Tuesday, 23 July 2019
The Higher Population Council in cooperation with the Institute for Family Health/ Noor Al Hussein Foundation, Edinburgh University of Scotland and the University of West Scotland, on Tuesday, held a seminar on "Refugee Health within a Changing Scene - By the Introduction of Scientific Evidence and the Implications of Practice", with the participation of national stakeholders.
The seminar aimed at introducing the in-depth analytical review on the experiences of refugee women and adolescents in urban areas in Jordan. The seminar further aimed at presenting a broader insight into these experiences by discussing the subject with speakers how are experts in scientific practices and policy.
The seminar included a presentation of two studies, one on "Quality of care for reproductive health services for adolescent refugees in Jordan and Uganda", which aimed at developing basic data on access to reproductive health care services for adolescent refugees in urban areas in Uganda and Jordan. Additionally, the first study has identified their needs, vulnerabilities, cultural barriers and psychological and social needs. The most important recommendations thereto were the establishment of a global health research network for refugees. The second study was on "Improving the quality of care for refugee women facing gender-based violence (GBV)".
During the seminar, HPC’s Secretary, Dr Abla Amawi, inaugurated an innovative audio exhibition under the title "Living in the World of Oblivion". The exhibition presents live experiences of asylum seekers and refugees living with HIV in the face of a changing world in Scotland, which aims to explore the strong connections between forced migrants and society in addition to presenting complicated human stories behind the phenomenon of migration, asylum and co-existence with HIV.
Amawi stressed that this exhibition reflects the stories of asylum seekers and refugees, regardless of the country that they are fleeing from or the country to which they resort so that they can be heard in a spirit of true dignity and shared humanity. Amawi added, that through such we can raise awareness, change concepts and draw attention to the humanitarian aspect of the debate in the global media about Migration.
For his part, the Director of the Institute for Family Health/ Noor Al Hussein Foundation, Dr Iprahim A’qil, highlighted the challenges facing Syrian refugees, particularly adolescents and youth. He further emphasized on the role of the Institution and CBOs in Jordan in responding to these challenges and providing services to this category of refugees. He assured that the Institution provides reproductive health services, psychosocial support services, protection against gender-based violence, and rehabilitation services for people with disabilities to more than three hundred thousand beneficiaries annually, 50% of which are refugees.
It is noteworthy that Dr Dina Sidhva of the University of Western Scotland used participatory research methodology in the innovative exhibition to express compelling stories of forced migrants in Scotland against the backdrop of UK policies on the support for asylum seekers and refugees.
Moreover, the exhibition was launched in the Scottish Parliament in 2016 and in India in 2017 and was widely recognized in the two countries. It is worth mentioning that the seminar will be introduced also this summer in Johannesburg, South Africa and Jordan
