The Faculty of Arts

Semester Work
Refugees

Name, surname: Radoslava Sonogov

Evaluation:
Group: 1SPFb2
Content:
School year: 2011/2012
Grammar:
Form: Daily

Style:

Content
Introduction 2
Who is refugee?.................................................................................................. 2
General history

Ethical aspects

Legal aspects

Slovak law protection of refugees......................................................................3

Social aspects

Medical aspects

Conclusion

Bibliography:
Addenda

Introduction
Who is refugee?
According the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees from 1951
refugee is a person who, "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of

race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is

outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear is unwilling to,
avail himself of the protection of that country.. (http://www.globaleducationedna.
edu.au/globaled / go/pid/182#Facts)

General history
Man is extremely open to move. Homo sapiens broadened out all around the world trought
migration in relative short period. People colonized all ecological suitable areas on Earth from
tropics to north areas. (kov,2006,8) Term refugees is as old as humanity. People had to
leave their homes because of fear, hunger, war conflict, natural disaster, tyrannise. These
reasons are not different nowadays in 21st century. V human history are there reasons present
for thousands years.
According the myths in ancient Greece was possible to find temporary protection in temples.
For example in Apollos temple in Delfy or Zeus cave in Creta. Roman empire had also
places were was provided asyl for refugees. But because of spreading of Roman empire there
arised problem with refugees. They decided to control the number of refugees. In Middle ages
asyl law stared to form. King or monarch had the right to give admittance to stay in country.
The most spread was this question about refugees in 20century because of 2 world wars.
(Brnula, 2008, 21-22)

Ethical aspects
Almost every week we are confronted with news about refugees from Sr Lanka or african
countries, who was by our police catched in our land. They were find when they were trying
to cross the borders without permission. But our republic is obliged by resolutions not to let
these people continue in their itineracy. Here we can meet with this problem What about
them now? Can we let them leave here like asylum-seekers or can we transmit them to their
home country? (Ki, 2006,212)
Every minute 8 people flee their homes to escape conflictor persecution. We believe even
1 person forced to flee is too many.
(http://www.unhcrcentraleurope.org/sk/novinky/2011/kazdu-minutu-osem-ludi-opusti-svojdomov-zo-strachu-pred-nasilim-a-prenasledovanim.html)

Legal aspects
First resolution about refugees was approved by League of Nations in 26.2.1921. They
nominate first United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Fridtjof Nansen. After his

death was established Nansens international commission for refugees. But this commission
didnt have long history. (Pukank, 2006,16)
The United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) and its 1967
Protocol outline the rights and processes protecting the needs of those who are recognised as
refugees. A total of 147countries have committed themselves to upholding the provisions of
one or both of these documents.
(http://www.globaleducation.edna.edu.au/globaled/go/pid/182#Facts)

Slovak law protection of refugees

The most important law instrument to protect people who are pursuit is act legislative number
451/2008. This act speak about asylum and refugees. Irrecoverable mission in protection has
UNHCR - The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In Slovak
republic was established in october 1993 but specific help to refugees and asylum seeker
started provided from 1.4.1994. The primary objective of UNHCR is to protect the rights and
welfare of refugees. In its efforts to protect refugees and help solve their problems, UNHCR
works with national authorities and NGOs. (http://www.unhcr-centraleurope.org/sk/onas/unhcr-v-slovenskej-republike.html)
Sadako Ogata served as United Nations hight commissioner for refugees during one of the
most challenging periods in the history of the organization. The end of the cold war brought
political change and end to long-standing international conflicts, paving the way for the return
of hundreds of thousands of refugees. Humanitarian workers had to carry out relief operations
in the midst of internal conflict. UNHCR developed a stanby emergency capacity and, for the
first time in its history, conducted large-scale airlifts of food and other relief items, with the
support of interested goverments. (Ogata, 2005,11)

Social aspects
Integration is a long and complicated process influenced by a wide complex of individual
factors such as psychological predisposition of the individual, socio-cultural differences and
various situational factors, among which we can classify the asylum policies of the host
country, the access of citizens of the country. (kov, 2006, 38)
A new climate in which refugees are coming to is stress factor. They need to know and learn
the culture and

manners because its a assumption to live in new country without any

problems. Robert E. Park claims that the refugee has 4 elementary needs:
1. Harbour, house, where he can safely return and where he can relax

2. New positive experiences, impressions, which gradually replace those from past,
mostly negative ones
3. Sense of belonging and community recognition, society, sense of usefulness
4. Close partner, intimate relationship for comfort, relief and a feeling of affection and
love (Uherek, 2002)

Medical aspects
The public health consequences of armed conflict and population displacement have
been well documented during the past 20 years. The major determinants of high
death rates among affected populations and the major priorities for action have also
been identified. The provision of adequate food, clean water, sanitation, and shelter
have been demonstrated to be more effective interventions than most medical
programmes. The focus of emergency health programmes has shifted to community based
disease prevention, health promotion, nutritional rehabilitation, and epidemic
preparedness, surveillance and control. Refugee health has developed into a
specialized field of public health with its own particular technical policies, methods,
and procedures.
Refugees may be at a higher risk for contracting certain diseases or having other health
problems due to factors such as poor nutrition, poor sanitation and lack of adequate medical
care. The most common health concerns are listed below:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugee_health)

