REFUGEES & THE IMPACT OF COVID-19
REFUGEES & THE IMPACT OF COVID-19
INTRODUCTION - WHO ARE REFUGEES?
By World Bank classifications, Argentina is a developing country that is still recouping from the effects of Covid-19. At a glance, there were nearly 83 million people displaced from their homes, villages, towns and even countries before 2021. Some of these people live in legitimate and highly unsettling fear of possible conflicts around their homes, or even in their whole nation that may threaten them or their family. While some of these people are escapees of serious human rights violations or experience a lack of access to basic rights like employment and healthcare. In all cases above, that person is usually forced by unpleasant events to migrate to somewhere they might not be considered a native of and hence would not be accepted easily. When such displaced people migrate into a different village or a different town or even a different state within their country they are referred to as internally displaced persons, as they are usually still protected by their country. However, in a case where a person is compelled to migrate to a different country or an embassy within their country, they are referred to as asylum seekers (Definition of asylum seeker | Dictionary.com, 2021).
This is because they usually begin a process of seeking protection, and political asylum from the country they moved into, they need refuge. If they get granted the refuge they seek, they are given a legal status of refugee, and are permitted to enjoy a good number of the rights the citizens of that country have, including protection from the government (at least in theory). If they don’t get granted the asylum they seek, then they are either deported or given the status of alien and detained until deported. Argentina according to the World Bank is a developing country that is still recovering from the impact of covid-19 in more ways than one. Having the second-highest human development index in South America, it is a regional power and also a founding member of the United Nations. It is also regarded as the first country to assist in managing the Syrian Refugee Crisis faced by the European Union. And it is considered a role model for countries accepting refugees According to the World Bank, Argentina was responsible for granting 4045 displaced individual refugees asylum as of 2020. This figure ranked the country within the top 25 countries accepting refugees according to the World Bank.
Despite the admitted near accuracy of reported data, due to collation issues, it is still a good performance considering the performances of Latin American countries in comparison. It is also important to note that the country has accepted a large number of Venezuelans who have migrated due to the economic and political crises currently plaguing Venezuela. The statistics for 2020 also reflect that over 1500 applications from migrants seeking asylum have been tendered. And another statistic indicates that a recorded over 2700 Venezuelans sought asylum in Argentina in 2019. A total of 14,731 asylum applications have been made to Argentina between 2015 and 2020 On the other hand, the World Bank data repository does not represent any internally displaced persons on the charts for Argentina. Considering how reliable World Bank information is, one might assume there is no internally displaced person in Argentina. However, there is a possibility that the said population is abysmal and hence is not accounted for. There are an estimated over 1,200 male refugees currently residing within Argentina, whereas, female refugees are numbered at over 1,700 with a little over 1,000 children according to Google statistics.
Being an example to other Latin-American countries accepting refugees, Argentina can be considered to have made considerable employment and education provisions for her refugees according to a comparative analysis of Latin-American countries accepting refugees. UNHCR had laid out possible procedures on the most ideal way of expanding essential pathways, elective ways for displaced people to be accepted to developing countries much like Argentina to complement the standard resettlement routes. The goal is for these to be associated with a migration program as a part of the displaced individuals and the refugee compact. These join neighbourhood sponsorship and supportive affirmation programs, developing the capability models and enhancing philosophy for family reunification, making induction to tutoring more straightforward through awards, apprenticeships, and traineeships, and opening work flexibility intends to consolidate dislodged individuals.
In Argentina, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and its on-the-ground partners continue to assess the situation at the country's borders in the region of Misiones, as well as within the region in general (UNHCR, 2020).
Additionally, UNHCR partners assisted by providing cash to 631 new and destitute persons, as well as by continuing to provide refuge to 79-76 frail asylum seekers in Argentina, among other things. (Unhcr, 2020).
REFUGEES IN ARGENTINA – XENOPHOBIA
Excessive fear or dislike of something that is seen to be alien or unfamiliar is known as xenophobia. Cases of discrimination against people based on ethnic features or national origin have occurred and continue to occur in Argentina. The National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI) was established in 1995 to combat racism in Argentine society. Anti-Semitism can be seen in Argentina as well, in a context impacted by the country's significant Jewish immigration community.
