Refugees

Refugees

Refugee: Definition

Refugees are people who left their homeland because they fear that they will lose their lives or their freedom if they stay. People become refugees because one or more of their basic human rights has been violated or threatened.
International law defines a "refugee" as a person who has fled from and/or cannot return to his/her country due to a well- founded fear of persecution, including war or civil conflict.

A Person is a Refugee if...

Refugees have to be outside of their country of origin;
Their reason of flight has to be a fear of persecution;
The fear of persecution has to be well-founded, i.e. that have to have experienced persecution or be likely to experience it if they return;
The persecution has to result from one or more of the five grounds listed in the definition;
They have to be unwilling or unable to seek the protection of their country

Who Protects Refugees?

UNHCR
Protecting refuges is the core mandate of UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
Website: http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home
Who do they help?
They help Asylum-Seekers, Children, Men, Internationally Displaced People, Older People, People with Disabilities, Refugees, Returnees, Stateless People, Women.
Where are they involved?
Africa, Americas, Asia and Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North Africa.

What are human rights?

Human rights are the rights and freedom that we all have.

·         Some human rights are based on our physical needs

The right to life. To food. To shelter.

·         Other human rights to protect us.

The right to be free from torture, cruel treatment and abuse.

·         Human rights are also there to ensure we develop to our fullest potential.

The right to education. To work. To participate in your community.

Everybody has human rights. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, what language you speak or what religion you belong to. You have a duty to respect the rights of others, just as they have the duty to respect yours.

Nobody can take your rights away!

Human rights are based on the values of:

·         Dignity

·         Justice

·         Respect

·         Equality

Human rights were officially recognised as values by the world when the United Natios was set up.

What is the United Nations?

·         The United Nations (UN) is an international organisation that was established in 1945, the year the Second World War ended.

·         Its founders hoped it would be able to prevent catastrophes like the Holocaust from happening in the future.

·         So promoting human rights became an aim of the UN, along with maintaining international peace and reducing poverty.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is the most famous human rights agreements in the world. It contains 30 rights. They are;

Who wrote the UDHR?

The People who wrote the UDHR came from: Australia, Chile, China, France, Lebanon, the former Soviet Union, the UK and the US.

Kiribati and Climate Change

Kiribati coral atoll containing 33 islands. 100,000 people live there. Half of these people live on one small island that is only 400m in length at most. A lot of people, not much space. The average height above sea level is less than 2m. This is a huge problem with rising sea levels. The governor of the country believes their country will be underwater by 2030.

It is hard for them to grow food because of salivation. A small water supply is also worsening the situation.

Erosion, Storm surges, and  Drought is destroying the land.

They are educating the people so they can be better migrants.

The Australian Government has funded education for nurses.

Kiribati coral atoll containing 33 islands. 100,000 people live there. Half of these people live on one small island that is only 400m in length at most. A lot of people, not much space. The average height above sea level is less than 2m. This is a huge problem with rising sea levels. The governor of the country believes their country will be underwater by 2030.

It is hard for them to grow food because of salivation. A small water supply is also worsening the situation.

Erosion, Storm surges, and  Drought is destroying the land.

They are educating the people so they can be better migrants.

The Australian Government has funded education for nurses.

Tuberculosis in Kiribati

·         300 per 1000 people have Tuberculosis

·         Over crowded houses is the main reason.

·         25 per 1000 is considered a problem

·         Air born disease (coughing)

·         13 people per house

·         4 specialist nurses called the dots are funded by the Australian government (Oz Aid)

·         Isolate people who have the disease

·         Australia is funding the building of a lab and pharmacy

·         Their goal is to decrease the Tuberculosis rate by 30%

Nurses in Kiribati

·         The Kiribati Australian Nurses Intuitive is where the nurses are being educated and undertaking a degree at Griffith Uni, Brisbane.

·         This project is funded by Oz Aid

·         The nursing program is a response to Climate Change

·         The government needs to find ways of skilling up their people so they can migrate.

·         They have 4 months training in Kiribati then 4 months training in Brisbane.

8+ Goals

8+ Goals

8+ goals

In September 2000 Koffi Annan, formal general secretary of the UN, suggested that they could do something to end world poverty. 189 counties meet in New York and agreed that by 2015 they would achieve 8 goals towards ending world poverty. They are;

·         Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty

·         Achieve universal primary education

·         Promote gender equality and empower women

·         Reduce child mortality rate

·         Improving maternal health\

·         Combat diseases: HIV/AIDS, malaria etc.

·         Ensure environmental sustainability

·         Develop a global partnership for development

Bhutan

Bhutan

What percentage of income is owned by the least wealthy 20% of households?
The income earned by the lowest 20% of Bhutanesse households is 4.6 Ngultrum or Nu is 4.6
What are the recent achievements and challenges of our country?
The recent achievements are: Bhutan is gradually communicating with other countries and improving its economy while still being able to keep its culture intact and keeping the environment healthy. In the 1990s, the lack of political representation (and more focus on Buddhist culture) led to violence, many people in the ethnic Nepali community in the south fled to refugee camps and still have not returned.
How does poverty affect people in our country?
About one third of the population are below the poverty line
Affects: Women are equal to men but less mobile than men, and less active in social and economic life outside of their own villages. The poor people in Bhutan include, farmers, small traders, day labourers and their households.



