Afterwards, they will reply to the comments of at least two other teams. Those responses should be no more than 300 words long and are due no later than September 18^th, 18:00 hrs Mexico-Ecuador time and 19:00 hrs Toronto time.

The link to the video is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x882J0JLba0

List of questions:

IMPORTANT: Make sure that only one team member makes a post for the team. In your post include the identifying number of your team, the names of the team members as well as the name of their University. 

Ulises Ramírez Medina. A01652179 Tecnológico de Monterrey.

David Revelo Bustamante. Universidad San Francisco de Quito.

Kamilo Briceño. Universidad San Francisco de Quito.

The causes that lead refugees to flee from their countries are several. Violence tends to be the heart of the problem. For instance, wars have historically displaced millions of people due to the imminent threat to their lives. People can also be forced to leave their countries because of religion, ideology, race, gender and sexual orientation, and several other types of persecution. Unwillingly, people have to escape from their countries to preserve human dignity. However, there are other causes that lead refugees to flee from their countries. For instance, hunger can lead people to search in other countries for stable food sources. Climate change can displace people as well, forcing them to flee from their countries. In other words, human rights violations are the center of the problem. 

The mechanisms proposed by UNHCR to stop migration or to prevent people from leaving their countries because of the malfunctioning from their States who don't ensure their security and basic rights. In the first place when people need international protection, UNHCR provides security and helps migrants, asylum seekers and refugees the necessary tools to survive in their journey and also in their final destiny. UNHCR seeks for the generation of durable solutions that allow these people to regularize their migratory situation and to enter the labor market in the countries of transit or destination. Also UNHCR seeks for creating plans in order to stabilize governments and to stop violence from the countries where the refugees come from.

To understand the differences between the rights of migrants and the rights of refugees, the differences between these groups must be defined first. On one hand, people are considered migrants when, by will, they have left their country and gone to another in, for example, the sake of new and better job opportunities. On the other hand, people are considered refugees when they have been forced to abandon their country because of a war or because they are being persecuted or starved to death by the local authorities.

That is the reason why migrants and refugees are not supposed to have the same rights, based on the convention in 1951, refugees should be protected from being repatriated or deported, because doing this would probably lead them to go through situations that put in risk their integrity and life. In the case of the migrants, they all should obey the immigration laws and complete all the necessary procedures in order to be accepted as a temporary or permanent citizen.

It is also important to mention that no matter whether a person is a refugee or an immigrant, their human rights must be protected. 

 Initially, it is important to define what a refugee is. A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave his/her country of origin since his/her presence in it implies a threat to his/her human integrity and to her fundamental rights. In this sense, refugees intend to seek a safe space outside their country, given the violence they have experienced in their place of origin, whether for reasons of race, gender, political and warlike conflicts, religion, environmental conditions, sexual orientation or nationality. In this context, refugees are usually victims of structural conditions, for which do not have protection in their nation of residence.

 Faced with this problem, there are certain international cooperation mechanisms that aim to help refugees seek a better quality of life than they had in their country of origin. These mechanisms also focus on protecting the rights and integrity of refugees. On one hand, there are legal frameworks of international law that seek to cover this problem and provide feasible solutions. Some examples of these regulations are the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees and the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees. In addition, there are global agencies, such as UNHCR, which make up the UN, and pursue objectives in favor of migrants and refugees. In this way, their job is to ensure that all people can seek and access asylum and refuge in other States, with the option of eventually returning home and reintegrating. UNHCR's work is also directed toward providing assistance for critical emergencies. In this way, they provide shelter, blankets, food, clean water, and other resources for people who have been forced to leave their nation of origin. For example, during the global COVID emergency, UNHCR has played a central role in increasing health, water, sanitation and hygiene services for refugees. Likewise, UNHCR has worked with several States to ensure that refugees are considered in preparedness and response plans for the pandemic.

 

A refugee is a person who is forced to leave her/his own country because of war or persecution. Refugees are individuals who move across international borders to form a particular challenge for the international community and its members.  The discussion of what makes a refugee different and easily identifiable from migrants focuses on the characteristics of their movement which is: 

 Voluntary + Economic = Migrants 
Involuntary + Politics = Refugees 

 

Voluntary moves are for better jobs and higher wages, while refugee movement is due to fleeing from disastrous situations and danger to one’s life.  Regardless of the circumstances of the movement and the reasons for one’s movement from one country to another, everyone migrants and refugees should be treated the same and should have the same rights in the place of migration. It is a basic human right to be treated equally and fairly regardless of race, gender, ethnicity and origin. 