A lot of the time, "social relations have been racist." For example, the term "black" is used to characterize people who are believed to be illiterate, lazy, or poor, among other things. Argentina's brand of racism presents itself in a variety of forms that are tied to the country's history, culture, and the ethnic groups that interact with one another in the country. (Wikipedia, n.d.) Among other things, The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Migration Agency, and the National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI) have joined forces as part of the IOM's global campaign I am a migrant. The goal of this joint endeavour is to promote awareness of the good contributions made by migrants in Argentina and to encourage them to continue doing so.
The province of Salta and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have joined forces to establish an Intersectional Roundtable for the Protection and Inclusion of Refugees and Migrant Refugees in Argentina.
COVID-19 IMPACT
A total of 5,265,058 covid-19 cases were recorded as of 8th October 2021. Forty-four Venezuelan refugees were reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country. Commissioner for Refugees and the International Rescue Committee are collaborating on a national working table that will identify practical lines of activity for the protection of migrant and refugee children in Argentina. The discussion provided an excellent chance to examine the implications of COVID-19 for the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GRSI) as well as the next actions to be taken to enhance community sponsorship of refugees.
The Attention and Orientation Point (PAO) is working remotely, with the teams going to the office for one on one attention as the case may be. Among the main challenges for the populace that have decided to stay in Puerto Iguazu, there are issues of access to food and risk of evictions, in addition to health services access restrictions. UNHCR and partners are following up on cases of families that are stranded in the Jujuy province (San Salvador de Jujuy ) who have cities in other parts of Argentina as their destination and who were receiving humanitarian assistance since March till date. Likewise, UNHCR and partners in Jujuy are following up on an identified case of family reunification of a family whose destination is Uruguay. The province of Jujuy has stepped back to a strict phase 1 quarantine, and in particular, La Quiaca (the border with Bolivia), which currently remains closed off to incoming people and transport. The Attention and Orientation Point (PAO) in La Quiaca remains closed and staff is working remotely from the capital city of the province (San Salvador de Jujuy).
UNICEF was a member of the Commission that worked on the document's development. UNHCR expects to require US$24 million for its operations in the sub-region (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay) in 2020, but it has only raised 37% of the cash it requires for its operational needs so far this year. Among refugee populations, COVID-19 will very certainly result in widespread livelihood losses as well as an increase in poverty. Refugees are 60 per cent more likely than host populations to be employed in industries that have been severely damaged by the conflict. This study argues that increased economic inclusion is in the best interests of refugees, their host populations, and the nations in which they are resettled. A series of recommendations are also provided for refugee-hosting nations to protect refugee livelihoods in the short and long term.
To meet the most critical humanitarian needs of asylum seekers, refugees, and internally displaced Venezuelans in the coming winter (housing, food, hygiene kits, winter clothing and blankets), additional funding is urgently required. The updated US$755 million requested for by the UNHCR's Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) until the end of the year has already been financed or pledged, amounting to 36% of the total amount.
Individuals from Senegal, Bolivia, and Venezuela have been implicated. On the 2nd of July, as part of the process of preparing the Regional Protocol for the protection of migrant and refugee children and adolescents, a virtual meeting was held to solicit feedback from government and civil society counterparts who took part in the national consultation process that will take place in the first quarter of 2020. The main goal of the meeting was to define support for "La Tiendita Migrante," an independent project launched in the past two weeks and run by asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants who have been severely impacted by the negative economic effects of the lockdown. The meeting was held at the Casa de la Raza in Mexico City. The United Nations High
COVAX Facility distributes the first 218,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Argentina, which is the country's first. It was today that a shipment of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines arrived at
Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport in the Ezeiza neighbourhood. Argentina will receive 1.9 million doses of the vaccine by the end of June, according to the WHO. During an interview with the Venezuelan newspaper "El Nacional," the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Migrants spoke about how the COVC-19 pandemic has exacerbated the condition of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in the Americas and Argentina.
Argentina has received the first batch of vaccines procured through the COVAX Facility of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), which was established in 2012. Argentina and Brazil have been identified as regional hubs for the development and production of mRNA-based vaccines in Latin America, with two facilities in each country. Dr Enrique Pérez-Gutiérrez says, "It is a significant step forward that will allow us to continue to ensure increasingly equitable access to these vaccines in the years to come." During the month of August, 145 Venezuelan migrant refugees and migrants landed in the city of La Quiaca (Jujuy), which is located on Argentina's northwest border with Bolivia. The majority of Venezuelans who apply for asylum in Argentina are not having their claims recognized by authorities at the migration border offices in San Salvador de Jujuy and Puerto Iguaz, according to reports.
