immigrants; every country faces unique challenges and therefore asylum seekers from all over the world have different reasons for leaving. Whether it is the quality of life or natural disaster, it is important to explore the role of the government concerning immigration, migration and refugee issues. |
RefugeeA refugee, generally speaking, is a displaced
person who has been forced to cross national boundaries and who cannot return home safely. Differences?The difference between an immigrant and a refugee is that an immigrant chooses to leave for various valid reasons, however refugees have no choice but to flee.
|
ENVIRONMENTALSimply put, everyone has a place in the world, but that place may be corrupted by ill-political or environmental factors. This touches on the space limited to each country and how this space may be shrinking due to environmental issues. The environmental aspect to this explains how certain environmental issues, if not attended to, may increase the number of refugees in the world. Additionally, this refers to the physical space the migrants occupy: the camps that they live in, the countries they had to flee, the route they take to get to the final destination, the emigration countries, the immigration countries and much more. |
WORKPLACEThe movement of people means that these great minds also move with them. There are many countries in the commonwealth experiencing both sides of this spectrum; losing and gaining workforce and intellectuals. When a country faces push factors for migration, it is easy for people to make the decision to move from one country to another. Things to think about, which lean towards the negative aspects of this subsection, are how education may not transfer over. For individuals who struggle to live off the land, there are the struggles of gaining an education and skills to succeed in urban centers. |
SOCIALWhen a person migrates from one country to another there are many things that they need to adjust to: including understanding a new language, culture, and much more. Many migrants are placed into mandatory citizenship education of the country’s history and values before becoming a full-fledged citizen. Is this bad or is this good? Many migrants have argued that their original culture, religion, etc. are being pushed aside and are feeling isolated. How do the social aspects of a country make it more difficult or easier for a migrant or refugee to resettle and feel welcome into the country they immigrate to? Various programs are often introduced in order to help with integration into the new country, however various obstacles such as language barriers can divide citizens.The theme for CHOGM on the Rock encompasses all aspects of migration, immigration and refugees. We hope that as you represent various Commonwealth countries throughout the week that you remain aware of how multifaceted these subjects are.
|
POLITICALThis theme is a key political issue, given aging populations in developed countries. This section speaks to the reasons why countries fear or welcome migrants and refugees. What are the politicians saying about refugees and migrants? What is this history of immigration in this country? Things that intertwine politics and migration include immigration rates, national security threats, and much more.
|