Reducing risk and building agency for vulnerable asylum seekers

Megan K. O’Connor, MS; Erik Wood, MS; Tim Frazier, PhD

doi:10.5055/jem.0681

Authors

Megan K. O’Connor, MS https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5578-9294
Erik Wood, MS https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0531-6314
Tim Frazier, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1270-5078

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0681

Keywords:

LGBTQ, asylum, emergency management, UAM, refugee, migration, GBV

Abstract

Asylum seekers are inherently vulnerable. Certain populations who were vulnerable before becoming asylum seekers, such as females, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual identities (LGBTQ+) persons, and unaccompanied minors (UAMs) become increasingly vulnerable when seeking asylum. This study conducted a focused literature review of these three groups that led to a series of recommendations. Findings reveal that female, LGBTQ+, and UAM asylum seekers are three of the most underserved groups in the humanitarian social vulnerability context. Ongoing barriers to supporting programs include bureaucratic shortfalls, lack of funding, turnover of support staff, and lack of national or local support. This research produced three main recommendation categories. The first, overarching, recommendation is the building of agency within these populations through dialogue. This recommendation is explored in the most detail. The final two recommendations include enforcing protection of these groups and providing access to physical and mental healthcare. Female, LGBTQ+, and UAM asylum seekers struggle to survive the prevalent violence, sexual assault, and health issues associated with their circumstance. Related programing can more effectively address all these threats if they are tailored to the specific needs of these groups.

Author Biographies

Megan K. O’Connor, MS

Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Project Manager, Master’s Program, School of Continuing Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Erik Wood, MS

Adjunct Faculty (Ethics, Research, GIS), Emergency and Disaster Management, Master’s Program, School of Continuing Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Tim Frazier, PhD

Professor of the Practice and Faculty Director, School of Continuing Studies (SCS), Emergency and Disaster Management, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

References

Wachter K, Horn R, Friis E, et al.: Drivers of intimate partner violence against women in three refugee camps. Violence Against Women. 2018; 24(3): 286-306. DOI: 10.1177/1077801216689163.

Moses: The rainbow group in Mae La Camp. Forced Migration Review, 2013: 11-12. Available at https://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/sogi/moses.pdf. Accessed August 17, 2020.

Freccero J, Biswas D, Whiting A, et al.: Sexual exploitation of unaccompanied migrant and refugee boys in Greece: Approaches to prevention. PLoS Med. 2017; 14(11): e1002438. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002438.

International Justice Resource Center: n.d. Asylum & the rights of refugees. Available at https://ijrcenter.org/refugee-law/. Accessed July 19, 2020.

UNHCR: Frequently asked questions about the 1951 refugee convention. n.d. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/stories/2001/6/3b4c06578/frequently-asked-questions-1951-refugeeconvention.html. Accessed July 19, 2020.

International Rescue Committee (IRC): Migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants: What’s the difference? 2018. Available at https://www.rescue.org/article/migrants-asylum-seekers-refugees-and-immigrants-whats-difference. Accessed December 1, 2020.

UNHCR: Asylum-seekers. n.d. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/asylum-seekers.html. Accessed July 19, 2020.

UNHCR: Migrants in vulnerable situations: UNHCR’s perspective. 2017. Available at https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/596787174.pdf. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Sphere Association (Ed.): Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. Warwickshire: Practical Action, 2018.

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC): Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action. 2nd ed. Geneva: Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), 2015.

Freedman J: Sexual and gender-based violence against refugee women: A hidden aspect of the refugee’ crisis. Reprod Health Matter. 2016; 24(47): 18-26.

Keygnaert I, Dias SF, Degomme O, et al.: Sexual and gender-based violence in the European asylum and reception sector: A perpetuum mobile? Eur J Public Health. 2015; 25(1): 90-96.

Kalt A, Hossain M, Kiss L, et al.: Asylum seekers, violence and health: A systematic review of research in high-income host countries. Am J Public Health. 2013; 103(3): e30-e42.

Freedman J: Mainstreaming gender in refugee protection. Cambridge Rev Int Affairs. 2010; 23(4): 589-607.

Freedman J: Protecting women asylum seekers and refugees: From international norms to national protection? Int Migr. 2010; 48(1): 175-198.

Padgett A, Warnecke T: Diamonds in the rubble: The women of Haiti: Institutions, gender equity and human development in Haiti. J Econ Issues. 2011; 45(3): 527-558.

Pittaway E, Bartolomei L: Refugees, race, and gender: The multiple discrimination against refugee women. Refuge. 2001; 19(6): 21-32.

UNHCR: Global trends_forced displacement in 2018. 2018. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2018/. Accessed August 22, 2020.

