Amnesty International New Zealand Youth Intern Lydia Le Gros and Youth Coordinator Miriam Pierard with members of the Macleans College Amnesty Group. ©Amnesty International.
Amnesty International is calling on the New Zealand government to double our annual refugee quota in response to the global refugee crisis. Some of the most compelling and creative campaigning has been from our secondary school youth groups during Freedom Challenge week.
Current humanitarian crises have seen the highest number of people displaced due to conflict or persecution since WWII, according to the UNHCR. More than 85% of refugees are living in developing countries that are unable to offer them basic necessities, education or medical care, and are often characterised by harsh and dangerous living conditions.
As the world’s largest human rights organisation, Amnesty International is deeply concerned about this crisis. We are part of a chorus of voices across New Zealand encouraging the Government to double its annual intake of refugees from 750 to 1500. Despite New Zealand having a strong history of supporting human rights, the fact that we only rank 90th in the world in comparison to other countries’ refugee intake per capita, and we then drop to 116th when our wealth is taken into account is something we cannot be proud of as New Zealanders.
However, on the back of this embarrassing statistic we’re seeing some amazing campaigning happening around the country – some of the most compelling and creative of which has been from our secondary school youth groups during our annual Freedom Challenge.
Freedom Challenge 2015 has seen over 50 schools across the country taking action together on behalf of refugees. Students, along with teachers and members from the wider community have joined together to hold events to raise awareness, fundraise and attract the attention of the local media. Amnesty International groups have held debates, presentations by students with refugee backgrounds, built refugee camps in school courtyards and other creative events in which situations faced by refugees are simulated to engage other students on the issue.
Thousands of postcards are being signed and sent to Parliament containing personal messages from concerned students, explaining why they think the quota should be raised and the role they want New Zealand to hold when approaching international crises.
What has been most outstanding in the messages from our high school students is the call to remember love and compassion when attempting to help victims of conflict and circumstance, and the need to understand the grievance and trauma refugees are suffering outside of statistical representations.
Warren Rodericks, a leader of the St Peter’s College Amnesty International group explained, “New Zealand normally leads the way in justice and solidarity issues yet we are very low in the world for how many refugees we take. We can and should take more.”
Freedom Challenge has not only offered students the opportunity to support the doubling of the refugee quota, but has also exemplified the importance of youth involvement in community issues.
Alice and Sarah from Western Heights High School stressed the importance of allowing young people to participate in such decision making processes, saying “it allows students to make a positive contribution to their communities, and to have informed opinions when it comes to issues like the refugee quota.”
As the current Amnesty International Youth Intern, I have been motivated and moved by the secondary school student groups I have had the opportunity to work with. Something that is particular to Freedom Challenge and our high school activists is their awareness of the core issues at the heart of the refugee crisis: that if we have the resources and the means to help, nothing should prevent us from doing so. While it’s easy to get distracted by ongoing quips between political parties, and the sidelining of key issues, its is deeply inspiring to see the youth in our community taking a stand for those who have overwhelmingly less.
“If I were a refugee I’d want it for me: Double The Quota!”
Read more: www.freedomchallenge.org.nz
www.amnesty.org.nz.doublethequota
by Lydia Le Gros, Youth Intern, Amnesty International New Zealand
