The Psycho-Social Conditions of Asylum-Seekers from Darfur in Israel

ObjectiveThe study appraises the prevalence of pre-migration trauma exposure, the ability to secure basic living needs, and psychological functioning among Darfuri asylumseekers and refugees living in Israel. MethodThe sample included 340 adults from Darfur. Standardized measures assessing socio-psychological functioning were utilized. ResultsThe participants demonstrated high rates of pre-migration exposure to traumatic experiences. Thirty percent of the participants met DSM–IV criteria PTSD, with a higher proportion for women than for men. Post-migration stressors were mentioned by the majority of the participants. ConclusionsThe State of Israel should recognize past atrocities and traumas of Darfuris who arrived in Israel. Such recognition should be offered as acceptance of their rightful access to refugee status determination. Moreover, the State of Israel needs to modify government policies and legalization facilities so that Darfuri refugees and asylum-seekers will have access to basic human needs and support services.  ObjectifCette étude évalue la prépondérance de traumatisme prémigratoire auquel sont exposés les demandeurs d’asile et réfugiés du Darfour vivant en Israël, ainsi que leur fonctionnement psychologique, et leur capacité de se procurer les besoins vitaux de base. MéthodeL’échantillon pour l’étude était constitué de 340 adultes du Darfour. Divers aspects de leur fonctionnement sociopsychologique étaient évalués à l’aide de mesures normalisées. RésultatsLes participants ont fait preuve de niveaux élevés d’exposition prémigratoire aux expériences traumatiques : 30 % des participants ont satisfait aux critères du DSM–IV pour l’ESPT, avec une proportion plus élevée chez les femmes que chez les hommes. Des facteurs de stress postmigratoire ont été évoqués par la majorité des participants. ConclusionsL’État d’Israël devrait reconnaître les atrocités et les traumatismes antérieurs subis par les Darfouriens arrivant en Israël. Cette reconnaissance devrait se manifester par une acceptation de leur droit d’accès légitime à la Détermination du statut de réfugié. Par ailleurs, il incombe à l’État d’Israël de modifier les politiques gouvernementales ainsi que les dispositifs de légalisation afin que les réfugiés et les demandeurs d’asile du Darfour puissent accéder aux services humanitaires de base et de soutien

Teachers’ Perspectives: Challenges in the Integration of Refugee Children Deported from Israel to Uganda

In 2012, Israel deported 500 South-Sudanese refugee children and their families. A year later, a civil war broke out in the young South Sudan and the deportees, along with over one million South-Sudanese citizens, fled to the neighboring Uganda. Since then, many of these children have studied in boarding schools in Uganda. We explore, using qualitative methods, the perceptions and experiences of six Ugandan teachers all working with these children for at least 5 years. The research is unique in studying children who have previously lived and studied in a developed Western environment, and experienced, subsequently, a transition to the global south, with far more conservative social norms and an authoritarian, teacher-centered conception of education. The results show a clear progression in the teachers’ conception of the children, beginning with an impression of the children as rebellious, tending to initiate conflicts, and disrespectful. Gradually, they came to view them as being open and assertive, often very articulate and communicative. They observed changes in the children’s behavior: acquiring language skills, being cooperative with staff, integrating with the other children and caring. Working with the refugee children had a great impact on the teachers’ perceptions and on their personal and professional conduct: they substituted punishments—including physical caning—with other methods of discipline. They endorsed open academic methods based on dialogue in class and between teachers and students, and encouraged experiment-based learning methods. On the other hand, the teachers initial perception of children’s parents as ignorant and disruptive remained unchanged and little effort, if any, was made throughout the years of this educational encounter to include the parents in the educational process. The teachers’ recommendations focused mainly on three issues: preparing the children and the staff to the new experience in order to facilitate integration, enhancing the communication and mutual work with the children’s parents, and giving more attention to the children’s emotional state. The discussion section addresses the limitation of this study, directions for future research, and practical implications