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As well as their vital work “on the ground” in the many refugee camps scattered across the planet, JRS are also involved in ensuring that refugees are afforded their full rights and protection. This extends to promoting and lobbying for greater international protection and human rights legislation, either through participation in international campaigns and coalitions, or through membership of international fora such as the UN Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC). JRS also contributes to refugee research at the University of Oxford and the University of Deusto , Bilbao . The dilemma that many humanitarian agencies are facing today is that in order to raise the necessary funds for their work across the globe they have to have a concentrated presence in those places that have the most med ia coverage i.e. where their donors dictate them to be. Often this is not the best use of their resources and expertise but, in order to survive in the new world of development, they often have to forego some of their independence and reallocate their resources to fit in with these demands. This is where JRS is able to benefit from its independence and focus on long term solutions and displacement scenarios for those refugees that the world's med ia or the international agenda have often long since forgotten about. You will see from the case studies below that life as a refugee, whether it is in London or Liberia , is a life on hold, a life in purgatory. Lluis Magrina SJ, the international Director of JRS tells us “Refugees remain visible only if we choose not to see them. To see is an act of solidarity. Let's open our eyes”. If yours are already open, take a look at the links above. |
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Jesuit Missions UK
