Integrating refugees in society

True compassion can only honestly manifest when refugees are fully intergrated into the societies that host them. Integration marks an end to one’s “refugee” status, and the beginning of being treated as equal human beings with full rights and responsibilities. Compassion without belonging feels like pity. Governments must provide refugees with enough resources to help them live in dignity as they settle in. There are really smart and concrete ways that governments can use law and policy to help match refugees’ wide skills to the job market, so that they can rebuild their lives while contributing so much to society in their host country.

Beyond services, host governments can lead the way in educating society about refugees, using real and data-driven evidence about the social and economic opportunities that refugees typically bring with them. With so much sadness, the opposite is often more true: that refugees are instead vilified, and shown up as “competition” against communities already settled, which stokes xenophobic attacks and even killings.

Compassion is important. But true compassion is an action, not just a word. We need to look past a limited view of compassion to see the true potential of refugees even with the context of their struggles. We need refugees to sit at all decision-making tables that will lead to their full integration as citizens into their host society, enjoying equal rights, opportunities and freedoms.

Compassion doesn’t just flow in one direction. Refugee leaders, forced migration scholars, refugee led organizations and networks are also themselves responding to migration crises and are working to strengthen communities that provide welcome.