 

Migrants and refugees should have the same rights just because they are humans. International human rights apply to all human beings regardless of any political or social status. This means that we can all enjoy freedom in our thoughts and actions as long as we don't harm other people, under a scheme where we are and can feel protected. 

 

Besides, if we analyze the meaning of each one of these words, we understand that being a migrant is a matter of choice, that you voluntarily leave your country because you have a better living situation that awaits you. Also, being a migrant has a different connotation, when you migrate, you have the means to do it safely and comfortably to where you want.

 

On the contrary, being a refugee is a totally different story, since you are forced to leave your country because of war, violence or bad treatment (Behind the News, 2016). That said, it is pretty clear that being a refugee is way more dangerous and vulnerable than a migrant and because of that refugees not only deserve equal rights as migrants, but even more, provide them more and special facilities to help them either reach their final destination or stay in that country.

 

The thirtieth Human Rights Says “No One Can Take Away Your Human Rights.” 

 

Therefore, both migrants or refugees must be able to enjoy the same rights in the country they are arriving to. Refugees seek in the foreign country the rights that their own country have failed to give them or outright negated them. But refugees don’t know if they are actually going to enjoy their life there, they hope so, but they can’t know. But still they choose to go because there they could be safe, they hope that arriving there means having the same opportunities that any other human. They are asking for the same rights as any other citizen, and they should revive them.

 

 For both of them, an asylum country should provide information about the system, customs and traditions they have, and help them organize their documents for residency, school and work. However, for refugees this process should be advised by a professional. Additionally they should receive help to learn the language and some psychological help.

Renata Noroña Noboa, 00202737, USFQ

Antonio Morelos Bello, A01653114, TEC

Ramlah Musa, 212223194, YorkU

In order to tackle the global displacement crisis, states must work collaboratively to address the causes of refugee migration. These include war, internal conflicts, food insecurity, poverty, oppression, denial of basic human rights, among others. All of these prevent people from a certain country or nationality from having a dignified and safe life. Hence, they migrate to look for better opportunities and quality of life. This can be clearly seen in the video What is the difference between a refugee and a migrant? by Behind the News. Here, we meet Maya, a girl who fled with her family from Iran due to the political and social crisis of the country. Maya’s mom mentioned that Iran was no longer safe for the family. Like Maya, 26 million people are migrating across the globe, according to the UNHCR. 

Nevertheless, refugees are not alone in this course. There are several organizations willing to help them, such as UNHCR. UNHCR is the refugee agency of the United Nations, whose main goal is  to direct and coordinate international actions for the protection of refugees around the world. In order to accomplish this objective, UNHCR bases its actions on International and Humanitarian laws, such as the 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines the term ‘refugee’ and outlines the rights of refugees, as well as the legal obligations of States to protect them. Another agreement is the Global Compact on Refugees, which establishes a refugee response framework that calls on the cooperation of all UN member countries to share the burden and responsibility of hosting and assisting refugees. 

However, these mechanisms are not enough since we are still facing a global displacement crisis. Therefore, we should consider international interventions (States and United Nations). Regarding the state's intervention, we can use as an example the United States when they invaded Panama in 1989 to arrest dictator Manuel Noriega. This action ended the dictatorship in Panama, but also left 20 000 people homeless. On the other hand, since 1948, the UN has worked in 69 “peacekeeping missions” in Africa, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Central America with the purpose of ending the conflict in the world. The goals of these missions are to restore human rights, strengthen countries’ security, contribute to disarmament and accompany in the recovery of political legitimacy. One of the all successed cases are: disarmament negotiation between Colombian Government and FARC, end of civil wars in Ivory Coast, and terrorism cases on Libya. 

In conclusion, because global displacement is a global issue, a sustainable solution can only be achieved through the collaborative efforts of every state. In addition, the United Nations should change their approach toward this situation, as Yao Shaojun, China's acting deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, emphasized that : “We must take a holistic approach with broader efforts on peace and development. We need to invest more in conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding, poverty eradication and development cooperation. Only in this way can we create the necessary conditions for refugees to return and let them enjoy a peaceful and prosperous life in their home countries." 