Gebreiyosus Y: Women in African Refugee Camps: Gender Based Violence against Female Refugees. Hamburg: Anchor Academic Publishing, 2014.

United Nations General Assembly: In safety and dignity: Addressing large movements of refugees and migrants. 2016. Available at https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/sites/default/files/in_safety_and_dignity_-_addressing_large_movements_of_refugees_and_migrants.pdf. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Keygnaert I, Vettenburg N, Temmerman M: Hidden violence is silent rape: Sexual and gender-based violence in refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Belgium and The Netherlands. Cult Health Sex. 2012; 14(5): 505-520.

Migration Policy Institute: Gender-based violence against women: Both cause for migration and risk along the journey. 2017. Available at https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/gender-basedviolence-against-women-both-cause-migration-and-risk-along-journey. Accessed July 19, 2020.

UNHCR: Prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence in refugee situations. 2001. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/3bb44cd811.pdf. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Amnesty International: No place for us here: Violence against refugee women in Eastern Chad. 2009. Available at https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/AFR200082009ENGLISH.PDF. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Li SS, Liddell BJ, Nickerson A: The relationship between post-migration stress and psychological disorders in refugees and asylum seekers. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2016; 18(9): 1-9.

Collins CH, Zimmerman C, Howard LM: Refugee, asylum seeker, immigrant women and postnatal depression: Rates and risk factors. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2011; 14(1): 3-11.

Wareham J: Map shows where it’s illegal to be gay – 30 years since WHO declassified homosexuality as disease. Forbes. 2020. Available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiewareham/2020/05/17/mapshows-where-its-illegal-to-be-gay–30-years-since-who-declassifiedhomosexuality-as-disease/?sh=681396b9578a.

Marinucci R: LGBTI migrants and refugees. REMHU. 2020; 28(59): 7-13.

Alessi E, Kahn S, Greenfield B, et al.: A qualitative exploration of the integration experiences of LGBTQ refugees who fled from the Middle east, North Africa, and Central and South Asia to Austria and The Netherlands. Sex Res Soc Policy. 2020; 17(1-2): 1-14. DOI: 10.1007/s13178-018-0364-7.

UNHCR: LGBTI persons. n.d. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/lgbti-persons.html. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Human Rights Campaign: LGBTQ asylum seekers and refugees must be welcome here. 2019. Available at https://www.hrc.org/blog/lgbtq-asylum-seekers-and-refugees-must-be-welcome-here. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Nascimento DB, de Haas E, Baggio RC: Migration due to sexual orientation and gender identity. RDUNISC. 2017; 1(51): 58-67.

Tschalaer M: Between queer liberalisms and Muslim masculinities: LGBTQI+ Muslim asylum assessment in Germany. Ethnic Racial Stud. 2020; 43(7): 1265-1283. DOI: 10.1080/01419870.2019.1640378.

Mendos L: State sponsored homophobia: Global legislation overview update. 2019. Available at https://ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_World_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_report_global_legislation_overview_update_December_2019.pdf. Accessed July 19, 2020.

UNHCR: Global trends—Forced displacement in 2019. 2020. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2019/. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Moleiro C, Solntseva S, Aybar G: Culture and violence against LGBTQ+ persons: International contexts and issues in contemporary societies. In Violence against LGBTQ+ Persons. Cham: Springer, 2021: 219-230.

Kahn S, Alessi EJ, Kim H, et al.: Facilitating mental health support for LGBT forced migrants: A qualitative inquiry. J Couns Dev. 2018; 96(3): 316-326.

McCown CM, Platt LF: Violence against queer and TGNC people of color. In Violence against LGBTQ+ Persons. Cham: Springer, 2021: 203-217.

Leonetti M: Turning away our neighbors: Critiquing US policy towards Latin American and Caribbean LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of the Department of Global Liberal Studies, New York University. 2019.

Gottlieb N, Püschmann C, Stenzinger F, et al.: Health and healthcare utilization among asylum-seekers from berlin’s LGBTIQ shelter: Preliminary results of a survey. IJERPH. 2020; 17(12): 4514.

Hadfield K: LGBTQ asylum seekers and refugees must be welcome here. Human Rights Campaign. 2019. Available at https://www.hrc.org/blog/lgbtq-asylum-seekers-and-refugees-must-be-welcome-here. Accessed August 17, 2020.

International Committee of the Red Cross: Interagency guiding principles on unaccompanied and separated children. 2004. Available at http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/publication/p1101.htm. Accessed November 7, 2020.

Correa-Velez N: Leaving family behind: Understanding the irregular migration of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors. In A Long Way to Go. Canberra: ANU Press, 2017: 141.

UNHCR: Children on the run. 2014. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2014/3/53206a3d9/unhcr-calls-americas-keep-children-run-safe-violence.html. Accessed July 19, 2020.

