Groups of People who are forced to flee their home countries due to conflicts, violence, or threats against their safety and lives are known as refugees. The global refugee crisis is an increasingly urgent problem that communities need to address by protecting and assisting refugees.
Refugees often face unfair treatment when seeking help in new countries due to things beyond their control, like where they’re from or their beliefs. This discrimination shows up as unequal handling based on nationality, religion, or background. Experiencing discrimination can impact the rights refugees deserve under international laws about getting asylum. Plus, it spreads into all parts of refugee life, limiting access to legal protections, jobs, and education. So it negatively targets refugees both physically and mentally, making it tougher to settle in socially.
Nowadays, the media plays a pivotal role in shaping public opinion, and short TikTok videos have been blown all over the internet, portraying refugees as a group of foreign people entering Indonesia without passports, posing a major threat to the nation’s stability. However, many people fail to recognize that they are not coming to our country for a holiday. The absence of passports is not their choice because they flee from their origin country due to war, conflicts, and violence. Their primary concern is to survive. Yet, people often overlook this and even make an equal of it with the colonizers who came to Indonesia decades ago.
Another video depicted refugees as greedy because they asked for more food, which led to widespread rage and the generalization that all refugees are ungrateful. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs will help to explain why this situation occurred in the first place.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory that outlines the stages of human needs. The most basic psychological needs are food, water, warmth, and shelter to live. These fundamental needs must be met before someone can pursue higher-level needs, such as the self-actualization state. Refugees are fleeing from their countries because of war, conflict, and violence, so they are primarily focused on fulfilling their basic survival needs. Their behavior reflects the struggle to meet these psychological and safety needs. By understanding this framework, it is expected for people to humanize refugees and recognize their actions stem from a place of need rather than entitlement.
Moreover, these stereotypes towards refugees stem from the media’s depiction of refugees. General perceptions tend to portray refugees as “troublemakers” or “threats” without acknowledging what they fled from. This stigma leaves refugees feeling isolated and damages their mental well-being, piling on the challenges of adjusting to living in refugee camps.
The lack of public awareness of refugees also causes discrimination because refugees are not aware of the situation, challenges, and needs they have. In addition, unfounded negative stereotypes are also a factor that strengthens discrimination against refugees, where there is often a perception that refugees are dangerous, and unable to make a positive contribution to society, making their integration difficult. Also, increasing economic competition and insecurity related to jobs and resources can encourage discriminatory behavior. The perception that refugees are stealing jobs or resources from local communities can trigger negative attitudes towards refugees. The psychological and social consequences of the persecution of refugees are serious.
As young people and medical students, we have an important role to play in the fight against persecution and stigmatization of refugees. This attitude is often triggered by ignorance, fear, prejudice, and economic competition. As we face these challenges, our contribution as young and future doctors will positively impact us.
First, education and advocacy can increase public awareness of issues related to refugees. Campaigns, events, and other educational activities can change negative attitudes and create sympathy for refugees. In addition, by acting as advocates, we can champion policies that support refugee rights and fight discrimination by participating in public campaigns and other advocacy activities.
As health professionals, we also have a responsibility to provide adequate health services to everyone, including refugees. Our deep understanding of the health challenges facing refugees allows us to provide sensitive, compassionate, and family-oriented care to meet their needs. Cooperation with other student organizations, NGOs, and humanitarian organizations can also expand support networks and strengthen concrete actions to create an inclusive environment for refugees.
Finally, through active participation, SCORP CIMSA can become an agent of change that contributes to the fight against refugee restrictions and restrictions as well as the human rights of all people and nothing more. So in the end, to avoid prejudice and discrimination against refugees, we as young people and medical students must unite and contribute fully, where through education, advocacy, appropriate health services, and evidence-based research, we can create an inclusive, and equitable environment for refugees and all those who need support. Therefore, let’s start to be an agent of change that has a positive impact on society so that we can create a better world for everyone.
REFERENCES
1. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Figures at a glance [Internet]. Geneva: UNHCR; 2024 June 13 [cited 2024 Jul 29]. Available at: https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html.
2. World Health Organization. Refugee and migrant health – global [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; n.d. [cited 2024 Jul 29]. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/refugee-and-migrant-health#tab=tab_1.
3. McCann K, Sienkiewicz M, Zard M. The role of media narratives in shaping public opinion toward refugees: A comparative analysis. Geneva: IOM; 2023.
4. Rojas M, Méndez A, Watkins-Fassler K. The hierarchy of needs empirical of Maslow’s theory and lessons for development. World Development; 2023:165.
5. World Health Organization. Mental health of refugees and migrants: risk and protective factors and access to care [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; n.d. [cited 2024 Jul 29] Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240081840.
6. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. What is a refugee? Definition and meaning [Internet]. Geneva: UNHCR; 2017 [cited 2024 Jul 29]. Available at: https://www.unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/what-is-a-refugee/.
7. Asian African Legal Consultative Organization. The rights of refugees report of the committee and background materials. Asian African Legal Consultative Organization; (n.d.) [cited 2024 Jul 29]. Available at: https://www.aalco.int/8thsession/Part%206.pdf.