Search Results (454)

Children represent a large proportion of the world’s refugees. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that as of 2020, there were about 27.1 million refugees worldwide, and roughly half of all refugees were under the age of 18 at any given time. The challenges that refugee children face prior to resettlement include interrupted education, repeated moves, exposure to violence, family separation, lengthy stays in camps, and poverty or deprivation. As a result of the experiences gained from an unexpected relocation, being the child of an adult refugee may be traumatic. But it is more damaging when laws enacted in the new host countries fail to take refugee children into account, which in turn could result in socioeconomic harm or gain for these children. In this policy analysis, the researcher intends to look at the socioeconomic outcomes of refugee children while trying to navigate their new home country. In essence, this analysis will use the multiple streams analysis framework to understand how refugee policies in the United States and Nigeria are enacted and their socioeconomic impact on refugee children. Full article

This conceptual paper analyzes the effects of Donald Trump’s 2025 authoritarian regime on refugees, the US Refugee Admissions Program, and resettlement. The second Trump presidency resumed his first term’s attempt (2017–2021) at seizing power. This time, his regime launched a more sophisticated authoritarian plan to destroy the US. His 2025 term is consolidating power in the president to target all forms of migration to the US, including dismantling the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) through executive overreach, circumventing statutory refugee procedures, violating human and civil rights, and disregarding judicial constraints. On 20 January 2025, he used Executive Order 14163, “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program,” to indefinitely suspend the admission and resettlement of refugees for 90 days. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis, with national interest and plans for a white nationalist state driving the decision. Refugees at any phase of the vetting process will be denied entry. Simultaneously, Executive Order 14169, “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,” was signed on 20 January 2025, to pause the US dissemination of foreign aid for 90 days. Resumption would depend on a review determining foreign assistance alignment with national interests. The implementation of Executive Order 14169 further dismantled the USRAP infrastructure by stripping federal agencies of personnel and budgets that support resettled refugees through a “stop work order” issued by the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) on 24 January 2025. Refugee resettlement agencies, non-profits, and faith-based organizations are vital to welcoming and assisting refugees as they adjust to their new lives. These critical organizations are now struggling to provide services to resettled refugees. Additionally, escalated, arbitrary, racially profiled deportations of alleged criminal undocumented immigrants have increased anxiety and fear among resettled refugee communities. Subsequently, the Trump administration’s indefinite suspension of the USRAP, effective from 2025 to 2028 and beyond, will impact refugees, their families, and the resettlement network. Truly, the survival of the USRAP depends on an administration that upholds the Constitution, democratic values, and the significance of US diplomatic global leadership, replacing this regime. Full article

Refugees are a growing population in the state of Iowa. Many arrive through the state’s resettlement agencies, yet far more are secondary migrants—those placed elsewhere who voluntarily resettled in Iowa. Even amidst dominant discourses that either vilify immigrants or exclude them from the state narrative, refugees often hold strong claims to their new homeland. Drawing upon two years of ethnographic fieldwork with African refugees, this paper considers how, and under what terms, these new Iowans claim belonging. How are they building satisfying lives for themselves and their families? Where do they place themselves in Iowa’s present and future? Dominant narratives about the American Midwest in general and Iowa in particular, characterize the region as homogenously white and ideologically provincial and insular. I contend that African refugees are producing counternarratives about the region as (1) a place of opportunity, even for Black folks, (2) a place where anti-Black African racism and islamophobia are comparatively less harsh and (3) a place where they have built communities of support. In their responses to the persistent question, “why Iowa” I argue, that African refugees are authoring new narratives for understanding the American Midwest. Full article

Ethnic villages are a multidimensional interactive space between cultural inheritance and modernization; analyzing their spatial reconstruction is fundamental for promoting agricultural and rural modernization and sustainable ethnic development. This study examined ethnic villages in Yongcong Township, Liping Country, from 2016 to 2022, focusing on changes in function and suitability under relocation through a function and suitability evaluation index. Case comparisons were made between administrative villages with high functional and suitability levels and those with resettlement sites. In 2016, ethnic villages followed a growth pattern of Yongcong–Dundong–Guantuan, with low patch density, dispersed distribution, and simple shapes. By 2022, functionality and suitability significantly improved, with an increase in village patches and larger patch areas shifting toward spatial aggregation. Horizontally, land use within reconstruction boundaries diversified by function, whereas vertically, housing structures were reorganized: non-settlement villages retained traditional and modern types while settlement villages combined both, leading to a shift from functional singularity to multifunctionality. Relocation-induced reconstruction may lag local knowledge systems and reduce well-being. Initially, government-led suitability enhancement dominates; gradually, villages increasingly internalize regional identity and competitiveness. By analyzing post-relocation village reconstruction, this study supports the integration of ethnic and regional dynamics, achieving high-quality sustainable development in minority regions. Full article