Ismael Guerrero - USFQ

Keisy Lopez Altamirano A01658780 -Tec de Monterrey

Mónica Valeria Romero Cervantes A01652435- Tec de Monterrey

Akbar Sultani- York University

What are the causes that lead refugees to flee from their countries? What are the international cooperation mechanisms that try to tackle these causes?

According to the UNHCR, a refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence (UNHCR, 2020). They cannot return home or they are afraid to do it because they are at risk of serious human rights violations and persecution. Some of the main reasons why refugees are being persecuted are race, religion, nationality, political opinion, human rights violations, environment and climate and gender based violence.

Quoting the United Nations, war and ethnic, tribal and religious violence “are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries.” For example, in Venezuela, it has been possible to evidence repression of protests, where protesters have been attacked and violated through government groups. Likewise, journalists and the people in general have been silenced. In the economic sphere, inflation and mismanagement have resulted in an economic crisis that continues to further aggravate the situation (HRW, 2019). This crisis has hit various areas, and the mismanagement by the Venezuelan government is the greatest aggravation of the situation, and many venezuelans have been forced to flee their country.

Fortunately, there are a few international cooperation mechanisms that are trying to tackle these challenges:

One of the main goals of this organization is to ensure that all people have the right to seek asylum and find a safe and dignified life in another country, with the option of eventually returning home, integrating, or resettling.

The mission of UNHCR is to “safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee”. This organization works together with partners and communities to try to ensure that most people have the “right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country”. It is important to have such an organization not only to help people that are forced to flee, but to understand the problem and try to think of solutions. It can be a very strong tool if we want to make some changes in the matter of forced migration.

Also, as we already established, one of the main reasons why refugees are forced to flee from their countries is because they are at risk of high human rights violations. The UNHCR seeks to uphold the basic human rights of refugees or stateless people in their countries of asylum or habitual residence and they try to provide the protection that was not given to them by their own state or by their own government. (UNHCR, 2020)

The way that this organization helps refugees they promote the rights to protection, health care and education of displaced children, including refugees, internally displaced persons and stateless persons. UNICEF can help children and mothers from poor countries to have a chance to grow healthy. In places where there is a humanitarian crisis, children are the ones who suffer the most. In these cases, UNICEF has an important role giving a light of hope to many kids.

Umu Jalloh 214858740- York University

Andrea Camarillo Morales A01653552- Tecnológico de Monterrey

Maria Vallejo 00200551- Universidad San Francisco de Quito

Kestyn Fuertes 00201709- Universidad San Francisco de Quito

Should migrants and refugees have the same rights? Why? What responsibilities should states have to migrants and refugees?

It is important to establish the main differences between migrants and refugees to understand how their rights should be applied. On one side, a refugee is someone who due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted or due to the constant threat to its freedoms and its life, is forced to leave its place of origin and is unable or fear to return to it.  On the other side, a migrant is someone who willingly left their place of origin and is able to return to it freely and safely; migrants usually search for better economic conditions.

Speaking about human rights, it is well established in the main international law that all people will be able to enjoy them without discrimination and that states have as a priority the responsibility and duty to respect, protect and fulfill the rights. States have declared some obligations with respect to migrant and refugee populations. Within these, there has been a margin of appreciation on the measures that are adapted to realize ESC rights, and in no case can discriminatory measures be taken. Migrants and refugees should have the same rights, but unfortunately this is not the case, due to aspects like gender, nationality, sexuality, etc.

Responsibilities:

States have the international responsibility to protect and guarantee the human rights of refugees and migrants. It should be taken into account that, although their treatment is governed by separate legal frameworks, refugees and migrants have equal human rights and fundamental freedoms. All forms of discrimination based on nationality or legal status must be eradicated. States, therefore, must fulfill their fundamental obligations. Among them, their main responsibilities lie in providing protection against hunger, guaranteeing access to water to satisfy their basic needs, and providing refugees and migrants an education that fulfill the basic standards. As a state, you have to make sure that countries are well educated, so when someone who is not a resident of the country is treated the same way as others. Also, protect the rights they have as individuals.

Another major responsibility of states that are accepting refugees and migrants is settlement/integration into the new country. Many times states are troubled with the responsibility of settlement  because of fear for lack of resources/support for the newcomers and as well as the fear of unsuccessful integration into their society because of citizens’ reactions. Therefore, making the problem of burden-sharing noticeable in the international refugee regime. Nevertheless, the responsibility of settlement is still an integral part of the international refugee regime and successful integration can decrease the statistics of crimes committed by newcomer populations. This means that states should ensure that newcomers have access to educational resources, financial support, affordable housing (specifically for those entering the country on refugee status), job opportunities, and support groups for newcomers. However, settlement concerns are increased for refugees than they are for migrants. In the video, Maya had a lot more settlement needs than Georgia because she did not come from an English speaking country and her home culture was very different from Australia’s. In a more general context, since migrants move to countries voluntarily and refugees, involuntarily, settlement needs vary and states should be prepared to accommodate those needs.

