Decolonization of Education and Research on Migration (DERM)
On the 27th of March, the Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility in Africa attended a seminar at the University of the Western Cape. The focus of the event was for community organisations to share with the international scholars the work they do so that they can network with the scholars who will then link them with similar community projects in countries like Brazil, Chile, Pakistan, Tunisia, India, etc. This was...
Can a film make a difference?
I would argue that the films that are made reflect the focus and spirit of the time in which they are made. There seems to be an uncomfortable parallel between what is news and what becomes entertainment. Consider that so many recent films interrogate the complex horrors of war, even as war plays out on so many of fronts. Consider that so many migrants become the ghastly statistics reported on the news. Somehow, we hope that deft filmmakers...
Human Rights: Rights for all
Human Rights Day is a national day that is observed annually on 21 March to remind South Africans about the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for the attainment of democracy in South Africa. One principal document that enshrines and protects the rights of people living in South Africa including migrants, asylum seekers and refugees is the South African Constitution. The rights are provided for in Chapter 2 of the Constitution called the Bill...
Labour-related experiences of migrants and refugees in South Africa
Migration continues to be one of the persistent issues globally with large numbers of people migrating everyday for various reasons. Of the drivers of migration, the need for better economic opportunities remains one of the major drives. Even if a person is pushed to migrate because of other factors such as war, to ensure sustainability and integration one needs to have a livelihood strategy mostly through employment or business. However, the rights of migrant workers continue to...
March Press Review
International Sudan: UN struggles to cope with thousands of daily arrivals in South Sudan transit camps UN News, 23 February 2024 Since the outbreak of fighting, the influx of people fleeing Sudan has increased sharply at multiple border points, and more than half a million individuals have crossed the South Sudan border, according to UN estimates. At the UN-run transit centres in Renk, staff are helping exhausted individuals to travel onwards to their final destinations in the hope...
A Borderless Africa
As the continent grapples with mass human movement driven by environmental disasters, conflict, and insecurity, the concept of a borderless Africa is one that may offer a potential solution to these intersecting and complex challenges. An Africa without borders could foster regional integration, economic growth, and social cohesion across the continent, making it imperative to explore the challenges, prospects, and potential benefits that could come with its realization. A key theme throughout existing literature emphasizes the...