How old can children expect to live? (What is the life expectancy at birth?
Life expectancy in Bhutan is 66 years.
How many mobile (cellular) phones are available per 1000 people?
There are 405 cellular phones are available per 1000 people
How many internet users per 1000 people?
66 internet users per 1000 people

What percentage of adults can read (adult literacy rate)?
52.8% of adults are literate
What percentage of people have access to clean water (access to improved drinking water source)?
81% of people in Bhutan have access to clean water.
What percentage of people have access to sanitation?
52% of people living in Bhutan have access to sanitation and toilets.

What is the average income [GDP per capita (PPP US$)]?
In 2011 Bhutan's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita was estimated at $2,042 (US)
What percentage of people live below the national poverty line?
23.2% is the estimated amount of people living below the national poverty line. That’s approximately 161,781 people
What percentage of children attend primary school?
At the last survey in 2010 approximately 41,000 students attended school to the nearest thousand so that is close to 25.3%

Poverty Cycle

What is the cycle of poverty?

The cycle of poverty has been described as a phenomenon where poor families become trapped in poverty for generation because they have no or limited access to critical resources, such  as;

·         Education and

·         Financial services

Subsequent generations are also impoverished.

There are multiple cycles of poverty- based on, among other things,

·         Economic,

·         Social

·         Spiritual

·         Geographical factors

Many cycles overlap or perpetuate new cycles and therefore any attempt to depict the cycle of poverty will be far more simplistic than realistic.

Key Principles of Catholic Social Teaching

Human dignity

Belief in the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all Catholic social teaching. Human life is sacred, and the dignity of the human person is the starting point for a moral vision for a moral vision for society.

The principle of human dignity is grounded in the idea that the person is made in the image of God. The person is the clearest reflection of God among us. We are required to honour the human person, to give priority to the person.

Community and the Common Good

In a culture driven by excessive individualism, our tradition proclaims that the person is not only sacred but also social. Human dignity can only be realised and protected in the context of relationships with the wider society.

How we organise our society -- in economics and politics, in law and policy -- directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Everyone has a responsibility to contribute to the good of the whole society, to the common good.

Rights and Responsibilities

Human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to life and a right to those things required for human decency - starting with food, shelter, clothing employment, health care, and an education.

Option for the Poor and the Vulnerable

A basic moral test of society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. The poor have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the nation.

The obligation to evaluate social and economic activity from the viewpoint of the poor and the powerless arises from radical command to love one's neighbour a one's self.

The option for the poor is an essential part of society's effort to achieve the common good. a healthy community can be achieved only if it's members give special needs, to those with special needs, to those who are poor and on the margins of society.

Participation

All people have a right to participate in the economic, political, and cultural life of society. It is a fundamental demand of  justice and a requirement for human dignity that all people be assured a minimum level of participation in the community.

It is wrong for a person or group to be excluded unfairly or to be unable to participate in society.

Dignity of Work/Rights of workers

The economy must serve people, not the other way around. All workers have a right to produce work, to decent and fair wages, and safe working conditions. They also have a fundamental right to organise and join unions.

Stewardship of Creation

Catholic tradition insists that we show our respect for the creator by our stewardship of creating. The goods of earth are gifts from God, intended for the benefit of all.

Global Solidarity

Catholic social teaching proclaims that we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, where ever they live. We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic etc. views.

Constructive Role for Government

Because we are social beings, the state is natural to the person. Therefore the state has a positive moral function. It is an instrument to promote human dignity, protect human rights, and build the common good.

Promotion of Peace

Catholic teaching promotes peace as a positive, action-oriented concept. In the words of Pope John Paul II, “Peace is not just the absence of war. It involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations. It involves collaboration and binding agreements.”

1.       List the 5 issues social justice aims to cover.

5 issues social justice aims to cover are poverty, child labour, refugees, homelessness, hunger.

2.       In your own words explain what is meant by human dignity.

Human dignity is the belief that every human life is valuable and sacred. It is the respect for yourself.

3.       What is meant by a moral vision for society?

It is a moral goal that the society will function so that everyone behaves appropriately and so that no one is talked advantage of.

4.       This of the 5 issues relates to human dignity

I think all 5 issues relate to human dignity.

5.       Give an example of a community that you are a part of.

We are a part of the Stella Maris College community.

6.       How is this community both Sacred and Social?

We are a catholic girl’s college and are religiously important. 

7.       What is the major test of a moral society?

A major moral test for society is sickness, and the poor.

8.       In what way does the community look after the poor?

The community has Vinnie’s, Oasis, Mission Beat, Caritas, Meals on Wheels and Soup Kitchens etc.

9.       What are every human’s fundamental rights?

Every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency- starting with food, shelter, and clothing employment, health care, and education.

10.   What is the role of the Government in maintaining human rights?

The state has a positive moral function. It is an instrument to promote human dignity, protect human rights, and build the common good.

11.   Who is responsible for assisting the government to achieve its goals?

All people are responsible.