Argentina has published its formal policy for reopening schools.
According to Human Rights Watch and the Johns Hopkins University's Centers for Public Health and Humanitarian Health, authorities in Argentina's northern region of Formosa have used often cruel and unhygienic methods to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The authorities in Formosa have combined some people who tested positive with others who tested negative or were still awaiting the results of their tests to keep them all together. Approximately 24,000 people have been detained in mandatory isolation and quarantine centres in Formosa since April of this year, with many remaining in these facilities for longer than the 14 days advised by the World Health Organization. Formosa's unsanitary and crowded conditions "may cause the virus to spread, damage fundamental human rights, and weaken public confidence in public health authorities," according to Human Rights Watch. Doctor Kathleen Page says that isolating entire communities has the potential to bring more issues than benefits for people's health in the long run.
Unless otherwise stated, this publication is based on official information provided by the provincial government of Formosa and the National Human Rights Secretary's Office. According to the Covid-19 regulations in Formosa province, anybody entering the province, regardless of whether or not they had been exposed to the virus, was detained in quarantine centres. Patients who tested positive but either had moderate symptoms or were asymptomatic were placed in isolation centres, which were referred to as "health attention centres."
The number of people being held in quarantine and isolation centres in Formosa has increased as a result of the government's actions. According to Human Rights Watch and the Johns Hopkins University institutes, these failings, together with the circumstances at the detention centres and the length of time spent there, have most likely led to the spread of Covid-19 and violated the right to health of those detained.
Following the adoption of the February standards, Human Rights Watch has received complaints concerning filthy conditions and limited access to health treatment in various detention facilities in some countries. When those entering the province with negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were ordered to be quarantined, an appeals court ordered the quarantine to be lifted. A federal judge agreed. Authorities filed an appeal against the ruling, but on March 22 they developed a new protocol that complied with the court order. Government officials in Formosa have implemented mandatory quarantines, which, according to Human Rights Watch, may amount to arbitrary detention in violation of international human rights law. Argentine authorities must also take comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and to safeguard the right of the population to the best possible health care and living conditions.
A statement from Human Rights Watch said "the national government should periodically ensure that its response to Covid-19 is respectful of human rights, notably by restricting the use of police forces to conduct contact tracing." On March 15, Human Rights Watch had a meeting with Human Rights Secretary Horacio Pietragalla to address the situation in the Republic of Formosa. As of March 25, 2021, there were 1,769 confirmed cases of the drug in the province of Formosa, Argentina, with 28 deaths as a result of the medication. It has one of the lowest death rates in Argentina, both in absolute terms and in terms of the proportion of the province's total population. Human Rights Watch examined photos and videos taken at several centres that corroborated the claims of 45 interviewees about the conditions in quarantine and isolation centres. The organization also examined official information, media reports, and Covid-19 protocols issued by the government of Formosa to determine whether the claims were accurate.
Formosa has housed more than 24,000 people in its 188 quarantine and isolation centres as of February 16, according to official figures. Human Rights Watch has documented 30 cases in which people were detained in these facilities under conditions that violated international human rights norms, according to the organization. Minimum-duration quarantine is a sort of deprivation of liberty that should be applied only when it is absolutely essential and strictly appropriate to the public health hazard at hand. Police should not be involved in contact tracing unless there are no other human resources available who have the necessary knowledge and experience to do so securely and effectively, according to Human Rights Watch. Some participants claimed that they were not informed of their results verbally in some instances.
The following day, as the family crossed the border into Formosa province, police tested them once more, and the findings were once again negative. Their quarantine continued for another 14 days – during which time they had to test negative for Covid-19 twice more – before they were allowed to go. The findings of a test conducted on January 10 were sent to Ramirez by anonymous sources who did not identify themselves or offer copies of official test results. Her 12-year-old son had tested positive. Individuals placed in quarantine and isolation centres in Formosa must provide one "informed consent" — an agreement to remain – before being released from the centre. People detained in quarantine centres have reported that the authorities advised them that they needed to quarantine for 14 days and test negative at least twice, if not three times, before being released.
Human Rights Watch examined a document titled "Informed and Prior Consent" obtained from the centre for positive cases, which was built in the Cincuentenario Stadium and was assessed by the organization. It purported to "absolve" the government of any culpability for what happened to individuals detained there. According to Human Rights Watch, a form named "Informed and Prior Consent" from the centre for positive cases was built in the Cincuentenario Stadium, in which the government attempted to "waive" responsibility for anything that happened to individuals detained there, was under investigation. The fact that some people claimed to have been tested as many as 11 times suggests that they were exposed to people who tested positive within the quarantine facility.
