The latest issue of New World looks beyond the politicised terminology and populist myths that have skewed public perceptions of the refugee and migrant crisis.
As Baroness Neuberger writes, the crisis has engendered much goodwill. But compassion for those fleeing persecution has been fickle. The outrage that accompanied Alan Kurdi’s death has subsided. British MPs recently rejected a proposal to take in 3,000 unaccompanied refugee children stranded in Europe - only to announce a U-turn just days later.
This "short-sighted" response from the West has put a disproportionate burden on developing countries, which host the vast majority of refugees. It raises serious questions about our commitment to the values we profess to uphold and risks undermining the stability of the international system, which will not remain 'fit for purpose' without concerted effort.
This issue also puts a spotlight on situations often ignored by the media, from the ongoing challenges facing Palestinian refugees as highlighted by UNRWA spokersperson Chris Gunness, to Western Sahara's struggle for self-determination, covered by UN-based journalist Ian Williams. Two survivors - Jihyun Park, a North Korean refugee, and the UN Secretary-General, who was forced from his home as a child - tell their stories of displacement.
The effectiveness of the current international legal framework for refugees is examined, with Professor Walter Kälin considering how the emerging category of 'climate refugees' could be protected, and Natalie Samarasinghe, UNA-UK's Executive Director, identifying gaps, discrepancies and challenges in protection for the displaced.
Media tropes are critiqued by this issue's contributors, with Professor Emma Briant condemning the British press's reporting of the refugee and migrant crisis, and Anne Althaus from the International Organization for Migration arguing that the term "economic migrant" is false and damaging.
Together, these articles and op-eds seek to uncover the real experiences of migrants and refugees, assess the global response and offer recommendations on how the international community could adopt a better approach. As ever, the magazine also includes news on the UN and UK, with particular focus on the publication of the UK National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review.
