Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/936285
maltatoday SUNDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2018 News 17 As such, UNHCR Malta believe that, "MCAST's Skill Kit could provide much needed support for refugees in need of improving their basic language and other skills". Compounding the economic pre- cariousness of the refugee popu- lation further are housing issues, with most refugees reporting a lack of awareness of the kind of support offered by the Housing Author- ity. And with rents expected to in- crease even in Gozo – according to the same report by UNHCR Malta – the fact that "many Gozitan land- lords refuse to provide a legal rent- al agreement to refugees" becomes an even more acute problem. Addressing the gaps On the social front, UNHCR has found that there were very few ac- tivities that would encourage dia- logue and cross-cultural exchange among the refugee population and local councils – with weak- ens the possibilities of either party being able to provide pro-active solutions to problems that might arise. The lack of social workers appointed to refugees in Gozo is also another factor that may con- tribute to their sense of alienation from the mainstream of Gozitan society. "General lack of awareness and knowledge about refugees seems to give rise to misconceptions which in turn create barriers to social inclusion," appears to be the over- arching finding of the report, which was presented to Minister for Gozo Justyne Caruana in July 2017. The report recommends that Go- zo's currently "fragmented" refugee support system be bolstered and made more cohesive through col- laboration – in particular between the triumvirate of local councils, authorities and refugees who by working together, "would be able to bridge some of the current chal- lenges faced by both refugees and communities". However, the report also noted that no significant health issues exist among the Gozitan refugee community, and that while "un- til recently, refugees in Gozo re- ceived minimal support from Job- splus," the employment agency has pledged to open up its services to beneficiaries of refugee and sub- sidiary protection and temporary humanitarian protection in the coming year. According to the report, in this way, "more people will benefit from assistance and gain better skills in areas such as CV writing, among others". Always in process, never at rest What emerges powerfully in the same article on the UNHCR Mag- azine – penned by Sarah Mallia – is the basic plight of refugees be- ing one of constant process and "flight"; that one is never allowed to be 'at rest'. For example, a tes- timonial given by Hassan Yassin Ibrahim, a Somali refugee who was forced to flee his country at the age of 16, directly points to the detrimental effects of a faulty integration policy. After being released from de- tention in Malta, Ibrahim trave- led to Sweden, where he lived for two years, before being sent back to Malta, as per EU rules which bind asylum seekers and benefi- ciaries of protection to be trans- ferred to the responsible Member State, such as the country of first entry or the country which has granted protection first. "Refugees need support when they arrive or are transferred back to Malta. My friends who live here know very little about the Maltese people and culture," Hassan, who has moved to Go- zo on his return from Sweden, said. "Sometimes friends of mine throw litter in the street and I collect it after them. I was taught this in Sweden. They don't know that it upsets people." In other words, having a 'local' integration policy would nip this kind of misunderstanding in the bud – a more efficient and wel- coming solution than a back-and- forth trip to Sweden. A fellow Somalian refugee inter- viewed for the feature also points to the frustrating state of flux that most of his number find them- selves in. "Even if we work and pay taxes in Malta, we will probably never receive a pension, or be granted citizenship. We cannot even dream about buying a house. There is no guarantee here. That is why many of us feel like we have not finished our journey," Ahmed, a 23-year- old graphic designer, said. Lament- ing the poor access to education on the island, Ahmed insists that the key to mutual understanding and communal betterment lies in com- munication. "We need to organise meetings with the local communities and let them know who we are, and that we are here to help make their communities better," Ahmed said. MOVING FORWARD, the UN- HCR magazine is out next week with MaltaToday on Sunday treljic@mediatoday.com.mt Join the celebrations and get your commemorative Valletta 2018 Mastercard Prepaid Cards today. be part of the Valletta 2018 celebrations BOV CARDS with the BOV Mastercard Prepaid Cards 2131 2020 I bov.com Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Żakkarija, Il-Belt Valletta VLT 1130 Terms and conditions apply. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is a public limited company licensed to carry out the business of banking and investment services in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the Laws of Malta) and the Investment Services Act (Cap. 370 of the Laws of Malta). the fate of refugees in Gozo