Background: Displaced individuals endure challenges, including conflict, forced migration, family separation, human rights violations, limited access to essential services, and increased exposure to violence and abuse. These hardships significantly impact their mental health, often leading to heightened trauma-related symptoms. Methods: We used a cross-sectional correlational design in refugee camps, homes, and centers across Jordan and Spain. 200 refugees with confirmed status in the past ten years were recruited. Demographic data were collected via a demographic form, the PTSD-8 Inventory assessed traumatic symptoms, and data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Chi-square tests. Results: Most participants had a secondary education, were unemployed, and had low incomes. PTSD symptoms were prevalent, with rates of recurrent thoughts (63.5%), re-experiencing events (57.5%), nightmares (50.5%), sudden reactions (56.5%), activity avoidance (53.5%), avoidance of specific thoughts or feelings (56.5%), jumpiness (53.5%), hypervigilance (53.5%), feeling on guard (41.5%), and general avoidance (43.5%) rated from rarely to most of the time. All symptoms were significantly more frequent among refugees in Jordan than in Spain. Conclusions and Recommendations: Intrusive thoughts were more frequent among females, urban residents, and unemployed individuals. Avoidance behaviors were higher in married and unemployed individuals. Hypervigilance was more prevalent among females, married individuals, and those with lower incomes. Regionally, females and married individuals in Jordan exhibited more intrusive thoughts and avoidance. In Spain, intrusive thoughts and hypervigilance were more common among females and the unemployed. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted mental health interventions, particularly in refugee camps like those in Jordan, where PTSD symptom rates were significantly higher. Programs should prioritize trauma-focused therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, while adopting gender-sensitive approaches to address the heightened vulnerability of women and unemployed individuals. Given the strong link between unemployment and symptom severity, livelihood support and vocational training should be integrated into psychosocial care. Policymakers in host countries like Jordan could benefit from adopting integration strategies similar to Spain’s, which may contribute to lower PTSD prevalence. Additionally, community-based awareness initiatives could improve early symptom recognition and access to care. Future research should explore longitudinal outcomes to assess the long-term impact of displacement and resettlement conditions on mental health. Full article

The global population of older adults is growing rapidly, and refugees are now a significant proportion of the older adult population in Canada. Transnational healthcare practices (THPs)—seeking health information or services from the country of origin—may be an essential strategy used by refugee older adults in Canada, but few studies have explored this phenomenon. This is a protocol for a study, which is aimed at developing a comprehensive understanding of the role THPs play in the lives of older adults from three refugee groups (Afghan, Syrian and Ukrainian) (re)settled in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada. It will be informed by Constructivist Grounded Theory and will consist of three phases. Phase 1 will involve semi-structured individual interviews with Afghan, Syrian, and Ukrainian refugee older adults living in the GTA (n = 75–90) to explore their perspectives and experiences with various types of THP. Phase 2 will also involve semi-structured interviews with 75–90 refugee older adults from the three communities to examine the role of THP in stress, coping, and resilience in the context of health promotion, illness diagnosis, and disease management as well as the individual and contextual factors driving the use of THPs. Phase 3 will involve six focus groups (n = 36–48) with refugee older adults from these communities to explore what information, care, supports, technology, and services are needed to manage their health and illnesses locally. This project will advance knowledge in the areas of (re)settlement and integration, aging, local healthcare access, and THPs among refugee older adults in Canada. The findings will inform more effective integration policies and the delivery of efficient and equitable health information, care, support, technology, and services that address the healthcare needs of refugee older adults, enabling them to age well and age in place. Full article

In the resettlement process of water conservancy and hydropower projects, the effective development of resettlers’ livelihoods constitutes a vital component for safeguarding the rights of land-expropriated farmers and maintaining social stability. The sustainability of resettlers’ livelihoods depends on both resource endowments and their behavioral intentions. However, the traditional Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) has largely neglected behavioral driving mechanisms, thereby limiting the precision of related research. Drawing on the SLA and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study incorporates willingness to develop as a perceived behavioral control variable into the analysis of resettlers’ livelihood capital and constructs a research model that outlines sustainable development pathways under the influence of livelihood status and perceived control. Based on this model, the sustainable livelihood capacity of 195 resettler households in Guangdong Province was comprehensively evaluated, after which the obstacle degree model was used to identify key obstacle factors across various livelihood strategies. The results demonstrate that sustainable livelihood capacity is influenced by livelihood capital, the livelihood environment, and willingness to develop, with the latter and financial capital emerging as the most significant obstacles. This framework can support the sustainable livelihood development of resettlers under evolving conditions and offer policy-makers sustainability-oriented recommendations. Full article

