Representation of Refugees in Mainstream Media and Humanitarian Agencies

This report discusses the representation of refugees in mainstream media and by humanitarian agencies, and the implications of these representations. It analyzes the negative and positive impact of media on the perception of refugees and the role of humanitarian agencies in supporting them.

How are refugees represented in the mainstream media
and by humanitarian agencies What are the implications
of these representations

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION :..............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Refugees are increasing in number due to several reasons and hence there is need to
understand them so that they can live happy and healthy life in long run. The present report will
talk about the life refugees live and how they are treated in eyes of other people. Moreover, the
report will identify areas where media have played a positive role in depicting the true
condition of these people in certain areas. Also, it will also identify the negative impact it has on
changing the minds of people of other country. Further, the role of humanitarian agencies in
helping the refugees will also be discussed in detail.
MAIN BODY
Refugees are the persons who live outside their own country due to certain crisis or
issues, and they are unable to return to their own country due to fear of ill-treatment either on
basis of nationality, race, religion, political opinion etc. Moreover, the risk to their safety and
life was so high that they had no choice to but to seek safety outside their own country
(Mahimbo and et.al., 2017). In context of Australia, it has agreed to ensure these people
protection of basic human rights including the right to seek any asylum. Moreover, going into
any asylum in Australia is not considered as illegal by law and also they can become permanent
residents that allows them to easily access to regular payments as it is for other normal residents
of the country.
However, Australia media often depict these people as illegal and most of the political
leaders often use negative language while introducing these people to the society. Therefore,
result of it was that most of the Australian people perceived that country is full of refugees and
thus they also develop panic in greeting such people in positive manner (Smith and et.al., 2020).
In certain reports it is also stated that these refugees purposely destroy all their documents and
visa in the fear that they will be deported back to old place, or they would be identified by the
local authorities.
In certain reports it is seen that most of the refugees in Australia are from adjoining
continent Indonesia. Hence, even though the wide number of refugees in the country the
government of Australia has ensured that they are given enough opportunity to rebuild their
lives in better way than they live earlier (Jung , Dalton and Willis , 2017). Moreover, it has

helped these communities to become more flexible and diverse in the ever-changing global
economy. Thus, flexibility is ensured through providing basic education and health facilities in
proper way so that they are able to live life like other residents living in Australia.
Also, the Australian government has not denied the right to the refugees to come along
the ways of water without valid visa but if they do so (purposely) than they are been subjected
to mandatory custody (Ng Chok and et.al., 2021). Further it is not necessary that count of
refugees is more only in Australia as there are other countries too where they are surviving such
as Turkey, Germany, Pakistan etc. The choice of country that are chosen by the refuges is
mostly neighbouring countries where they feel human rights will be provided and laws made
by the government are likely to be respected. Also, under international law policy it is very
important that individual needs to go for strict process to prove that they have suffered under
the oppression before they are granted refugee status.
In context of mainstream media, refugees image is been damaged, and they are mostly
under the public perception that all refugees are terrorists or someone with bad intentions.
Moreover, they are also represented as critical threat to the economy that destroys the national
peace and harmony of other people living in the country. Hence, media holds an important power
to change the idea and thoughts of the people both in positive and negative manner. Further,
most of the media does not display the negative opinions as some of them also shows the correct
picture of what actually they are suffering and influence people to provide them equal rights and
opportunities (Harris , 2018). Such media use words such as innocence and vulnerability to lay
the importance and responsibility towards supporting and assisting these refugees.
Also, a negative opinion given by the media is sometimes inflamed by the political
parties that uses controversial languages to display refugees not as human beings but
problems (Liddell and et.al., 2019). It is also seen that most of the refugees are highly skilled and
qualified people that can find enough job opportunities in the countries which they seek shelter
but due to various political reasons they are unable to do so and are also not able to earn even
the basic living. Further, it is seen that images presented by the media might increase the crisis
and call on for either empathy or anger from its audience (Refugee and asylum seeker facts,
2021). For example : In 2015 there was the image of drowned toddler refugee that struggle to
cross borders but was unsuccessful. Thus, this image gained lot of empathy from all social
media platforms and also demonstrated a call for immediate action for the people. Thus, positive

portrayal can bring positive political change in the country even though extent of its
effectiveness cannot be determined. Role of media is significant to solve complex issues and
present the same to the public in manner so that they also work together to support more
refugees.
Moreover, mainstream media should display that it is good for the country to host such
refugees so that productivity can be increased and better job opportunities to them will bring
along particular skill-set and knowledge that are required to increase the wealth of any country.
Further, mass media in context of refugees are also responsible for framing debates and turn the
eyes of public on specific happenings of event (Liddell and et.al., 2021). Also, some debates are
heard by the political parties that further aims to improve the current condition of the refugees in
terms of providing enough security. Also, various political parties in the countries can ensure
that these refugees are free from discrimination and exploitation through ensuring better
policies and programmes that cater to the needs of these people.
Similarly, on the other side it can be said that humanitarian agencies also plays
important role in supporting the refugees that come from different parts of the world. Major role
they play is to provide aid to those people that are suffering in any form such as conflicts,
natural disasters or famines etc. There are various types of government agencies such as
UNHCR, UNICEF and non-governmental agencies such as national red cross, ICRC etc. These
organizations actively support the refugees and solve their problems (Costello and von Kalm ,
2018). Moreover, these firms had helped these refugees in providing basic amenities such as
food, clothing and shelter in specified camps. Also, they are considered as channel of
information that communicate the current status of these refugees to the rest of the world.
Furthermore, these agencies work with the government to find durable solution for the
refugees. For example : Refugee council of Australia is national umbrella for providing rights
to refugee and also aims at promoting the development of humane and lawful policies in the
country.
Thus, these agencies are actively engaged in sending armed forces to those regions
where they find refugees are hiding due to any sort of fear so that adequate security and
protection can be provided. Further, with the use of social media channels they can depict
positive image of these people so that more helping hands can support them (Hirani , Payne ,
Mutch and Cherian , 2019). However, these agencies can also have negative image if any wrong