In conclusion we can say that refugees and migrants should have the same rights, but in our reality it is more complicated because of their different needs. Migrants move to another country looking for more opportunities to get new jobs, so they are moving voluntarily. And in the case for refugees, they move because they don't have another option, they are moving because their country is no longer a choice where they can live anymore, that's why refugees need more protection and support.

York University 

There are many causes of undocumented migration, but the main reasons why it exists is because people come from countries at war or with civil disorder, or in some cases migrate for economic, cultural, social and political reasons and move without having attended to the legal requirements necessary to reside within the country. 

Undocumented migrants have often experienced different stressful events before and after migration, such as imprisonment, ethnic cleansing, physical violence, economic problems, and many others. In addition, they may also encounter many problems upon arrival at their destination, for example, selectivity is a problem of the migrant's destination country because it involves privileging certain people as eligible for entry and residence, sometimes this privilege is based on nationality, ethnicity or race and deprives them of freedom of mobility. 

But there are international mechanisms that seek to resolve these situations: The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which seeks to prevent forced migration, the orderly and humane management of migration and the promotion of other forms of international cooperation on migration issues; which works in different areas of migration: migration and development, facilitated migration, regulation of migration and forced migration. IOM is responsible for promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all by providing services and advice to governments and migrants to improve human mobility; the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Migrants the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families aims to protect the human rights of all migrant workers and their families. However, the convention focuses more on migrants who are documented or awaiting prosecution, it does not encourage the presence of undocumented migrants, but guarantees access to their basic human rights.

In addition, in 2018, the Global Compact for Migration, the first global agreement to help take advantage of the benefits of migration and protect undocumented immigrants, was agreed to by all UN Member States, with the exception of the United States, and since then, several countries have disassociated themselves from the text. The document recognizes that to take advantage the benefits of migration and mitigate the risks and challenges it brings, it is necessary to improve collaboration among countries. However, it is not an international treatment, and it is not formally binding on its signatory countries under international law.

It is clear that this group of people faces very difficult physical and psychological situations, caused by the circumstances that force them to leave their country of origin, separating themselves from their culture and even from their family; however, as we have already mentioned, the organizations are trying to act through strategies and pacts to help these people and that they be treated with respect, recognizing the advantages that migration brings, taking into account that cooperation between countries is also necessary to improve the situation of this problem that has been treated for years, seeking above all the well-being of undocumented migrants.

Here we have a three-part question into the issue of migrants and refugee rights.

Here there is a need to make a distinction between the general definitions of a migrant and a refugee. In such a case we can define migrants as people who leave their home country voluntarily to go to another because they choose to usually due to work or in search of a better life.

Whereas we can then define a refugee as people who are forced to leave their home country due to many reasons such as war, oppression, and natural disasters.

Given the distinction between the two classes, we argue from a legal and policy standpoint that migrants and refugees should not have the same rights. While we understand that the question may phrase itself as giving one designation more rights than the other the answer does not have to cater to such a response. Instead, we believe it is more beneficial to interpret the situation as to giving each individual more specified or tailored to rights. Thus, we argue that the needs of each group are different and most often vary depending on the different situations.

Now the next key issue is defining the idea of rights. What rights do we mean? What does it mean to have rights, in what context, and to what scale? Rights in this case can simply be thought of as the fundamental human privileges that allow for a humane way of life (or living). This can include legal rights, mobility rights, language, and religious rights, and so on. As such these rights cannot (and should not) be deprived from an individual unless specified via the constitution. Likewise, this leads to our next point.

