As refugee migrant workers  flee political upheavals in North Africa and beyond, 27-year-old Londoner Sam Bayes asks whether a global body needs to take charge to safeguard their employment and welfare. Of increasing concern for decision makers around the world is the dramatic increase of refugees fleeing North African and West Asia as a result of …

Correspondence: Caring for refugees is labour intensive Read More »

As refugee migrant workers  flee political upheavals in North Africa and beyond, 27-year-old Londoner Sam Bayes asks whether a global body needs to take charge to safeguard their employment and welfare. Of increasing concern for decision makers around the world is the dramatic increase of refugees fleeing North African and West Asia as a result of …

"Caring for refugees is labour intensive" Read More »

World leaders are in Perth on the west coast of Australia this week to take part in the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Steph Carter, 20, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Queensland, reports on one of the controversial items likely to be discussed by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her Malaysian counterpart: an …

CHOGM 2011: “Could a refugee exchange be on the agenda?” Read More »

World leaders are in Perth on the west coast of Australia this week to take part in the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Steph Carter, 20, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Queensland, reports on one of the controversial items likely to be discussed by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her Malaysian counterpart: an …

CHOGM 2011: "Could a refugee exchange be on the agenda?" Read More »

Children brim with positive spirit and eagerness to learn in spite of dire surroundings, writes Geetha Kanniah, 18, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Malaysia who is volunteering to teach at a refugee centre.  I hope I can get you to picture this: I get off the bus, a two hour journey from home and walk towards …

"Refugee children embrace opportunity to learn" Read More »

Refugees have been living in Kenya for decades, writes Brian Dan Migowe, 24, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Kenya, who argues that the rest of the world  has a role in helping to solve the problem.  Kenya has not failed its refugees. In fact some appreciation should come her way for being a host not only …

"Let's care – and let's talk about refugees in Kenya" Read More »

As refugee numbers swell amid ongoing conflicts, Nnadozie Onyekuru, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nigeria, now studying in the USA, envisions a model solution built on Commonwealth values. At around a fortnight of World Humanitarian Day, one of my friends visited a refugee camp in my country. He later reflected on the wheel of fortune and …

“Concerted effort will help refugees to thrive” Read More »

Tutoring a refugee student gave Debra Grace Lim Jia-En, 17, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Malaysia, opportunity to learn about gaps in the rights and protections that are offered when people are forced to flee war or disaster. It was at a local NGO that I first met Sayyaf (not his real name), a 10-year-old Rohingya …

“The limits of rights granted to refugees” Read More »

Shiboni D’Souza, 23, a Correspondent from Bangalore in India, writes that refugees, throughout history, have brought a great deal to her homeland. How citizens respond to the latest influx of refugees, however, will be the true test of her country’s national character. The global refugee crisis has been a hot topic for debate on all sides …

“In a refugee crisis, a little compassion can go a long way” Read More »

Major shifts in global politics are fast shaping the refugee protection regime in Africa in a way that threatens to negatively affect humanitarian action towards refugee populations in the region, writes Joshua Orawo, 27, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Kenya. Two recent happenings have substantially affected and continue to affect funding for refugee protection programmes in the …

“Need to rethink refugee protection programming in Africa” Read More »