World Refugee Day 2023
By: Nayelie Valenzuela
Today, June 20, 2023, is World Refugee Day. A day of acknowledgment where we highlight the current refugee crisis and express the importance of advocating for them and honoring the sacrifices they have made.
What is a refugee?
A refugee is a person who was forcefully displaced from their home country for fear of persecution and violence due to their race, nationality, religion or political opinion (UNHCR, 2023).
In 2022, a shocking number of 100 million people in the world have been displaced, with 34.6 million being refugees (The White House, 2022). Now, in 2023, the number has risen to 110 million displaced people. Heavily impacted countries, including Syria, Venezuela, South Sudan, Ukraine and Myanmar, have seen more people fleeing for safety and others seeking asylum (UNHCR, 2023).
As we commemorate World Refugee Day, we wanted to shed light on the severity and importance of recognizing and supporting those looking for their new hope away from home - the theme of this year's United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, 2023). This week, we share the stories of refugees from Myanmar, also known as Burma, and the importance of our, and others, refugee-based organizations.
Pictured from left to right: Nolan, Ruth, Muani, Dim, Iris, Abigail, Grace, Nayelie
The Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center (EMBARC) was founded in 2012 by seven community advocates, also refugees from Myanmar (Burma). Together, they formed a united refugee organization intending to help new Myanmar refugees successfully settle and strive in Iowa.
EMBARC focuses on primarily supporting the increasing number of Burma refugees in the United States, particularly those in Iowa. Our mission is to help Burma refugees expand their world of possibilities through advocacy, education and community development throughout Iowa. We believe that in building stronger refugee communities, helps us build a stronger Iowa.
Since then, EMBARC has been Iowa's first and only refugee-led service provider.
At EMBARC, we do a lot for the Iowa Burma (Myanmar) community. We assist in crises and act as advocates to help our community in emergencies; we provide parental navigation for parents expecting to prepare their children for early education programs to ensure their success in their new environment.
In addition, we provide a center of education that provides them with the resources to learn English, understand the use of technology, and have guided legal navigation and references to gain their citizenship. Among all our current programs, we also provide interpretation and translation services to include our community in the conversation and allow them to participate in events they otherwise would've missed.
To support our community, the individuals within must feel empowered. EMBARC trains small groups of “Community Navigators” on specific topics or themes that they can then share with their peers through learning circles.
The numbers show EMBARC's impact on the Iowa Burma community. Since 2016, we have served over 500 families and helped them get enrolled in early childhood education programs with our Early Childhood Parent Navigation program.
More than 1,250 clients have received help with legal navigation, including references to immigration lawyers, assisting with any legal complication, and ensuring they have the right documentation for the situation with our Access Center.
Finally, we've supported and assisted over 140 survivors and 680 families through our Crisis and Advocacy program. These numbers include domestic, sexual assault, criminal violence, and other forms of case management like emergency housing and transportation.
In the grand scheme, over 40 percent of our clients have benefited from our organization, from finding employment and applying for healthcare, food and housing application assistance, to helping them read and understand their mail.
Of course, many of these successes were only possible with the support of our volunteers. Since 2012, over 600 hours have been spent in direct support by our volunteers.
Here at EMBARC, we strive to continue following this year's theme for World Refugee Day - to be their hope away from home. With the support of our staff, volunteers, donors, and advocates, we can grow our community and create a world in which refugees are always included.
Join us this week as we share the brave stories of our staff and community members who experienced what it means to be a refugee.
Sources
Biden, J., (June 20, 2022). The White House. Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on World Refugee Day 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2023, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/20/statement-by-president-joseph-r-biden-jr-on-world-refugee-day-2022/https://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/unhcr-calls-concerted-action-forced-displacement-hits-new-record-2022
UNHCR, (May 2022).Data and Statistics: UNHCR Global Trends 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2023 from https://www.unhcr.org/global-trends
UNHCR, (June 14, 2023).UNHCR calls for concerted action as forced displacement hits new record in 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2023 from https://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/unhcr-calls-concerted-action-forced-displacement-hits-new-record-2022