Regarding the responsibilities that states should have towards migrants and refugees. It is important to mention that according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 14 states that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution in other countries. Furthermore, it is said that governments must protect migrants from racist violence, forced labor, and exploitation, nevertheless of the status, they have in the country they moved to. States should have certain responsibilities to refugees such as providing them with basic needs that they are most likely not to have; food, water, and shelter. States should have their responsibilities according to the international law that they agreed with. Most of the states are part of the United Nations and this means that they should be working together to solve this kind of problem. However, the problem is that some countries are not following the agreements and there are no consequences for them. For one, there should be a recognition of the countries constitution or charter to apply towards migrants or refugees. By doing so, should the individual countries ignore international law or the Geneva Convention, they are still held to the standard of upholding their own charter/constitution. The terms, responsibilities, and consequences of states established in the international agreements, like the Refugee Convention, should be discussed again in these days when the problem of migration and refugees have increased. 

Itzel Nahomi Alva - Tecnológico de Monterrey

Ximena Navarro - Tecnológico de Monterrey

Juan Aguilar - Tecnológico de Monterrey

Sarin Aman- York University 

Adrianne Agama Robinson - Universidad San Francisco de Quito

 
Should migrants and refugees have the same rights? Why? What responsibilities should states have to migrants and refugees?

While the needs and conditions of refugees and migrants differ, they both share the same goal, the right to a dignified and better life. Due to the forcible nature of a refugees migration, it is necessary for a refugee to be granted special protections and status. This special status recognizes that they are in need of protection from a fear, danger, or threat that infringes on their right to a safe life with dignity. This implies that their right to a safe environment without the fear of persecution should be upheld and be prioritized. The same right applies to migrants. Although migrants left by choice and for different reasons and are not subjected to fear, their rights differ in a sense that they should be granted the right to seek livable conditions where they can seek a better life. Therefore, special considerations must be put in place for a refugee. Therefore, while both migrants and refugees’ conditions differ, their rights remain the same and should be granted so that they can both seek a better life and conditions. 

The state is responsible for protecting all refugees and migrants and offering them a safe environment where they can access their rights as human beings. For refugees, special considerations and protections must be put in place by the state so that refugees are not subjected to the same threats and conditions that they fled from. In addition, the state is responsible for granting rights to refugees so that they can enjoy a life with freedom as a dignified human being. This is also consistent with the state responsibilities for migrants. When migrants and refugees arrive to a new country, they face the same plight where they may have to learn a new language, adapt to a new culture, and may face discrimination and xenophobia. Therefore, the state should make sure that migrants and refugees are properly integrated into society so that they can strive economically, socially, and free from discrimination and life threatening dangers. 

Migration is a natural phenomenon that occurs in nature. It can be voluntary or forced for different reasons that are usually related to the lifestyle and the place where surrounded. 

Each country has different laws. To control the number of people from other nationalities, there exist processes that are required. What happens when there are people who do not go through that process? According to the NYTimes, many of the undocumented migrants entered the countries as documented migrants. Once the end of their permits, they stay.

Undocumented migration is a problem of a globalized world. The reasons can be variable, but most of the cases have one common that is to find a better life. 

The problem we face today is that migrants tend to go to countries that offer better opportunities. It has caused having an overpopulation of migrants, which is why the control of people has been much more restricted. 

The idea of leaving your country can be perceived as an easy road to improve your quality of life quality. But the truth is that it is hard. It requires a lot of courage.  After that, the persons have to fight with many obstacles on their trip. From crossing the border safely to adapting themselves to a new life, it implies a new language, new places, and a new culture. In this case, we add the fear of being deported by the police ice.

Inmigration is something important to attend to as soon as possible. In our opinion, it is a problem for the countries that are losing citizens because they can be economically affected as a result of the leak of active persons. On the other hand, it is a problem because job opportunities, services, etc. are not sufficient for the population of the country and the migrants. Migrants continue to have the same needs to go to another country. However, countries deny them access, so they choose to enter illegally.

Different international organizations are in charge of offering advisory and assistance services to governments and migrants, such as the IOM, which is part of the United Nations system. Countries like Canada, Mexico, and the US have been working together to reduce the number of immigrants. For example, the US Trump administration has been reinforcing its borders to close the roads for the immigrants.

Sabina López Bautista A01651307 -Tecnológico de Monterrey

Nicole Hermosa Rodríguez 00202403 -Universidad San Francisco de Quito

The definition of the term Refugees is : “People who were forced to leave their home country, because it is too difficult or dangerous for them to stay in their own countries”. And there are many reasons that cause this,  for example, when their lives have been threatened by war, violence, extreme poverty, climate change, natural disasters, or bad treatment, or often because of their race, gender or beliefs. Some examples are: the population escaping the civil war in Syria, the thousands of Venezuelans leaving their country seeking for a better life and the people crossing the Mediterranean running away from the conflicts in Africa. 