Background: Migrant populations are commonly under-immunised relative to general populations in host countries. The evidence base on routine vaccination among migrant children suggests that higher priority is given to infants and younger children compared to adolescents. Though migrants are often classified as a homogenous group, different sub-populations of migrants exist, including voluntary migrants who choose to move and involuntary migrants forcibly displaced by humanitarian crises. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, a relatively recent addition to global routine immunisation schedules for adolescents, is a useful proxy for understanding vaccine equity for this under-prioritised group. This qualitative systematic review explores health system determinants of delivery and uptake of HPV vaccination services among involuntary migrants. Methods: A literature search was conducted across ten electronic databases. An analytical framework tailored to the migrant context aided in capturing the complexity and magnitude of systemic factors that determine vaccine delivery and uptake among involuntary migrants. Of the 676 records retrieved, 27 studies were included in this review. Results: Key determinants of vaccine delivery include adaptation of immunisation policies for migrant inclusiveness, implementation of migrant-targeted interventions, health provider recommendations, electronic health records, and free vaccines. Uptake determinants include access dependent on legal status, awareness-related determinants akin to culturally appropriate health messaging, and acceptance-related determinants associated with sociocultural beliefs, misinformation, and distrust. Conclusions: Prioritising vaccination programmes linked with non-outbreak-related diseases is challenging in the disruptive context of humanitarian crises given fragile health systems, limited resources, loss of health infrastructure and deployment of health personnel to emergency care. We strongly advocate for global actors at all health systems levels to actively reform national HPV vaccination programmes to enhance inclusivity of adolescent girls in crises settings or resettled in host countries. Full article

Social impact assessment (SIA) is a key tool for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within project contexts. Originating largely from international practice, SIA requires localization to fit national conditions. This research examines an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan project in Hubei Province, China, comparing the SIA conducted under ADB procedures with China’s domestic practice of social stability risk assessment (SSRA)—China’s localized practice of SIA. Adopting a full project life cycle perspective, this article conducts a comprehensive gap analysis between SIA and SSRA from five key dimensions: cycle requirement of assessment, implementation of assessment activity, assessment outcome, application of assessment outcome, and assessment objective. While both approaches are quite similar in four aspects (assessment subject, assessment principle, risk investigation method, and risk classification), SIA places greater emphasis on social sustainability dimensions (poverty, gender, ethnic minority, and involuntary resettlement), whereas SSRA mainly focuses on social stability during the early project proposal and feasibility study stages. Building on the preceding analysis and comparison between SIA and SSRA, this research proposes a “Social Stability–Social Sustainability” progressive framework. Social stability serves as the foundational condition, while the framework emphasizes enhancing the long-term adaptive capacity of social governance through inclusion, participation, and resilience, thereby achieving genuine social sustainability. Full article

In the context of an increasingly hostile national political environment and federal cuts to refugee resettlement programs in the United States, advocates often highlight the economic contributions of immigrants and refugees to garner local support, especially in regions with histories of economic and population decline. While these narratives continue to be a centerpiece of pro-immigrant and -refugee advocacy, in practice advocates and refugees themselves use a diverse set of frames to promote belonging. In this paper, we examine pro-refugee advocacy frames in a small, nontraditional destination in the Midwest. We draw on survey and focus group research with young adult refugees and nonprofit advocates and content analysis of online stories about refugees. We found that pro-refugee values frames (humanitarian and faith-based) and contributions frames (economic, cultural and civic) coexisted across the local landscape and were used by not only nonprofit advocates and local officials, but also by refugees themselves. While advocacy groups emphasized the dominant frame highlighting refugees’ economic contributions, they were also strategic in using overlapping frames to highlight a less public frame, refugees’ contributions to civic engagement through community service and volunteering. Advocates tended to reproduce the economic contributions frame to appeal to key stakeholders, which consequently obscures refugees’ diverse contributions, but we argue that refugee self-advocates’ use of the civic engagement frame pushes back against economic and other frames that limit their contributions and helps them to create spaces of belonging. Full article

This study evaluated emergency preparedness, covering knowledge, challenges, and culturally and linguistically appropriate resources among five resettled refugee communities in Central Ohio: Afghan, Bhutanese, Congolese, Ethiopian/Eritrean, and Somali. It also explored youth perceptions of community engagement and the effectiveness of current crisis support initiatives. A mixed-methods approach was used, consisting of a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 266 adults and a qualitative 60-min focus group discussion with 10 youth from the resettled communities. Quantitative data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests assessing differences in preparedness across communities. Quantitative findings showed that the Bhutanese group reported the highest familiarity with preparedness concepts (33.3%), while Afghan and Congolese communities showed significant gaps. Of the 266 overall respondents, only 39.5% had an emergency plan, and 15.8% felt extremely confident in handling emergencies. Language barriers were major challenges, along with those related to race and ethnic identity, religious practices, and cultural norms. Effective platforms for engagement included community meetings, religious sites, and social media, with text messages and phone calls preferred for emergency communication. Youth discussion highlighted key public health concerns, particularly gun violence, substance abuse, and mental health crises, with stigma and limited resources further hindering preparedness efforts. Participants emphasized the need for culturally relevant interventions and stronger community engagement. Full article

