Latest news with #Xenophobia
Mail & Guardian
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Don't call asylum seekers and refugees makwerekwere; make them feel at home
Asylum seekers and refugees leave their home countries because life has become intolerable. They seek safety and understanding. World Refugee Day is observed annually on 20 June to honour the courage and strength of people who have been forced to escape their home country by conflict or persecution. According to the In South Africa, refugees and asylum seekers, like many around the world, seek safety and an opportunity to rebuild their lives after escaping violence, conflict and persecution from their countries of origin. But many continue to face ongoing difficulties, including xenophobia and limited opportunities to earn an income. These difficulties are often worsened by delays or obstacles in With more than First, we should have discussions with refugees and asylum seekers . It is essential to better understand their experiences of living in the country and the types of support they need to rebuild their lives effectively. In my experience, many are willing to speak openly and share their stories when given a safe space to do so. Second, we should make refugees and asylum seekers feel welcome. They are often called 'makwerekwere', a derogatory term used by some to inform foreign nationals from African countries that they are outsiders who are not welcome. Instead of looking at refugees and asylum seekers as outsiders, we need to focus on how we can make South Africa a place of safety and dignity, where they can rebuild their lives and feel at home. One way to achieve this is by running community-based programmes in areas where refugees and asylum seekers live. These programmes can raise awareness about who refugees are, why they are in communities and how local residents can partner with them to build stronger and more inclusive communities. Such platforms also allow refugees and asylum seekers to tell their stories. This will help locals to understand the context of their journeys and the reasons they have sought refuge in South Africa. Being given a voice also empowers refugees and asylum seekers to participate in community life and build mutual understanding. Many refugees are skilled professionals (lawyers, healthcare professionals, teachers, and more) who bring valuable experience and expertise that can benefit South African society. Embracing their contributions is a step toward building more inclusive and safe communities for all. Third, we should teach children to respect and accept refugees and asylum seekers . Through my work with refugee and asylum-seeking children in mental health services and research, one recurring problem they face is bullying often because of their skin tone or accent. It is important to teach local children respect, empathy, and inclusion. School-based programmes and initiatives can encourage South African learners to see refugees and asylum seekers as equals, and not to mock, isolate,or bully them for being different. In 2020, Fourth, we should support organisations that provide services to refugees and asylum seekers . In recent years, organisations worldwide offering essential services to them have had severe funding cuts, further reducing already limited services to this marginalised population. For example, in South Africa, the Adonis Musati Project, which was founded in 2007 and offered skills training, youth programmes and psychosocial support, had to close because of a lack of funding. Organisations such as the Trauma Centre and Last, we should prioritise multi-stakeholder intervention. It is also important for civil society, and government departments (such as health, education and the police) to collaborate in finding solutions to address the problems refugees and asylum seekers face. Ensuring access to basic needs like education and healthcare, as well as support services such as local language programmes and income-generating opportunities, is critical to promoting the effective settlement and integration of refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa. Standing in solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa requires us all to play our part. The country is known around the world for its philosophy of ubuntu, which means 'am because we are'. For the nation to fully reflect its spirit of ubuntu and show humanity towards others, all who live in the country must extend compassion, understanding and support to refugees and asylum seekers as they work to rebuild their lives and heal from traumatic experiences. Yeukai Chideya is a researcher at the Institute for Life Course Health Research at Stellenbosch University.
Russia Today
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Anti-Ukrainian sentiment rising in Poland
Public sentiment in Poland toward Ukrainian refugees has deteriorated over the past three years, with a growing number of Poles now calling for them to return to Ukraine, according to media reports. Warsaw, which has been one of Ukraine's main backers since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022, initially willingly accepted more than a million refugees from the neighboring state. However, the attitude towards Ukrainians in the country has since shifted. Social tensions have been mounting as some citizens reportedly perceive Ukrainian immigrants as freeloaders and potential criminals. Government data shows that at least 2.5 million Ukrainians reside in Poland, making up nearly 7% of the country's population. Oksana Pestrykova, a refugee support coordinator in Warsaw, told The Times on Wednesday that the atmosphere had been much more welcoming three years ago, and that Ukrainians now tend to avoid speaking their own language in public or on public transport. 'People are saying that children at school and people in line for an appointment with a doctor are telling them to go home to Ukraine,' she said. Another Ukrainian resident told the BBC that anti-Ukrainian sentiment has surged in recent months, with reports of abuse on public transport, school bullying, and xenophobic content online. 'At work, many people have been saying Ukrainians come here and behave badly. And my Ukrainian friends say they want to go home because Polish people don't accept us. It's frightening to live here now,' one refugee told the outlet. Tensions have been heightened by a divisive presidential election campaign in Poland, with the first round of voting set for Sunday. Far-right politician Slawomir Mentzen, polling in third place, has taken a strongly anti-Ukrainian stance and backs striking a peace deal with Russia. Conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki, currently in second, opposes Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO as well as financial aid for refugees, although he supports continued military assistance for Kiev. Leading the race is Rafal Trzaskowski, aligned with Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition and seen as the most pro-Ukrainian contender, although he too has pledged to cut social benefits for Ukrainian nationals. Support for Ukrainian refugees in Poland has declined sharply, a March 2025 poll by the CBOS Center showed, with only 50% of Poles in favor of accepting them – well below the 81% recorded two years earlier. Roughly one million Ukrainians are officially registered as having arrived since 2022, and Poland has allocated 4.2% of its GDP to their support, according to the BBC.
The Hill
14-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
White House to ask Congress to cut $9B in funds, including for NPR, PBS, USAID
The White House is preparing a rescission package that will seek to have Congress claw back more than $9 billion in approved funding through cuts to public broadcasting, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and agencies President Trump has sought to eliminate. A White House official confirmed to The Hill that the package will be sent to Congress when lawmakers return from Easter recess on April 28. The package requests to eliminate $9.3 billion in spending, the official said. That includes money for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which oversees PBS and NPR, money for USAID and agencies like the U.S. Institute of Peace, which Trump aimed to dismantle via an executive order signed in February. The request cites various aspects of funding used by those organizations that do not align with the Trump administration's priorities. It cites a PBS program from 2022 titled 'Our League' about a transgender woman who comes out to members of their bowling league in Ohio. The request also notes NPR's CEO, Katherine Maher, described Trump as a 'fascist' in old social media posts. Maher has apologized for those remarks. Representatives for NPR and PBS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The rescission package also cites numerous examples of funding from the State Department and USAID to be cut that are not in line with Trump's agenda. Among those are $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda, $750,000 for reducing Xenophobia in Venezuela and $3 million for a children's developmental television program in Iraq. Simple majorities in both the House and Senate would need to vote to approve the rescission package in order to eliminate the congressionally approved funding. Republicans control both chambers, though their margin in the House is especially narrow. Trump and his allies have for months targeted funding for public broadcast stations like NPR, which some Republicans have criticized as too liberal with their news coverage. Leaders of both NPR and PBS appeared at a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee hearing in March to defend their practices. The president has also aggressively pushed to dismantle USAID, claiming it is run by 'radical lunatics.' The agency sends aid to communities impacted by conflicts, helps with disease prevention efforts and assists developing countries. Advocates argue it is critical for the U.S. establishing influence around the world, while critics assert it is a poor use of government funds.