People fleeing persecution and conflict have been granted asylum in foreign lands for thousands of years. The UN agency that helps refugees is UNHCR (also known as the UN Refugee Agency), which emerged in the wake of World War II to help Europeans displaced by that conflict.

Discrimination, intolerance and mistreatment of any living creature must not be tolerated. We all live on the same planet and it is our responsibility to create a healthy environment and to respect everyone regardless of their race, gender or belief. Therefore organizations such as “Peace World Wide”, “Future without violence” and “Civil Rights Projects”, seek to combat the causes that force people to leave their country. 

Likewise, countries tend to cooperate between each other in order to make the processes which the refugees have to go through easier and more humanitarian. Some states are willing to help refugees, not only by giving them asylum but also by providing them with help, food, shelter when they are in transit, when they are trying to get to another country. However, we have to keep in mind that this help tends to be temporary; moreover, when there are big waves of refugees. Governments try to cooperate, but they do not always succeed. Not only because they cannot or do not want to spend more resources, but because the scope of the term “refugee” is not big, and they do not give the same treatment to migrants than to the refugees. 

Therefore, we can conclude that there are many causes that lead refugees to flee from their countries and that there are some cooperation mechanisms to try to tackle this. However, it has to be admitted that these are not always successful and there is still a lot to be done in order to make this social phenomenon more dignified and humane. 

 

There are several international cooperation mechanisms that are trying to tackle these causes, the most widely-known of them being the UNHCR, which aims to provide medical assistance, food, shelter and help with paperwork for refugees to be able to be permitted entry into their target country. However, some concerning obstacles to the UNHCR´s labor are that they focus only on people that are already gathered in borders or camps outside of their original countries, and protects mostly those who can prove they face a real danger; a parameter that unfortunately leaves out too many refugees who can’t prove their claim. Other important international mechanisms that exist to help refugees include the International Rescue Committee (IRC) which is a responder to humanitarian crisis and helps people survive, Relief International (RI) which addresses the developmental needs of a country even during emergencies, Save the Children which fights for children´s rights, the UN Development Program which is meant to improve people’s lives in developing countries, and the OOPS, a provider of basic services like education, healthcare, social services and help in case of necessity. 

Saúl Iván Solís Chávez A0165858 TEC

Carla Cabrera-Restrepo 214183149 YorkU

Héctor Arturo Noyola Mondragón A01023808

Alicia Molina USFQ 00200104

Undocumented migrants depend on stability in economic, social, and political aspects that they do not find in their homelands; collectively, they are in search for a place that gives them the possibility to obtain laboral remuneration, better lifestyle, appropriate life conditions, and the realistic possibility to grow professionally and personally, etc. In this sense, the exponential flight of migrants, illegally, is a way to opt for a new life, in a sense that entails duties and commitments. 

In this regard, it can be established that undocumented migration falls under the framework of feeling forced or having the need to leave the place of residence. Based on this, there are two theories that explain migration, but specifically the undocumented one is explained by the structural vision where "migration corresponds to a risk minimization strategy taken by households in a context of limited information and imperfect markets" (IDB, 2020). In other words, many of the undocumented migrants fall under the expectation of a better lifestyle, while many of the refugees flee from an imminent danger, be it under the parameters of terrorism, political persecution, among others.

Undocumented migrants are often in a vulnerable position and they need to be protected. Given the causes that lead migrants to flee their homelands; there are international organizations and agreements that provide safety, freedom, and human rights to migrants in need. These migrants desperately need humanitarian aid; therefore, states need to cooperate with inter-governmental organizations such as the IOM and UNHCR to develop sustainable ways to tackle the causes of undocumented migration. Also, the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants adopted by the UN promotes more cooperation between nation states to improve the rights of migrants, regardless of their status, and strives to reduce the causes that lead to undocumented migration. The most important activities that these organizations do are assistance by giving them water, healthcare, shelter, household goods, and food, if possible. The mission that the organizations are trying to achieve is promoting international cooperation and finding practical solutions.

Voluntary repatriation is an example of solutions offered by UNHCR; it basically consists of promoting the right conditions for refugees to return to their homes whenever they feel comfortable with the idea. This happens through several coordinated actions between UNHCR and the countries of origin, which includes: organized "go and see" visits, compiling updated information on their country and region of origin, participation in peace and reconciliation activities, and provision of legal assistance on return. There is also the option of local integration, which is aimed at those cases in which repatriation is not an option because they are being persecuted or their countries are having internal conflicts such as war. This initiative tries to find a home for the refugees in the country of asylum and eventually integrate them into the local community to give them the opportunity to build a new life.