This study explores the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the two major dimensions of mentalization (self and other-oriented) in asylum seekers resettled in Italy. It is important because it is the first study addressing the role of mentalization in asylum seekers with PTSD. Twenty asylum seekers scoring above the cut-off for the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) were contrasted to twenty asylum seekers without PTSD on mentalization and somatization. The Certainty About Mental States Questionnaire (CAMSQ) and the Bradford Somatic Inventory (BSI-21) were used to assess mentalization and somatization, respectively. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the overall association between variables. Asylum seekers with PTSD had significantly higher scores than those without PTSD on somatization (p = 0.03), and significantly lower scores on self-oriented mentalization (p < 0.05) than those without PTSD. These results show that asylum seekers with PTSD have reduced self-oriented mentalizing abilities, while the other-oriented component of mentalization appears less involved. This study shows that mentalization deserves more research for the possibly crucial role of reduced self-oriented mentalization in asylum seekers’ suffering. If these findings are confirmed by future studies, they could be used to tailor interventions for asylum seekers and refugees with PTSD. Full article

Internally displaced people (IDPs) are individuals forced to leave their homes due to conflicts or disasters without crossing international borders. Since 2008, weather-related extreme events—primarily storms and floods—have displaced more than 20 million people annually. With global temperatures rising and extreme weather intensifying, the number of IDPs is projected to increase in the coming decades. In the Philippines, resettlement has emerged as a key climate adaptation strategy, with IDP camps established to reduce risks in highly vulnerable areas. Yet, it remains unclear whether these camps are actually located in regions of lower climate vulnerability. This study aims to examine the climate vulnerability of 17 IDP camps by considering physical and infrastructural dimensions to assess whether they are located in safer areas, and to suggest the development of urban forms that can improve community resilience and the living conditions of their populations. Results show significant variation in climate vulnerability, with Villa Diana scoring the lowest and Villa Sofia the highest. Using emergency response facilities as a proxy for social capital, we identified drivers of vulnerability: Villa Sofia faces heightened risks due to population density, flood exposure, and limited emergency facilities, while Villa Diana benefits from greater emergency capacity and abundant vegetation that reduces risk. Our findings provide a systematic framework for assessing climate vulnerability among IDPs and highlight the critical role of social capital in mitigating climate impacts for displaced populations in the Global South, where climate risk mapping and reliable data remain limited. Full article

Grain storage is one of the important means of national macro-control, significantly impacting people’s livelihood and social stability. In emergencies, grain storage enhances disaster relief efficiency and victim resettlement. Currently, developing countries primarily use government storage and government–enterprise joint storage. In response to the speculative behavior caused by the profit-seeking tendencies of agent storage enterprises in the process of joint government–enterprise grain storage, this study considers the current status of digital governance reform by the government and takes the government–enterprise emergency joint grain storage mechanism as its research object. We construct an evolutionary game model between the government and agent storage enterprises, analyze the evolutionary stability of the strategy choices of the two parties, explore the impact of various factors on the strategy choices of both parties, and discuss different stable strategy combinations. Through simulation analysis of the cost–benefit systems of both sides, initial strategy probabilities, key factor sensitivity, and the impact of digital governance levels, we propose a number of management recommendations that can effectively reduce speculative behavior and provide guidance for the government to improve its emergency grain storage system. Full article

Older adults with a refugee life experience have a disproportionate burden of mental health problems compared to non-refugee aging populations. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a promising approach to identify the challenges and strengths of older refugee adults and identify solutions to mental health disparities. We present a case study of one such CBPR program of research with older ethnic Nepali Bhutanese adults resettled in North America, Project Bhalakushari. We highlight the many opportunities to integrate older adults and members of the broader Bhutanese community in activities throughout the research process, starting with forming academic–community partnerships, identifying the needs and strengths of the community, conducting research, and sharing study findings with a broad audience of community members, health practitioners, policy-makers, and academics. Our case study emphasizes that a successful, culturally informed partnership should consider the involvement of the entire community, regardless of age, in the initiative to secure buy-in and support and maximize the positive impact of the work. We identify concrete strategies to overcome challenges specific to conducting research, with a focus on recruitment, outreach, and data collection. Full article