or misleading information about them are given on television or through any video that can
create disrespect and anger among the people. However, in most of the cases these agencies have
been proved as source of upliftment for these refugees through providing education and work
to these people so that they can live happy life.
These organizations are source of raising voices for those people who cannot fight for
their own rights. For this purpose they prepare themselves by responding in timely and quick
manner to save lives of people (McMichael and Nunn , 2019). Also, they ensure that these
refugees reached in the recovery phase where they are outside the trauma of what they have
suffered and are able to build resilience to become stronger and healthier than they were before.
Hence, such relief work give better image of refugees and also help them to live healthy life.
Media has the power to share opinion on public level that is positive or negative. This impacts
public attitudes and shows responses towards the politics that is involved within the matters of
refugees. Media is successful in establishing sympathy for such individuals and their families by
assembling the narrative regarding the discredit and causing hostility. There is use of some
negative language but also highlights on the innocence and the vulnerability parts. Thus, putting
the importance on being responsible and let the public take a step forward towards providing
assistance in supporting these refugees (Marlowe, 2020). It helps in concentrating the major
attention towards the vulnerabilities experienced by the refugees as well as their younger
generations. Australian government is taking major steps to take responsibility in offering safe
space that is away from any dangers caused from the war and related matters. It demonstrates the
use of media with public opinions and has put pressure on the government and other agencies to
work on changes that will produce compassion and protect refugees. Australia is successful in
initiating various programs. The purpose of such programs is to meet the needs of humanitarian
entrants and provide them with required assistance to the individuals living in the community for
temporary basis and even the communities that are under detention. Humanitarian organisations
have worked to support refugees present in the areas of Australia and work on funding system to
deliver services and programs for the refugee people. Refugees in Australia are happy to joining
such groups with the opportunities such as schooling provided to them. When looking at the state
of refugees in other countries, there are not treated properly and face many issues such as
cultural differences and no proper healthcare services. In the case of Australia, the programs are
made to support the refugees within new communities and welcome them while upholding the

human rights. It demonstrates the compassion for the refugees as well as enhances their cultural
and religious forms of diversity within the community. The support provided by the mainstream
media and by humanitarian agencies works with the intention of ensuring residence to refugees
in Australia under the humanitarian program settle in a successful manner (Blomfield, and
Lenette, 2018). It is important to identify the state of the refugees as they are very traumatised by
the cause of leaving their home and having lack of information as well as resources that are
important for them to live. The services provided by these programs includes intensive working
support, proper arrangement for the healthcare appointments, offering financial allowance that
will help the refugee individuals to cover their basic living expenses. In addition to this, there is
financial assistance for emergency related to their health.
CONCLUSION :
From the above report it can be summarized that media plays a powerful role in
presenting various information to the people either in negative or positive manner. Such
informations influence the decision and perceptions of people in great manner. Moreover, the
report has also analysed how political parties also help such people in time of crisis. Further, the
study had identified the contribution of humanitarian agencies in helping people that are
suffering form any kind of harassment and are residing in other countries in form of refugees.
Lastly, the report had presented importance of helping such refugees as part of responsibility to
build a greater economy.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Blomfield, I. and Lenette, C., 2018. Artistic representations of refugees: What is the role of the
artist?. Journal of Intercultural Studies. 39(3). pp.322-338.
Costello, T. and von Kalm, N., 2018. Responding to Refugees in Australia: What is the Christian
Response?. Christian Journal for Global Health. 5(2). pp.21-28.
Harris, M. F., 2018. Integration of refugees into routine primary care in NSW, Australia. Public
health research & practice. 28(1).
Hirani, K., Payne, D. N., Mutch, R. and Cherian, S., 2019. Medical needs of adolescent refugees
resettling in Western Australia. Archives of disease in childhood. 104(9). pp.880-883.
Jung, K., Dalton, B. and Willis, J., 2017. The onward migration of North Korean refugees to
Australia: In search of cosmopolitan habitus. Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An
Interdisciplinary Journal. 9(3). pp.1-20.
Liddell, B. J. and et.al., 2019. Complex posttraumatic stress disorder symptom profiles in
traumatized refugees. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 32(6). pp.822-832.
Liddell, B. J. and et.al., 2021. Mechanisms underlying the mental health impact of family
separation on resettled refugees. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
55(7). pp.699-710.
Mahimbo, A. and et.al., 2017. Challenges in immunisation service delivery for refugees in
Australia: a health system perspective. Vaccine. 35(38). pp.5148-5155.
Marlowe, J., 2020. Refugee resettlement, social media and the social organization of
difference. Global Networks. 20(2). pp.274-291.
McMichael, C. and Nunn, C., 2019. Conducting health research with resettled refugees in
Australia: field sites, ethics, and methods. The Health of Refugees: Public Health
Perspectives from Crisis to Settlement, p.12.
Ng Chok, H. and et.al., 2021. Milestones in the journey: The story of refugees becoming
registered nurses in Australia. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 77(11). pp.4525-4536.
Smith, L.and et.al., 2020. Factors shaping the lived experience of resettlement for former
refugees in regional Australia. International journal of environmental research and
public health. 17(2). p.501.

Online
Refugee and asylum seeker facts. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.redcross.org.au/get-involved/take-action/help-refugees/facts>.