 

Question: What are the causes of undocumented migration? What are the international cooperation mechanisms that try to tackle this causes? 

 

First, it is important to differentiate between refugees and undocumented migrants. On one hand, undocumented migration refers to people who live in a place without permission. It occurs when someone moves from one country to another, without going through a prior immigration process and without complying with legal requirements. On the other hand, refugees are the people who have been forced to leave their country because of conflict, persecution, or violation of human rights. Now that we know the difference, it is important to mention that an undocumented immigrant may be in one or more of the following situations: they may have entered the country irregularly, for example with false documents or without crossing an official border; reside in the country irregularly, for example in violation of the conditions of the entry visa or residence permit; or be employed irregularly, for example, if they have the right to reside in the country, but not to accept paid employment.

 

There are many reasons why people decide to move to another country in an irregular way, their main objective is to have better living conditions. That is why globalization is one of these causes. This phenomenon causes the displacement of a large number of employees who do not meet the requested standards, so these people seek employment in other countries, in addition to the lack of education. Another reason is the increase in poverty as a result of the ongoing economic crises. Also, the relatives of people who have previously migrated are forced to meet with them. Natural disasters or the lack of natural resources, such as water is another cause. Likewise, being in a repressive country, with high crime rates, dominated by drug trafficking and devastated by war, make people feel the need to flee the country.

 

Many migrate out of choice; many others migrate out of necessity. International cooperation mechanisms try to tackle this causes through charities, and international organization, for example the IOM (International Organisation for Migration), which help promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugee and internally displaced people. Also, there are several non-governmental organizations that are developing programs in order to help undocumented migrants such as the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) which represents a network of more than 100 organizations working with undocumented migrants in 33 countries. This organization was founded in 2001 and its principal purpose is to promote the recognition of undocumented migrant’s human rights and it works to ensure social justice through principles and values. Also, the PICUM provides a plan in order to engage policymakers and civil society in the realization of their rights. 

 

As we can see, the reasons why people migrate are different. There are several factors that make them leave their country. However, we consider it important that international mechanisms assist them in the process. Migrants must be treated with respect, they must recognize the disadvantages they have when migrating to another place, and they also need assistance to improve their situation. Also, taking into account their human rights and not ignoring them despite not having a legal situation in the country where they are located. We are all human beings and should be treated equally and with dignity, regardless of our gender, age, nationality, or religion. Millions of people have migrated around the world throughout the history of humanity, we should consider migration as a natural process in human life.

Justice for immigrants. (2017). Justice for immigrants. Root Causes of Migration. Retrieved from https://justiceforimmigrants.org/what-we-are-working-on/immigration/root-causes-of-migration/

Madaan, S. (2014). Earth Eclipse. What is illegal migration? Retrieved from https://www.eartheclipse.com/issue/causes-effects-illegal-immigration.html

PICUM. (2020). Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants. Retrieved from https://picum.org/ 

Ultimate Visa Corporation. (2019). Ultimate Visa. Why do people migrate? Retrieved from https://www.ultimatevisa.com/causes-for-migration/

UN. (n.d). United Nations. Migration. Retrieved from. https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/migration/

 

What are the causes that lead refugees to flee from their countries? 

To talk about the causes that lead refugees to run away from their countries it is necessary to understand the definition of refugees. The 1951 refugee convention defines a refugee as a person who is outside of his/her country of nationality owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, etc.  Also, violence, foreign aggression, internal conflicts, human rights violations, or any other circumstance that disturbs the public order can threaten his/her life, security, or freedom.

Therefore, the reasons why refugees leave their countries are mainly due to 1) their human rights are threatened, 2) their countries are unable to protect them, or 3) persecution inside their countries.

In the article published in the Amnesty International Page, there are 8 strategies to help the refugees situation.

1.- Opening up safe routes to Sanctuary: This means allowing people to reunite with their families. 

2.-Resettling all refugees who need it: This is a good solution for vulnerable refugees who suffer from torture, or have serious medical problems! 

3.- Cooperation Between Countries in their Borders: World leaders also need to put saving lives first, because no one should have to die crossing a border. 