Tuberculosis

Sexually transmitted infections

HIV

Hepatitis B

Lead poisoning

Parasitic infection

Malaria

Anemia

Conclusion
Refugees survived many bad things, much violence, possible death of a close relative. They
can have many psychological problems and therefore it is necessary that all of them who

comes into contact with them need to know how to access them correctly. Our company is
xenophobic and therefore we would recommend all who work with refugees to give greater
attention to prevention of intolerant behavior, discrimination or race riots. Slovakia is a
Catholic country and the Catholic faith rejects such behavior. Slovaks were always called
Dove nation. According this argument term violence should be unfamiliar.
Refugees and people needing protection are people who fear returning to their home country.
In keeping with its humanitarian tradition and international obligations, Slovakia provides
protection to this people every year.
The changing nature of armed conflict and patterns of displacement and serious
apprehensions about uncontrolled migration in this era of globalisation are increasingly part
of the environment in which refugee protection has to be realised. Trafficking and smuggling
of people, abuse of asylum procedures and difficulties in dealing with unsuccessful asylumseekers are additional compounding factors. Asylum countries in many parts of the world are
concerned about the lack of resolution of certain long-standing refugee problems, urban
refugee issues and irregular migration, a perceived imbalance in burden- and responsibilitysharing,

and

increasing

costs

of

hosting

refugees

and

asylum-seekers.

(http://www.ipu.org/pdf/publications/refugee_en.pdf)

Bibliography:
1 . kov, M., Azylov problematika na Slovensku z pohadu socilnej prce. Bratislava:
Vysok kola zdravotnctva a socilnej prce svtej Albety, 2006. 8,38s.

2. Ogata, S., The turbulent decade : confronting the refugee crises of the 1990s. 1. vyd. New
York, London: W.W. Norton, 2005. 11s. ISBN: 97-80393-92-9-225
3. Brnula, P., Socilna prca so iadatemi o azyl a azylantmi. 1. vyd. Preov: Pavol idelsk
- Akcent Print, 2008. 21,22s. ISBN: 97-88089-29-5-104
4. Ki, I., Socilna etika. Bratislava: Evanjelick bohosloveck fakulta, 2006. 212s.
5. Pukank, M., Kapitoly o uteencoch pre socilnych pedaggov. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Nov
prca, 2006. 9,16s. ISBN: 80-88929-83-0
6. Uherek, Z., Integrace azylantu. Praha: Etnologick stav AV R, 2002.
7. Refugee Health : An approach to emergency situations. Macmillan: Medicins sans
frontieres
8. http://www.globaleducation.edna.edu.au/globaled/go/pid/182#Facts
9. http://www.unhcrcentraleurope.org/sk/novinky/2011/kazdu-minutu-osem-ludi-opusti-svojdomov-zo-strachu-pred-nasilim-a-prenasledovanim.html
10. http://www.unhcr-centraleurope.org/sk/o-nas/unhcr-v-slovenskej-republike.html
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugee_health
12. http://www.ipu.org/pdf/publications/refugee_en.pdf
13.. 451/2008 Zkon o ktorm sa men a dopa zkon . 480/2002 Z. z. o azyle a o zmene a
doplnen niektorch zkonov v znen neskorch predpisov a o zmene a doplnen niektorch
zkonov

Addenda
First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Pastor Niemoeller victim of Nazism
Famous (and Not-so-Famous) refugees
1. Albert Einstein
One of the worlds greatest minds. Einstein won prestige and acclaim for his discoveries,
including the theory of relativity. In 1921, Einstein won the Nobel prize in Physics. In the 30
s, when the Nazis came to power in Einsteins home country of Germany, Einstein faced
anti- Semitism and persecution and fled to the United states, taking a teaching position at
Princeton University. Einstein lobbied vigorously for the protection of German Jews and
remained in the US until his death in 1955.
2. Gloria Estefan
As a baby, Estefan and her family fled Cuba following the Cuban Revolution and resettled in
Miami. Estefan went on to become a successful singer with more than 90 milion albums sold
worldwide. She has won Grammy Awards and is referred to as Queen of latin Pop
3. Madeleine Korbel Albright
Born in what is now the Czech republic, Albright and her family fled to US in 1948 when
communist took over the goverment. The family settled in Denver, Colorado. Albright went to
Wellesley College and got involved in politics. In 1997, Albright became the first female
Secretary of State and the highest-ranking woman in U.S. goverment at the time.

Year

Number
of asylum Granted
applicatio asylum
ns

Granted / withhold Stopped Granted

Denial of
additional
procedur citizenshi
Asylum
protection
e
p

1993

96

41

20

25

1994

140

58

32

65

1995

359

80

57

190

1996

415

72

62

193

1997

645

69

84

539

14

1998

506

53

36

224

22

1999

1 320

26

176

1 034

2000

1556

11

123

1 366

2001

8151

18

130

6 154

11

2002

9743

20

309

8 053

59

2003

10 358

11

531

10 656

42

2004

11 395

15

1592

11 782

20

2005

3 549

25

827

2 930

2006

2849

861

1940

2007

2 642

14

1 177

82/646

1 693

18

2008

909

22

416

66/273

455

2009

822

14

330

98/165

460

2010

541

15

180

57/104

361

2011

491

12

186

91/ 48

270

2012

88

80

34/ 37

58

Togeth
er

56 575

592

7 209

428

48 450 214