UNHCR: Global trends—Forced displacement in 2018. 2019a. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2018/. Accessed November 3, 2020.

Zeller M, Sandermann P: Unaccompanied minors in Germany. A success story with setbacks? Social Work Soc. 2017; 15(2): 1-20.

UNICEF: Neither safe nor sound: Unaccompanied children on the coastline of the English channel and the North Sea. 2016. Available at https://www.unicef.org/media/files/Unicef_NeitherSafeNorSound_(003).pdf. Accessed August 17, 2020.

Mittendorfer-Rutz E, Hagström A, Hollander AC: High suicide rates among unaccompanied minors/youth seeking asylum in Sweden. Crisis. 2020; 41: 314-314. DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000636.

Bitzi L: Unaccompanied minor asylum seekers – processes of subject formation and feelings of belonging in the context of educational experiences in Switzerland. Geogr Helv. 2017; 72(2): 217-226. DOI: 10.5194/gh-72-217-2017.

Korkiamäki G: Responding to misrecognition – A study with unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2020; 119: 105687. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105687.

Crea TM, Roth BJ, Jani J, et al.: Unaccompanied immigrant children: Interdisciplinary perspectives on needs and responses: Introduction to special issue of children & youth services review [Editorial]. Children and Youth Services Review, 2018; 92: 1-3. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.05.018.

Phillips B: Qualitative methods and disaster research. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 1997; 15(1): 179-195.

Shen W, Joseph DL: Gender and leadership: A criterion-focused review and research agenda. Hum Resour Manag Rev. 2020; 31(2): 100765.

Shendruk A, Hillard L, Roy D: Funding the united nations: What impact do US contributions have on UN agencies and programs? 2020. Available at https://www.cfr.org/article/funding-united-nationswhat-impact-do-us-contributions-have-un-agencies-and-programs. Accessed November 7, 2020.

UNHCR: UNHCR brochure on underfunded situations in 2018. 2018. Available at https://reporting.unhcr.org/node/21131. Accessed November 7, 2020.

Dubey R, Gunasekaran A, Altay N, et al.: Understanding employee turnover in humanitarian organizations. Ind Commer Train. 2016; 48: 208-201. DOI: 10.1108/ICT-10-2015-0067.

Miller L: The irony of refuge: Gender-based violence against female refugees in Africa. n.d. Available at https://www.du.edu/korbel/hrhw/researchdigest/minority/Africa.pdf. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Human Rights Watch: Greece: Camp conditions endanger women, girls. 2019. Available at https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/12/04/greececamp-conditions-endanger-women-girls. Accessed July 19, 2020.

UNHCR: Protecting refugees: Questions and answers. 2002. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/publications/brochures/3b779dfe2/protecting-refugees-questions-answers.html. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Sami S, Williams HA, Krause S, et al.: Responding to the Syrian crisis: The needs of women and girls. Lancet. 2014; 383(9923): 1179-1181. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-736(13)62034-6.

Donnelly ER, Muthiah V: Protecting women and girls in refugee camps. n.d. Available at http://www.lse.ac.uk/women-peace-security/assets/documents/2019/LSE-WPS-refugees-camp.pdf. Accessed July 19, 2020.

UN Women: Women refugees and migrants. n.d. Available at https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/women-refugees-andmigrants. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Grandi F: Her turn. n.d. Available at https://www.unhcr.org/herturn/. Accessed July 19, 2020.

UN Women: In host country Lebanon, refugee and rural women build entrepreneurship, cohesion and future. 2016. Available at https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2016/9/in-lebanon-refugee-and-rural-women-build-entrepreneurship. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Wood EX, Frazier T: Decentralized humanitarian aid deployment: Reimagining the delivery of aid. JHLSCM. 2019; 10: 1-20.

Turk V: Ensuring protection for LGBTI persons of concern. Forced Migr Rev. 2013; 8: 1-2.

Bhalla N: U.N. moves LGBT+ refugees to safe houses after Kenya camp attacks. 2018. Thomas Reuters Foundation. Available at https://af.reuters.com/article/drcNews/idAFL3N1YH3GX. Accessed August 16, 2020.

Maurice EP: Asylum seekers persecuted for being LGBT+ will be given priority under groundbreaking Norwegian scheme. 2020. Available at https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/07/06/norway-prioritise-lgbt-asulum-seekers-transfer-refugees-scheme-persecuted-homecountries/. Accessed July 19, 2020.

Giles C: UK expands cash transfers to Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The Financial Times. 2018. Available at https://www.ft.com/content/dd3e8bc6-f940-11e7-a492-2c9be7f3120a. Accessed December 1, 2020.