Sunday 18 June to Saturday 24 June.
During Refugee Week, Refugee Advocacy and Support groups join organisations to create a better understanding of the refugee journey, and a culture of inclusion to enable refugees to thrive and make a valuable contribution to Australia. Sunday 18 June to Saturday 24 June.
During Refugee Week, Refugee Advocacy and Support groups join organisations to create a better understanding of the refugee journey, and a culture of inclusion to enable refugees to thrive and make a valuable contribution to Australia.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, at the end of 2022 there were some 108 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Over half of all refugees (52%) under United Nations Refugee Agency’s mandate and other people in need of international protection come from just three countries: Syria (6.8 million people), Ukraine (5.7 million people) and Afghanistan (5.7 million people).
In Australia, the Department of Home Affairs operates an annual permanent resettlement program, which has capacity to respond to international humanitarian crises as they arise. This Humanitarian Program also supports the travel and resettlement of refugees. According to the Department of Home Affairs, Australia’s Humanitarian Program “consistently ranks among the top three permanent resettlement countries, in both absolute and per capita terms.”
Under the Humanitarian Program, 5,947 visas were granted in 2020-2021. This time last year, there were 9,000 offshore humanitarian visa holders who were yet to be moved to Australia. The capacity of settlement service providers to accommodate these people is a serious consideration. This is where community organisations such as Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) step in to make a real impact on inpiduals by participating in the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP). RAR Bendigo has sponsored and supported three Hazara Afghani families through this program, assisting them to find housing, employment, and settle into their new life.
Every year, a ceiling for the number of places in Australia’s Humanitarian Program is determined by the Department of Home Affairs. In 2022-2023 this ceiling was set at 13,750 places, which is the same number as the reduced number of the COVID-19 Pandemic years (2020-2021 and 2021-2022). Over the next four years, there will also be 4,125 places for Afghan nationals.
You can read more about Australia’s Humanitarian Program here.
If you are interested in the settlement and integration of refugees in Australia, read the “Next Steps to Improve Australia’s Settlement and Integration of Refugees” discussion paper here.
For refugees or asylum seekers who arrive, or attempt to arrive, in Australia without a valid visa, or remain in Australia after their visa expires, resettlement and integration into Australian communities is generally a long way off. Australian law requires mandatory detention. Offshore detention, long processing times and the detention of children are serious human rights issues. Advocacy Groups such as RAR, Grandmothers for Refugees and Catholics for Refugees have been advocating for an end to the offshore detention policy, faster processing times and an end to the detention of children.
WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR REFUGEES THIS REFUGEE WEEK
PRAY
Refugee Week Online Prayers Service
Tuesday 20 June 2023 at 7.00 p.m.
Pray for refugees at this online prayer service presented by the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office and the Australian Bishops’ Office of Justice Ecology and Peace. Register
DONATE
Drop off non-perishables to Yellow Bins:
In Bendigo, you can give long shelf life foods and hygiene products to asylum seekers by dropping products off at yellow donation bins placed at the Good Loaf Sourdough Bakery and Bendigo Library. The bins will be out throughout June. This food drive has been organised by Amnesty Bendigo, Grandmothers for Refugees and Rural Australians for Refugees. Donations will be delivered to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in Footscray. Every day, the ASRC provides food for 200 people, 120 of whom are children.
VOLUNTEER
Volunteer with Mercy Connect:
Help school students from a refugee background adjust to their new life in Australia through the Mercy Connect Program operated by the Sisters of Mercy. Mercy Connect trains and supports volunteers to mentor school students and their families and groups of adults from refugee backgrounds to settle into life in Australia. After training, your support will not only assist to improve literacy and numeracy skills, but also help to nurture the wellbeing and self-esteem of refugees.
Each volunteer is assigned to work with an individual or small group of refugee students in a school. There are Mercy Connect programmes in regional Victoria and if there isn’t one near you, why not reach out to Mercy Connect to identify any need in your community.
ADVOCATE
Join an Australian Refugee Action Network Group in your area:
The Australia Refugee Action Network Group (ARAN) is a national alliance of refugee action and advocacy groups that call for Australia to uphold its obligations under international human rights law to people seeking asylum.
Join a Rural Australians For Refugees (RAR) Group, or start one:
Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) is an active network of 75 groups and thousands of volunteers throughout rural and regional Australia. RAR wants to “see Australian Government policy reflect the values of Australian society – fairness, respect, dignity and decency.” Autonomous groups are supported by a Central National RAR committee. There are RAR groups in Albury-Wodonga, Benalla, Bendigo, Echuca-Moama, and Wangaratta. If you would like to start a group in your area, RAR can help you.
Write to politicians:
RAR provides Letter Writing Kits to help you to write to relevant Members of Parliament for refugee rights, including evacuating PNG and Nauru, and fast-tracking the refugee assessment process.
Join Grandmothers for Refugees:
Grandmothers for Refugees advocates for compassionate welcome and safe settlement of all people seeking asylum. Their primary focus is children. However, they also advocate for people subjected to the physical and psychological damage inflicted by Australia’s offshore and onshore processing regime.
Join your local Amnesty Action Group:
Join your local Amnesty International Group and become part of a larger network advocating for Human Rights (including refugee rights), Indigenous Justice, Environmental Justice and other social justice issues. You'll meet like-minded people and learn a lot, because Amnesty supports its members with resources and training so they can take action and advocate for justice.
Join Catholics for Refugees:
Catholics for Refugees is a movement of people who are committed to the social justice teachings of the Catholic Church and who know it is time to change the way we treat refugees and people seeking asylum.
Make sure your local government is a Refugee Welcome Zone:
Do you live in a Refugee Welcome Zone? If not, why not ask your local government what they are doing in this space? A Refugee Welcome Zone is a “Local Government Area which has made a commitment in spirit to welcoming refugees into the community, upholding the human rights of refugees, demonstrating compassion for refugees and enhancing cultural and religious persity in the community. The Refugee Council of Australia auspices this initiative, which began in 2002.
In the Diocese of Sandhurst, the Greater Shepparton City Council and City of Greater Bendigo have signed the Refugee Welcome Zone declaration.
LEARN MORE
During Refugee Week there are numerous webinars and events to help us understand the refugee journey. Some of them are listed below.
If you would like to learn more about Australia’s Humanitarian Program, read the 2022-2023 Humanitarian Program Discussion Paper.
If you would like to learn more about settlement and integration of refugees into Australian communities, read "The next steps to improve Australia’s settlement and integration of refugees, discussion paper".
Community Harmony Program:
The Bendigo Community Health Community Harmony Program delivers workshops to assist people in organisations to better understand the refugee journey. You might like to consider inviting Bendigo Community Health to hold a workshop at your work, parish or school. These workshops are presented by the Refugee Settlement and Cultural Diversity and Relationships Teams. The workshops include:
- ‘Understanding the Refugee Journey.’
- ‘Understanding Islam and Muslims in Australia’, and
- ‘Understanding Karen Culture’.
The Cook Up with Adam Liaw on SBS Food:
Monday 19 – Friday 23 June 2023
For a more intimate way to learn more about refugee stories, watch episodes of ‘The Cook Up with Adam Liaw’, featuring two of RCOA National Refugee Ambassadors. The show will be broadcast at 7.00 p.m. on SBS Food and NITV and at 3.00 p.m. on SBS during Refugee Week.