People from various households, including children, were placed with unrelated adults, prompting worries about their safety and well-being. People were not organized by date of arrival, nor were they organized based on exposure or test results, which raises the risk of Covid-19 spreading across the population. More than 20 customers claimed that several of the centres were not properly cleaned. In addition, the placement of people in quarantine centres caused health concerns because officials did not organize people based on the date of their arrival, nor according to their exposure or test results, increasing the danger of Covid-19 spreading within the facility. Several institutions received sanitation kits that included soap, hand sanitiser, a toothbrush, and a face mask.
Some of the facilities looked to have inadequate ventilation and water availability. Food was delivered regularly, however, it was frequently insufficient and of low quality. According to Laura Quinteros (pseudonym) and her two daughters, ages three and eighteen months, when they came for quarantining on January 13 at a school in Formosa city, the bathrooms were flooded due to recent rains, she said. Since the middle of January, persons who have been quarantined or segregated have been permitted to leave during designated hours at Cincuentenario Stadium and some other locations, following numerous complaints.
People are unable to leave some institutions due to the use of locks and chains on the doors. The dangers of this technique were clearly demonstrated in January at Cincuentenario Stadium in Mexico City. Some people were able to quarantine in hotels, and they frequently reported improved living conditions. Medical help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to Formosa officials, according to Human Rights Watch. The "environmental and social standards" of the quarantine and isolation guidelines, which were enacted in February, are frequently not met by the state-managed facilities.
Residents in Formosa province have been discouraged from seeking medical care or testing for Covid-19, according to doctors, because of the region's tight legislation and medical facility conditions. Because of this lack of confidence among medical personnel and locals, future medical response efforts in the province will likely be hampered. Formosan authorities have closed many centres since late February, since the number of Covid-19 cases in the region has dropped significantly. Clarinda City has been cut off from the rest of the world. Doctors claim that the restrictions have an impact on people's capacity to receive medical care because the city has a limited number of hospitals and clinics that can give advanced diagnostics
And treatment. According to a doctor, people have delayed medical care for various illnesses as a result of the restrictions, and they have also failed to complete vital medical checks.
Following the implementation of a new policy on March 23, those who produce a negative test result to the authorities will be permitted to travel inside their home province. On March 12, a federal court ordered the government of Formosa to remove Clarinda's sanitary blockage within five days, citing public health concerns.
For journalists wishing to enter the province, Formosa asked them to first demonstrate that they had tested negative and then to undertake a 14-day obligatory quarantine. People who were protesting the conditions in quarantine facilities were also detained by authorities. To allow journalists to enter the province without being quarantined, the government of Formosa enacted a new procedure on February 19. Protesters flocked to the streets in Formosa City after the government declared a state of emergency owing to the discovery of 17 additional confirmed cases of Covid-19. It was reported to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that indiscriminate force was used against demonstrators in Venezuela.
President of Argentina's National Human Rights Watch and director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Human Rights, John Pietragalla, claims that his office's response to the March 6 protests failed to prioritize the rights of victims or to document cases of civil and political rights abuses. The Ombudsperson's Office, a body that is structurally separate from the executive, has not been able to function normally since the term of the then-deputy ombud Person expired in 2013. Argentine lawmakers have failed to appoint a representative who can provide competent, independent, and reliable reporting on human rights issues in Formosa and throughout the rest of Argentina.
REFERENCES:
Argentina: Abusive Covid-19 Measures in Northern Province. Available at:
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/03/26/argentina-abusive-covid-19-measures-northern-province/ .
.Definition of asylum seeker | Dictionary.com. [online] Available at:
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/asylum-seeker.
Domenech, E., 2020. The “politics of hostility” in Argentina: detention, expulsion and
border rejection. Estudios fronterizos, 21.
Refugees, U., 2021. Figures at a Glance. [online] UNHCR. Available at:
https://www.unhcr.org/afr/figures-at-a-glance.html.
Refugees, U., 2021. UNHCR - Refugee Statistics. [online] UNHCR. Available at:
https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/.
HARRY CHIBUZOR – ARGENTINA – UNHCR: - TAFMUN ABUJA