4.- Everyone Should be Allowed to Cross: It doesn't matter if you are traveling by land or sea, people fleeing persecution or wars should be allowed to cross the border,  with or without travel documents. Because pushing people back and putting up massive fences only forces them to take more dangerous routes to make themselves safe. 

5.- Trafficking Gangs: All countries must investigate and prosecute traffickers who exploit refugees and migrants. Must of the gangs treat them unfairly with deals that are not true and their final destination is certain death. 

6.- Stop Discrimination: Most of the governments around the world, blame 

refugees and migrants for the economic and social crises in their countries, in consequence, population treat really bad developing Xenophobia and Racial Discrimination.

7.- Asylum is a Human Right: Most people and governments forget that in WW2 was given Asylum to many people, bit know a datos is really difficult to ask for it even to be accepted in a legal refugee program.

8.- Financially Supported Countries: Not all the countries are rich, not all countries have the possibility to help everyone, but if everyone teams up to help, the difference will be huge in terms of monetary income.

Evelyn Mejía Jiménez A01652115 / Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.

Keren Naula 00122807 / Universidad San Francisco de Quito.

Muktar Omer / York University.

María José Morillo - Universidad San Francisco de Quito 

Cynthia Lizbeth Martinez Rmz - Tecnológico de Monterrey

Maria Teresa Perez - Tecnológico de Monterrey

Should migrants and refugees have the same rights why? What responsibilities should states have to migrants and refugees? 

Before answering the question it’s necessary to establish the difference between migrants and refugees. Migrants are people who leave their country for work or studies. On the contrary, refugees leave their countries, because they are no longer safe. Due to political persecution, gender, race, etc. Therefore, they are considered as a vulnerable group, they need more support. Everybody has rights, but there are people who need them more, that is why it is important that laws are applied that protect this population and help it.

According to international human rights, migrants enjoy the fundamental rights afforded to all persons regardless of their legal status in a country.Countries have an obligation to ensure that all the rights apply. This means that all migrants and refugees have the same rights, nonetheless this does not mean that in reality they do. 

The States need to have the responsibility to protect the rights of migrants and refugees and also, make policies to integrate them in the country. Policies need to be different for migrants and refugees because mainly refugees are the ones that suffer the most from discrimination and that are left out from their society.

 

In most cases migrant workers are also temporary workers. They provide economic stimulus to the home state via money transfers which support their families. A migrant can apply for residency based on merit to become a resident of the host country.

Host nations - do have a responsibility to adhere to the UNHCR by treating all people with respect and allow the freedom of movement  - Refugees lack safety and security in their country of origin.

If a Refugee’s claim is denied, they should have a right to appeal the decision, given the nature of the claim it would be improper to return the refugee to their home nation. It is imperative that countries such as those of the Global North work together in supporting the flight of refugees as they also bring knowledge and skills which can help to promote economic growth and development of the host nation.

TEC:  Luis Manuel Gallegos Pérez
  Hanna Arantza Campos Carbajal

USFQ:   Garzón Imba, Jordy J.
       Vega Quezada, Indira P.

    Yes, they must have the same rights, no matter if the circumstances of the arrival to a certain country are different. Indeed, migrants arrive by their own free will, while refugees arrive forced or displaced. With this in mind we think that the migrants and refugees must be treated equally in society, but they have different necessities due to the political, social and economic situations they come from. For example, refugees need more state protection from their country of origin and allies. At the end both are people seeking for better opportunities for them and their families and should be able to enjoy all of their rights feeling secure and protected of what they fear the most, nevertheless one needs more protection and certainty than the other.

    We firmly believe that the security, integrity and liberty of any person -despite their race, color, language, religion, politic opinion or any other condition- should never be taken for granted, as these are the pillars that sustain and develop our society, and therefore, they must be protected and reinforced. 

    The responsibility of the State should be focused on both migrants and refugees, so fair treatment, non-discrimination, access to health, work, etc. should be guaranteed. We think that any law regarding migratory status should always be made considering three important points. First of all, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1951 Refugee Statue should always be taken as a base for making any law regarding refugees and migrants.

Second, it is important also to take into account each of the cases or scenarios that have forced people to leave -or flee- their home country. In this way, laws are going to be made according to the needs and conditions of refugees and migrants. Ultimately, lawmakers should always seek the welfare and the security of refugees and migrants, which should also be reflected in the laws made.

    Furthermore, emphasis should be placed on specialized public policies only on refugees, and the State should improve their laws making things such as xenophobia or racism something that carries severe penalties.